Skin thickness was found to be moderately heritable and genetically associated with lamb survival in a previous study on Romney sheep. The aims of this study were to estimate the heritabilities of skin thickness and skin temperature at around five and 11 months of age, and determine genetic and phenotypic correlations between them and with production traits such as fat depth, loin-eye muscle depth and width, live weights at weaning, scanning, and 12 months, and 12-month fleece weight, in FocusPrime (n=2,088), Texel (n=732), Romney (n=825) and Highlander (n=1,801) sheep breeds. Heritability estimates of skin thickness at 5-month old were moderate in FocusPrime (0.39 ± 0.12) and low in Texel and Highlander (0.11 ± 0.15 and 0.13 ± 0.09, respectively). Heritability estimates of skin thickness at 11-month old were moderate in all breeds (ranged from 0.19 ± 0.07 to 0.29 ± 0.15). Heritability estimates of skin temperature were high in FocusPrime (0.39 ± 0.11), low in Texel (0.17 ± 0.11) and Highlander (0.12 ± 0.06) and almost zero in Romney (0.04 ± 0.03). A tendency in all breeds for negative and favourable correlations was found between skin thickness and skin temperature at 11-month old sheep. Skin thickness at 11-months tended to have a positive genetic correlation with fat depth in all breeds except in Texel where the correlation tended to be negative (-0.10 ± 0.34). Genetic correlations of skin thickness at 11-month old with the weight traits were variate. There tended to be a positive correlation with weaning weight in Texel (0.14 ± 0.34) and Highlander (0.29 ± 0.22). However, there tended to be negative correlations with live weight at scanning and at 12-month of age in FocusPrime (-0.03 ± 0.18 and -0.13 ± 0.22 , respectively) and tended to be positive in Romney (0.09 ± 0.25 and 0.10 ± 0.24, respectively) and Highlander (0.26 ± 0.22 and 0.39 ± 0.21, respectively). Moreover, genetic correlations of skin thickness at 11-month of age with FW12 tended to be positive in both Romney (0.20 ± 0.22) and Highlander (0.55 ± 0.19). Further studies on the genetic correlations of skin thickness and skin temperature with lamb survival in these breeds are warranted.

中文翻译：

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FocusPrime、Texel、Romney 和 Highlander 绵羊的皮肤厚度和皮肤温度与关键生产性状的遗传性估计以及遗传和表型相关性


在之前对罗姆尼羊的一项研究中，发现皮肤厚度具有中等遗传性，并且与羔羊的存活率有遗传关系。本研究的目的是估计 5 个月和 11 个月左右皮肤厚度和皮肤温度的遗传性，并确定它们之间的遗传和表型相关性，并与脂肪深度、腰眼肌肉深度和宽度、断奶、扫描和 12 个月时的活重以及 12 个月的羊毛体重， 在 FocusPrime （n=2,088）、Texel （n=732）、Romney （n=825） 和 Highlander （n=1,801） 绵羊品种中。FocusPrime 对 5 个月大皮肤厚度的遗传力估计为中等 （0.39 ± 0.12），Texel 和 Highlander 的遗传性估计较低 （分别为 0.11 ± 0.15 和 0.13 ± 0.09）。所有品种在 11 月龄时皮肤厚度的遗传性估计值都是中等的（范围从 0.19 ± 0.07 到 0.29 ± 0.15）。FocusPrime 的皮肤温度遗传性估计值较高 （0.39 ± 0.11），Texel （0.17 ± 0.11） 和 Highlander （0.12 ± 0.06） 较低，Romney （0.04 ± 0.03）几乎为零。在所有品种中，发现 11 个月大绵羊的皮肤厚度和皮肤温度之间呈负相关和有利的趋势。在所有品种中，11 个月时的皮肤厚度往往与脂肪深度呈正遗传相关，但 Texel 除外，其相关性趋于负相关 （-0.10 ± 0.34）。11 月龄皮肤厚度与体重特征的遗传相关性是可变的。Texel （0.14 ± 0.34） 和 Highlander （0.29 ± 0.22） 的断奶体重往往与断奶体重呈正相关。然而，在 FocusPrime 中，与扫描时和 12 月龄时的活重呈负相关（分别为 -0.03 ± 0.18 和 -0.13 ± 0.22），而在 Romney 中往往呈正相关 （0.09 ±分别为 0.25 和 0.10 ± 0.24）和 Highlander（分别为 0.26 ± 0.22 和 0.39 ± 0.21）。此外，11 个月大时皮肤厚度与 FW12 的遗传相关性在 Romney （0.20 ± 0.22） 和 Highlander （0.55 ± 0.19） 中均趋于阳性。有必要进一步研究这些品种的皮肤厚度和皮肤温度与羔羊存活率的遗传相关性。