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The mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon) is an introduced ungulate in continental Europe. It has adapted well to its occupied habitats over the last 150 years. Its growing population has drawn increasing attention to its impact on autochthonous species, especially in endangered ecosystems. Its allochthonous character, habitat selection, and feeding led scientists to question the raison d’etre of mouflons. The mouflon’s space use and foraging strategies highlighted some pressure elements it exerts on those habitats. Mouflon trampling damage may be behind the degradation of rare, endangered grasslands. We review studies to discuss the results and the limitations of exclusion experiments to evaluate the extent of mouflon-caused damage in the context of population density. We review the forest damage attributed to mouflons considering interspecies competition with other large herbivores such as red deer (Cervus elaphus) and chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra). Climate change makes the mouflon use its space differently when seeking shelter in southern habitats; consequently, the increased trampling and foraging pressures suggest new challenges in managing its impact. We review research results on these direct impacts of the species; however, the long-term effects on herbaceous plant communities, such as rock grasslands, are still unclear. This is true for the mouflon’s influence under changing population dynamics. Our results intend to set directions for future research on long-term experiments with density impact, coexistence with red deer or chamois, and warming-climate-driven behavior change.

A recent comprehensive genomic analysis based on 50K SNP profiles has shown that the regional Balkan sheep populations have considerable genetic overlap but are distinctly different from surrounding breeds. All eight Croatian sheep breeds were represented by a small number of individuals per breed. Here, we genotyped 220 individuals representing the native Croatian sheep breeds (Istrian Sheep, Krk Island Sheep, Cres Island Sheep, Rab Island Sheep, Lika Pramenka, Pag Island Sheep, Dalmatian Pramenka, Dubrovnik Sheep) and mouflon using the Ovine Infinium® HD SNP BeadChip (606,006 SNPs). In addition, we included publicly available Balkan Pramenka and other Mediterranean sheep breeds. Our analyses revealed the complex population structure of Croatian sheep breeds and their origin and geographic barriers (island versus mainland). Migration patterns confirmed the historical establishment of breeds and the pathways of gene flow. Inbreeding coefficients (FROH>2 Mb) between sheep populations ranged from 0.025 to 0.070, with lower inbreeding coefficients observed in Dalmatian Pramenka and Pag Island Sheep and higher inbreeding in Dubrovnik sheep. The estimated effective population size ranged from 61 to 1039 for Krk Island Sheep and Dalmatian Pramenka, respectively. Higher inbreeding levels and lower effective population size indicate the need for improved conservation management to maintain genetic diversity in some breeds. Our results will contribute to breeding and conservation strategies of native Croatian sheep breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge on diet composition allows defining well-targeted conservation measures of large carnivores. Little is known about ecology of critically endangered Asiatic cheetah, especially the overall diet and its possible regional differences. We used cheetah scats, metabarcoding technique and microsatellite markers to assess the individual and overall diet composition of the species across its entire range in Asia. Cheetahs were primarily predating on mouflon; following by ibex, cape hare and goitered gazelle. Despite their high availability, small-sized livestock was never detected. Goitered gazelles were only detected in an area where the habitat is mainly flatlands. In hilly areas, mouflon was the most frequent prey item taken. Ibex was typically taken in rugged terrain, but mouflon was still the most frequently consumed item in these habitats. High consumption of mouflon in comparison to goitered gazelle suggests that human pressure on lowland habitats has possibly forced Asiatic cheetahs to occupy suboptimal habitats where gazelles are less abundant. The protection of flatlands and the removal of livestock from them are needed to ensure the long-term survival of Asiatic cheetah. The laboratory and bioinformatics pipelines used in this study are replicable and can be used to address similar questions in other threatened carnivores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bluetongue (BT) is an emerging and re‐emerging communicable vector‐borne disease of animal health concern. A serosurvey was performed to assess exposure to BT virus (BTV) in zoo animals in Spain and to determine the dynamics of seropositivity in longitudinally sampled individuals during the study period. Serum samples were collected from 241 zoo animals belonging to 71 different species in five urban zoos (A‐E) in Spain between 2007 and 2019. Twenty‐four of these animals were longitudinally surveyed at three of the sampled zoos (zoos B, C and E) during the study period. Anti‐BTV antibodies were found in 46 (19.1%; 95% CI: 14.1–24.1) of the 241 captive animals analysed by commercial ELISA. A virus neutralization test confirmed specific antibodies against BTV‐1 and BTV‐4 in 25 (10.7%; 95% CI: 6.7–14.6) and five (3.0%; 95% CI: 0.3–4.0) animals, respectively. Two of the 24 longitudinally sampled individuals (one African elephant (Loxodanta africana) and one aoudad (Ammotragus lervia)) showed anti‐BTV antibodies at all samplings, whereas seroconversions were detected in one mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) in 2016, and one Asian elephant (Elephas maximus) in 2019. To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first large‐scale survey on BTV conducted in both artiodactyl and non‐artiodactyl zoo species worldwide. The results confirm BTV exposure in urban zoo parks in Spain, which could be of animal health and conservation concern. Circulation of BTV was detected in yearling animals in years when there were no reports of BTV outbreaks in livestock. Surveillance in artiodactyl and non‐artiodactyl zoo species could be a valuable tool for epidemiological monitoring of BTV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The human/nonhuman distinction is a significant theme in ecocriticism, which tries to undermine this dichotomy and make us rethink the human relationship with nature and other creatures. This paper argues that Christy Lefteri's latest novel Songbirds (2021) dispels this hierarchical dualism through the portrayal of a golden mouflon ovis, a wild sheep native to the Caspian region and an extremely meaningful animal in the story: it comes to represent nature and eventually leads to the assimilation of the human and nonhuman spheres. By comparing the description of the mouflon ovis with the hedgehog in "The Mower" (1979) by Philip Larkin, I will