Veterinary/1. Veterinary medicine

 

Ata-Kurbanov A.E.

 

Research Institute of Karakul Sheep Breeding and Ecology Desert, Uzbekistan

 

Principles of complex monitoring of karakul sheep breeding.

Interdisciplinary approach

 

Karakul sheep breeding is a main branch of stock-raising  in arid zones of Uzbekistan, which are produced mutton, wool, sheep skin, karakul pelts, milk, dairy products, raw materials for pharmaceutical and medical industry. This branch is engaged about 15-20 % of amount of habitants, which are lived in Uzbekistan. More than 17.7 million heads of sheep and goats are raised on the pasture area 22.5 million hectares at present time in Uzbekistan, from them about 5.0 million are karakul sheep.

Sheep breeding is an extreme branch of stock-raising and it development much dependent from the natural-climatic, pasture-fodder conditions and health of animals. Several changes were occurred in the  karakul sheep breed for the last ten years owing to different reasons – body weight, meat (mutton) and wool production, duration of farm produce usage of animals reduced, genofund of breed is used irrationally, amount of some valuable farm types and populations of karakul sheep were decreased.

Producing structure of karakul sheep breeding products in period reforming of branch was changed. Producing of meat is obtained more economical importance. There is lack of legible conception on system of reproduction sheep with account of breeding regions and farming shapes. One of the disadvantages that reproduction technology is not observed in some farms. Voluntary mating of ewe-dams has wide distribution; load rate of dams on sire is low. As results lambing company is continued from January till May months, bareness, repetition of sexual heat, gynecological deceases and offspring losses were increased. It is necessary to notify that there are ecological deceases in some regions which are results decline of environment and unbalance of biogeosenosis that have negative affect on productivity, viability and reproductive potential of animals.

One else condition that it is not attach to complex evaluation of animals in elaboration of pedigree flocks, lines and factorial types, besides at present time evaluation of sires by survival rate of their progeny is not practiced.                                  

 Evidently that it is not sufficiently restrict investigations only on narrate direction for solution of arisen problems and interdisciplinary approach with engage many fields of science-genetics, morphology, reproduction physiology, immunobiology, ecology is rationally in this case. We are used system of monitoring for solution of existent goals. Only systematical approach allow to us unify received data in unified complex and conduct observations for functioning of organism by around year cycle. Systematical approach is a methodological principle of investigations, which directed on study of organism as an integrative structure in his tight relation with environment.

Multi component system of monitoring allowed conduct observations not only for functioning of organism, but also take opportunity on the base of received data   propose for production  scientific recommendations by managing of reproduction, increase adaptive potential, reduce of embryonic mortality, normalization of immunobiological status and rational use of genofund of karakul sheep (E.A. Ata-Kurbanov, 1991).

Thus, the goal of integral system of monitoring is not only generalize of scientific results, but elaboration of specific activities for solution of discovered producing and social problems.

Zoothehnical control. Such control necessary for observations of changes in genetic population processes, which occur in the breed not for short time, but by passing long time. The structure of breed was changed for the last 70 years. At present time it involve 4 wool-constitutional and pelts types, 4 ethological, 3 ecological, more than 28 factorial and breed’s types, which have different colors and more than 25 colorations:  9 black, 9 sur, 5 gray, 2 white, 2 brawn, 1 pink. Therefore, this structure of karakul sheep breed is allowed to produce wide assortment of karakul pelts, which adequate to requirements of world market. However, several changes occurred in the breed for more than 50 years, which is required conduct scientific analyze. For the first time we say about level of production, live weight of animals and quality of karakul pelts: average lambing weight on 250-400 grams, weaning weight (at 4-4.5 month age) on 4-5 kg, live weight of adult sheep on 8-10 kg, wool production on 15-20 %  was reduced. Duration of farm producing live of dams on 1-2 years ( from 5-7 years to 4-5 years) and on 2-3 years (from 7 years to 5 years) in sires was decreased. Amount of sheep also was reduced.

Essential changes occurred in the producing structure of karakul pelts. For the last 30-40 years amount of ribbed sorts karakul pelts are increased on 5-7 once or from 5-8 % to 25-40 %. So, part of karakul pelts of “jaket” group with long semicircular curls, which is traditional pelt’s type for Uzbekistan is reduced.      

