Analysis of Potential Genes and Economic Parameters Associated with Growth and Heat Tolerance in Sheep (Ovis aries)

SIMPLE SUMMARY: Understanding the genetic basis of animal growth and heat tolerance is essential if genetic enhancement technologies are employed to promote these traits. This study examined potential genes and economic factors that might be associated with growth and heat tolerance in two sheep breeds. In total, 120 male lambs of the Barki and Aboudeleik breeds, 60 of each breed, were used in this investigation. Lambs from Barki have much better growth traits than those from Aboudeleik. PCR-DNA sequencing of the growth and heat tolerance genes revealed SNPs in the nucleotide sequences between Barki and Aboudeleik lambs. The discovered SNPs were found to significantly associate with growth and heat tolerance traits. Lambs from Barki had a better economy than those from Aboudeleik. ABSTRACT: This study explored the potential genes and economic factors that might be associated with growth and heat tolerance in two sheep breeds. Data on growth performance from the third month to six months of age were obtained based on records. In comparison to Aboudeleik lambs, Barki lambs developed considerably greater starting body weight, final body weight, final body weight gain, daily weight gain, and percentage increase in BW/month. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were found between lambs of the two breeds using PCR-DNA sequencing of CAST, LEP, MYLK4, MEF2B, STAT5A, TRPV1, HSP90AB1, HSPB6, HSF1, ST1P1, and ATP1A1 genes. Lambs from each breed were divided into groups based on detected SNPs in genes related to growth. The least squares means of the differentiated groups revealed a significant correlation of detected SNPs with growth and heat tolerance attributes (p ≤ 0.05). Barki lambs elicited greater total variable costs, total costs, total return, and net return values. The Barki sheep provided the best economic efficiency value when comparing the percentage difference between net profit and economic efficiency. Together with economic considerations, SNPs found may be used as proxies for marker-assisted selection of the best breed of sheep for traits related to growth and heat tolerance.