Tesis de grado, Universidad Mayor de San Andres, Facultad de Agronomia, Carrera de Ingenieria Agronomica. / Abstract in Spanish and English.

Reproduction de : Thèse de doctorat : Variabilité génétique des caractères et gestion des populations : Toulouse, INPT : 2007. / Titre provenant de l'écran-titre. Bibliogr. 117 réf.

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South Africa is currently the world leader in mohair production and emphasis is placed on mohair traits to ensure the production of a high quality clip. Accurate and complete pedigree information is a prerequisite for accurate selection and estimation of breeding values that in turn can improve the traits associated with fleece quality and yield. South African Angora goats are farmed under extensive breeding conditions in relatively large herds. As a result breeders make use of mating systems that tend to limit accurate parentage recording. Incorporation of genetic parentage testing into the breeding plan can improve the accuracy of pedigree records and lead to increased selection accuracy. Microsatellite markers were evaluated for inclusion into a parentage verification panel, to be applied in the South African Angora goat population. The panel of 18 microsatellite markers was constructed, optimized and tested in 200 South African Angora goats. These goats represented different family structures, including candidate parents alone as well as known and candidate parents. The microsatellite markers were evaluated based on the number of alleles, allele frequency, PIC, HE, HO and CPE of each individual marker and as a panel. Four microsatellite markers were excluded from the panel based on their poor performance for the above mentioned parameters. The panel of 14 markers allowed a cost effective panel with the highest exclusion power. The CPE1 of the 14 microsatellite marker panel was 99.73%. The use of molecular parentage verification may aid Angora goat breeders in improving the accuracy of the parentage records of their animals. Copyright / Dissertation (MSc (Agric))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Animal and Wildlife Sciences / MSc(Agric) / Unrestricted

In 132 rabbits belonging to the Cunicola La Esperanza Farm of the city of El Alto in the department of La Paz, the principle physical characteristics of the angora rabbit fiber were determined in a period of 3 shearings. As such they were organized into 2 groups, clearly differentiated by their sex (female and male). The obtained fiber of the different shearings were weighed in order to determine the performance of each animal and subsequently analyzed the wool in the Experimental Station of Patacamaya, where they determined the diameter, length of hair and marrow composition. The results were subjected to a statistical analysis with the help of the SAS program. The effects of the principle studied factors (sex, age, number of shearing) showed highly significant differences (p<0.01). The fiber yields for males and females were 70.76 and 81.72 g respectively; as such the fiber yields of 57.77, 82.91, 84.28, 80.01, 71.36, 81.11 and 76.25 g for those under the age of 1 year, 1 year, 2 years, 3 years and first shearing, second shearing, third shearings respectively. The age of the animals and the number of shearings were the principle causes of the variation of the performance of the fiber. The male rabbits obtained 13.10 microns in diameter, 56.10% of marrow composition and 4.10 cm of length, and the female rabbits 13.91 microns of diameter, 65.34% of marrow composition y 4.23 cm of length, being the effect of the sex most highly significant (p<0.01). The fineness of fiber of the animals was 12.80, 13.07, 14.28 y 13.88 microns respectively for the ages younger than 1 year, 1 year, 2 years and 3 years, a marrow composition of 57.68, 60.54, 60.56 y 64.10%, for the same ages, observing among themselves highly significant differences (p<0.01); except in the variability of the length of the hair. In animals subjected to different numbers of shearing they obtained 13.48, 13.37 and 13.67 microns for the first, second and third shearings respectively and a bone composition of 59.28, 62.32 y 60.56%, observing minimum numerical differences, but not statistical, as in the length of hair.