This capacity required to conduct complex measures by stabilization amount of sheep, improve productivity and quality of karakul pelts. The laboratory of reproduction elaborated project on reforming zoo veterinary service karakul sheep breeding farms for rational use genofund of karakul sheep (E.A. Ata-Kurbanov and al., 2002). One of the shapes to improve zoo veterinary service can be construction regional pedigree stations. These multi profiled pedigree stations have to serve farmers on zootechnical, veterinary, biotechnology and ecological monitoring and they could be centers by preservation and rational use of genetic resources, for control quality of products, sorting of karakul pelts and preparing to exporting, for conduct activity on innovate modern devices and instruments on artificially insemination, produce special feeding granules, pelletted feed and premixes for pure-strain animals, conduct activities on zooveterinary service and certification of pure-strain sires. One of the important goals of zonal pedigree stations is study farmers on conduct activities: for mating, valuation of animals, breeding and rational using of pasture’s and water’s resources. Laboratory conducts investigations to improve devices and instruments for artificially insemination (AI), mobile items for AI, devices for receives and evaluation quality of semen and others.

One else aim of zootechnical monitoring is determining prioritized producing goals. These goals can be decide in the condition of market relations only by comparative analyze of prices on karakul pelts, meet, offspring, wool, sheepskin and others. Function of markets nets in pasture-desert breeding is a single marketing structure for farmers by which buy-selling is conducted. Markets are determined demand on animal breeding products for current time and on future perspective. Markets is an efficient mechanism through which can affect on structure of producing, quality and quantity of animal breeding products. However requirement in specialists on management, marketing, and zooveterinary control is existed.

Requirements in elaboration complex program of around year multi profile producing technology of agricultural and other sufficient products in pasture animals breeding regions for normalization producing financial function farmers and shirkat (collective share) farms are existed.

Thus, we can do conclusion on the base of conducted zootechnical monitoring, that considerable achievements were reached for the last 40-50 years in karakul sheep breeding. At the same time several negative tendencies are occurred in the breed. We envisage that it is necessary strictly regulation of intensity exploitation of dams population with help of  different biological active substances, conduct designed rotation of pure-strain sires for reducing  risk of elemental inbreeding, conduct timely culling and castration not pure-strain sires, observe reproductive technologies and raise offspring, optimize mating and lambing time with account of breeding regions and farming shapes. It is expediently conduct analyses results of lasting effect of natural and anthropogenic factors not only on quality of karakul pelt, but in whole on the modern condition of breed.

Veterinary control. Veterinary control is system of measurements by diagnosis, prophylactic, and treatment of not contagious, infectious, parasite diseases and control on quality and veterinary-sanitary condition of products. This control is specific in the desert-pasture breeding regions. This is that animals around year maintained on the pastures, there for health and level of production dependent mainly from condition of environment. Pasture animals have an eternal contact with different species of plants, insects, rodents, ticks, wild predators, foxes, domesticated dogs. They are sources and transferors of different infectious and parasite diseases of domestic animals, and zoonosis, such as brucellosis, leptospirosis, echinococcosis and other.

Thus system of veterinary activities has to comprehend not only pasture agricultural animals, but wild fauna and flora too.

Agro hydrological control. Development of desert-pasture breeding on much dependent from condition of pastures and level of rate of water supply of grazing pastures. For the last decades effect of anthropogenic factors and instability of arid ecosystems lead to reduce of fodder-producing aria, to degradation of plant’s cover, erosion and salinization of soil. Fodder productivity of pastures have reduced on 1.5 once, aria of degradation and weed of plants which animals not consumed was increased (Shamsutdinov Z.Sh., 2001).

It is necessary to notify that water-supply aria is reduced. Therefore big pasture’s arias are not used. This is lead to reduce of grazing pastures and concentration of flocks near watering places and villages, this is result of enhance of degradation.

Thus, the questions of rational use pastures and watering places, location of wells nets in desert-pasture animals breeding regions required correction. At present time and in outlook optimization of grazing rate pastures can be reach by improving of water-supply, location wells and amount of animals on watering place.

Immunobiological control. Successful realization of selection programs on much dependent from health of animals. However there is lack of control on relation of leading selection attributes with resistance. Requirement of branch in acceptable methods monitoring of resistance become more necessary, because level of production and reproduction function of animals on much dependent from condition of resistance. Damage from reduce of resistance is occurred in results of increase of deceases, death, expenses on conduct treatment-prophylactic activities, reduce of productivity and quality of products, anticipatory calling of animals. The question of resistance has an essential actuality in colored karakul sheep breeding. It is known that selection on depigmentation of hair lead to reduce viability of animals. Elaboration of immunobilogical basis to selection of high resistance animals have an interest for forming lines and families which steady to deceases and adverse factors of environment. One of the practical goals of immunobiological control is timely diagnosis, prophylaxes and treatment of immune deficiency. Three periods of immunological insufficiency in karakul sheep of different ages was determined.

