Coat Color in Local Goats: Influence on Environmental Adaptation and Productivity, and Use as a Selection Criterion.

This paper aims to review, systematically synthesize, and analyze fragmented information about the importance of coat color in local goats and its relationship with productivity and other important traits. Topics on current research on color expression are addressed, the relationship that has as a mechanism of environmental adaptation, its relationship with the production of meat, milk, and derivates, and the economic value of this characteristic. The use of this attribute as a tool to establish selection criteria in breeding programs based on results reported in the scientific literature is significant, particularly for low-income production systems, where the implementation of classic genetic improvement schemes is limited due to the lack of productive information, which is distinctive of extensive marginal or low scaled production systems around the world.

Effect of an Arthrobotrys musiformis (Fungi: Orbiliales) culture filtrate on the population of gastrointestinal parasitic nematode eggs in faeces of grazing lambs.

This study assessed the anthelmintic activity of the oral administration of a free-spore culture filtrate of the nematophagous fungus (NF) Arthrobotrys musiformis (M-10) on gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes (GIN) in naturally infected lambs. The fungus was grown on potato-dextrose agar plates (PDA) and transferred to a fermented rice medium (FRM). After 40-day incubation the total amount of FRM with the growing fungi was transferred to a flask shaker with distilled water for a 24 h period. The fungus was centrifuged and filtered. Three groups of six naturally-infected lambs (>1000 epg) each were treated once as follows: Group 1) 63.8 mg/kg A. musiformis culture filtrate (CF) (per os); Group 2) Levamisole 7.5 mg/ml (intramuscularly), Group 3) 15 ml of distilled water (per os). Faecal samples were individually collected on days -2, 0, 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 after treatment. For each experimental group, mean egg shedding was calculated and transformed (log 10 [epg + 1]). Means between the fungal filtrate group and the negative control were analysed using a T-Student Test. The faecal egg count reduction test (FECRT) was performed in groups treated with CF and Levamisole in relation to the control group (water) were 36.8-57.4% and 89-95.4%, respectively., although due to the difference between groups, no statistical significance was found (p > 0.05). The use of A. musiformis CF appears to be a good alternative treatment, although, more studies should be performed to establish the use of these fungal products as potential tools for GIN control.

Phenotypic characterization of the population of creole wool ewes in the highlands of Puebla State, Mexico.

This study characterized the population of wool ewes in the highlands of the State of Puebla, Mexico, considering traits such as fleece color, weight, and body measurements. In this region, dominated by a temperate climate, sheep are a traditional animal species for farming systems. To carry out the work, 2,082 ewes were randomly selected from 14 communities and 124 flocks belonging to the six municipalities that have the largest inventory of sheep in the state. For each ewe, live weight, breed, fleece color pattern, and 18 other body measurements were recorded. Descriptive statistics were estimated for weight and body traits and the morphotype was classified by multivariate analysis. Factor analysis identified the bulk, size, and breed standard as the attributes that best describe the population of ewes. These elements varied in importance among the groups (p < 0.05). Cluster analysis helped to classify the population into small black-faced ewes (28.5 %), small white ewes (11.9 %), black-faced medium-sized ewes (24.1 %), large ewes (12.3 %), and white medium-sized ewes (23.2 %). The groups identified were similar to creole sheep present in rural communities in other environments, but have lower morphostructural values than specialized breeds.