Thesis (MSc)--Stellenbosch University, 2003. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study describes: 1. The isolation of total RNA and mRNA from Angora goat adrenals. 2. Synthesis and nucleotide sequence alignment of Angora goat CYPI7 cDNA. Two DNA sequences were produced, identifying two CVP 17 alleles in an Angora goat from the Swartland district. 3. The development of a CYPI7 genotype test for Angora goats. 4. Genotyping of Angora goats and Boer goats with the developed genotype test. S. Mapping of the substituted amino acids in the amino terminal of CVP 17 to a specific CYPI7 genotype. 6. Partial synthesis and alignment of Angora goat genomic nucleotide CYPI7 sequences. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie beskryf: 1. Die isolering van totale RNA en mRNA van Angorabok byniere. 2. Sintese en nukleotied volgorde oplyning van Angorabok CYP17 eDNA. Twee DNA volgordes is geproduseer, en so is twee CYP17 allele in 'n Angorabok van die Swartland omgewing geïdentifiseer. 3. Die ontwikkeling van 'n CYP17 genotipe toets vir Angorabokke. 4. Genotipering van Angorabokke en Boerbokke met die ontwikkelde genotipe toets. 5. Korrelering van die omgeruilde aminosure in die aminoterminaal van CYPl7 met 'n spesifieke genotipe. 6. Gedeeltelike sintese en oplyning van Angorabok genomiese CYPl7 nukleotied volgordes.

This research examined the diets of angora goats on a sagebrush bunchgrass rangeland. Research objectives were to 1) determine the effects of a positive conditioning method on both mature and immature angora goats; and 2) to quantify plant selection and provide preliminary information as to the potential for using goats to rehabilitate degraded sagebrush rangelands. Goat diets were ascertained using focal - animal bite-count observations during five consecutive seasons, summer 1990 through summer 1991. Treatment group goats were conditioned for 8 months by including ever- increasing amounts of sagebrush (Artemisia tridentate subspp. wyomingensi) in their daily ration, up to 25% of their total intake. Conditioning effects were evaluated in a rangeland setting by comparing relative amounts of sagebrush consumption between groups. Our results indicate that while conditioning did not significantly impact sagebrush consumption, young animals consumed significantly more sagebrush than adults. Additionally, learning throughout the first year altered dietary selection by the second summer. Both does and kids were primarily gramnivorous, however there was strong seasonality in species preference and a significant age difference in diets selected. Age differences in the plant species selected persisted throughout the study until the summer of 1991 when kids were eighteen months old. / Graduation date: 1993

Thesis (M.S.)--Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, 1994. / Vita. Abstract. Includes bibliographical references (leaves 108-110). Also available via the Internet.

Dissertation (PhD)--University of Stellenbosch, 2008. / Bibliography. Also available via the Internet.

Climate change is predicted to have a negative effect on the rangelands of sub-Saharan Africa, affecting the distribution, productivity and extent of these rangelands. Similarly, Subtropical Thicket vegetation in the Eastern Cape, South Africa is expected to experience a reduction in plant growth with conditions becoming similar to those experienced under desertification. The transformation of thicket results in a decrease in perennial plant species cover and richness, which is replaced by an ephemeral layer of grasses and forbs. Assessing the responses of herbivores to this transformation thus allows the testing of the hypothesis that climate change and desertification will lead to a broadening of diet and a decline in secondary productivity. In this study, the diet and productivity of Angora goats in intact and transformed thicket in adjacent paddocks was investigated from August 2005 to July 2006. Faecal analysis was used to compare the diets of the Angora goats in the intact and transformed thicket treatments. Goats in the transformed treatment consumed a higher diversity of plant species (94 species) compared to those in the intact thicket (42 species). The higher species richness per faecal sample and the larger seasonal variation in plant species utilized by the goats in the transformed treatment reflected the variability of this treatment in response to rainfall. Dietary shifts to include less palatable species not found in the intact treatment diet were clear, but due to the high rainfall year an abundant ephemeral layer, comprising grasses and forbs, was available in the transformed treatment. The diet quality of the transformed treatment goats was higher, as indexed by faecal lignin, than the intact treatment goats, although there was no statistical difference in the NDF and ash levels between the treatments. There was however, more variation in the nutritional quality of the transformed thicket diet, as indexed by dietary phosphorous, showing that intact thicket retains a more constant nutritional level. There was no difference in the body condition and mohair production of the goats in the two treatments. The hypothesis of broadening of the diet was thus supported, but there was no evidence for the predicted decline in secondary productivity. This study was undertaken during an above average rainfall period and large quantities of nutritious ephemeral grasses were available in the transformed treatment. This resource would not be available in a drought; therefore goats in the intact thicket will likely perform better over longer periods; providing stocking rates are realistic. This is the first study to measure the response of domestic herbivores to transformation either in terms of resource use or production.