First period of immune deficiency determined with colostrums factors. Reason - inopportune consumption of colostrums through 36 hours after lambing, bad quality of colostrums, insufficient manifestation of sucking reflex in lambs, mammal gland diseases, hypo galactia and agalactia.  

Second period of immune deficiency in 25-30 days age lambs is observed. Reason – elimination of mother’s colostrums immunoglobulin where own resistance protecting factors of organism is not formed.

Third period of immune deficiency registered in 4-5 month age old lambs in weaning period. Reason – technological and feeding stresses.

Natural remedies prepared from ecological pure row materials of animal’s origination are used for diagnosis and normalization of immunobiological status, reduce consequences of immunodeficiency. It was used natural colostrums and blood’s serum. These biological liquids of organism saturated with all classes of immunoglobulin and also with hormones, ferments, vitamins and microelements. Besides, experimental series of biological active extracts prepared from immunological organs – thymus, spleen, placenta, lymphatic glands, marrow, lectins and multivitamins. They are used for prophylaxes of immunodeficiency and gynecological diseases, stimulation of growth and development offspring, reduce embryonic losses, regulation of reproduction function.

Control of reproduction. This control necessary for elaboration optimal system managing of reproduction with account of breeding regions and farming shapes.

We studied follow reproduction attributes: margins of sexual season, duration of sexual cycles and heat, course of pregnancy, pre birth, birth and afterbirth ethological signs, expression of motherhood instinct, level of sperm antibodies, methods of evaluation semen quality and increase efficiency of artificially insemination. Following particularities of reproduction function were determined in karakul sheep. Duration of sexual season from the end of June till February is manifested, period of sexual quiet continuous from Mart till June, duration of sexual cycle 14-17 days, average duration of sexual heat is 24-30 hours, minimal 6-8 and maximal 72 hours; there are differences in duration of sexual heat and reproductive signs in different wool-constitutional types.

Physical-chemical properties slime of cervix of the uterus was studied. Investigations were shown that temperature fluctuation and physical-chemical properties of cervix slime connected with level of sexual hormones.

Crystallization of cervix’s slime in continuous of sexual heat has particularities. There is not crystallization of slime in the beginning of sexual heat and it pattern is atypical. Primary and secondary arms in the pattern of crystals is observed in middle of sexual heat, thirdly and fourthly arms observe in the end of sexual heat or in pre ovulation stage. Crystallization is not expressed after damping of sexual heat. It was determined that these variation related with level of estrogens.

Simple method for determining semen’s quality without use of microscope was tested. We added 1 drop of 0.01 % of indicator to 1 drop semen to conduct investigations.Time of discoloration of indicator (paint) correlated with density, mobility, resistance and insemination efficiency semen.

System for managing of reproduction of karakul sheep, improvement remedies for regulation and increase efficiency of reproduction function, methods for prevention bareness and after birth pathologies were proposed. Methods for diagnosis, prophylaxis and treatment of immunodeficiency conditions, control immunobiological reactivity, selection of animals with high viability and productive potential on the base of immunobiological and morpho-physiological criterions was determined.                    

It is necessary to notify in conclusion that one of the priorities of integral system of monitoring in desert-pasture stock raising is an improving technology of conduct branch, increase efficiency and culture of production and improving living standard of peoples that live in arid regions of Uzbekistan.

Used literature

1.     Ata-Kurbanov E.A. Immunobiological aspects of control resistance and productivity of karakul sheep. Diss. for the scientific degree doct. of philosophy in vet. sc. Moscow. 1991. - 421 p.

2.      Recommendations “Elaboration of biotechnological methods of intensification reproduction function of karakul sheep. Ata-Kurbanov E.A., Markaryan V.S., Ata-Kurbanov A.E. Samarkand, 2002

3.     Shamsutdinov Z.Sh. Adaptive systems of rational use and phyto melioration of arid pastures of Russia and Central Asia. In book: “Problems of social-economic development arid territories”, part 2, Moscow, 2001.-23-41 p.