attempt to bring to the foreground the similarities between both animal representations and the strong ecocritical hues in Lefteri's description. Furthermore, the paper aims to show how the author depicts an interspecies and inter-elemental community -- in which not only the animate dimension, but also the inanimate sphere is given value and importance -- through the representation of the mouflon ovis, the motif of gold and specific passages in the novel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated the controversial origin of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) using large samples of contemporary and ancient domestic individuals and their closest wild relatives: the Asiatic mouflon (Ovis gmelini), the urial (Ovis vignei) and the argali (Ovis ammon). A phylogeny based on mitochondrial DNA, including 213 new cytochrome‐b sequences of wild Ovism confirmed that O. gmelini is the maternal ancestor of sheep and precluded mtDNA contributions from O. vignei (and O. gmelini × O. vignei hybrids) to domestic lineages. We also produced 54 new control region sequences showing shared haplogroups (A, B, C and E) between domestic sheep and wild O. gmelini which localized the domestication center in eastern Anatolia and central Zagros, excluding regions further east where exclusively wild haplogroups were found. This overlaps with the geographic distribution of O. gmelini gmelini, further suggesting that the maternal origin of domestic sheep derives from this subspecies. Additionally, we produced 57 new CR sequences of Neolithic sheep remains from a large area covering Anatolia to Europe, showing the early presence of at least three mitochondrial haplogroups (A, B and D) in Western colonization routes. This confirmed that sheep domestication was a large‐scale process that captured diverse maternal lineages (haplogroups). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The conflict between free-ranging livestock and wildlife is a serious conservation concern across rural communities worldwide. Livestock may affect wild herbivores via direct competition for resources due to spatial and diet overlap or via behavioural interference. It is imperative that we disentangle the effects of livestock on wildlife behaviour to obtain an empirical basis able to stir management and conservation decisions. Here, we studied the effect of livestock presence on the habitat selection in a free-ranging European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) population in Sardinia, where the species is under strict protection. We collected spatial data on mouflon and livestock during two consecutive years to investigate whether the mouflon selection of key feeding grassland sites was negatively impacted by the livestock presence. We found that mouflon preferably selected grassland, and its selection significantly increased when grass was of better quality (greener). We showed that livestock presence led to the displacement of mouflon from such preferred feeding sites, an effect clearly exacerbated by livestock proximity. We indeed found that the selection of grassland by mouflon dropped significantly when the distance between livestock and mouflon was below ~ 650 m, providing a useful management threshold indication. Livestock presence in close proximity displaced mouflon to sub-optimal habitat, and its effects may have negative impact on the population dynamic of this species which is already characterized by low female productivity within harsh Mediterranean environment. Our results give clear management indications aimed at better managing livestock grazing within natural areas to ultimately improve wildlife conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The site of Körtiktepe in southeastern Turkey is one of few sites in the Upper Mesopotamia basin that attests continuous, permanent occupation across the boundary from end of the colder, drier Younger Dryas (YD) into the comparatively wetter and warmer Early Holocene (EH). This allows for the study of the degree of environmental change experienced on a local level over this boundary as well as for the study of the adaptations that the occupants of the site undertook in response to these changes. The mammal assemblage of Körtiktepe remains relatively stable across the YD – EH transition with the main contributors to diet being mouflon (Ovis orientalis) and red deer (Cervus elaphus) in approximately the same quantities, although the contribution of aurochs (Bos primigenius) increases in the EH. The most significant changes can be seen in the shift in avifauna remains, with a sharp increase of waterbirds during the EH. It is proposed that these shifts reflect changes in the local environment with an increase in woodland cover as well as expansion of local waterways, which is generally consistent with previously published archaeobotanical studies. In terms of species exploited, mortality profiles as well as size distribution of mammals, a great deal of continuity is observed. This suggests that over this particular period the local impact of the beginning of the Early Holocene was not overly dramatic, allowing for cultural continuity of previously established subsistence strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid hormones (THs) are important indicators of metabolism and animal health. Traditionally, they have been determined from blood or urine samples. However, as their collection may be stressful and requires ethical approval, alternative non-invasive matrices are preferred when dealing with wild animals. Triiodothyronine (T3) is the active form of THs in blood and the major metabolite excreted in feces. This creates the ideal conditions for its assay in fecal samples. Fecal sampling eliminates the stress of the animals and the need to physically capture them. However, in wild species it is rare to find species-specific kits for the hormone assay. So, the objective of this work was to validate a method for the quantification of T3 metabolite (FTM) levels in feces of European mouflon by using an economic and easily available ELISA kit designed to quantify T3 in human plasma. Analytical and biological validations were performed in feces collected from 10 mouflons (5 ewes and 5 rams). An efficient liquid-extraction method was optimized. Precision, dilution linearity, parallelism, recovery and stability of T3 in fecal samples were calculated. Obtained data were considered acceptable according to international guidelines. The reliability of the results was verified comparing human plasma and mouflon fecal samples fortified with the same T3 standard solutions. The biological validation showed higher FTM levels in March compared to June, and no differences between mouflon ewes and rams. The validation of the present method provides a non-invasive and affordable tool for the quantification of FTM in European mouflon.

The results of previous studies of SRLV infections in wild ruminants suggest that wild ruminants may serve as virus reservoirs responsible for the infections of domestic small ruminants. It is possible that SRLVs circulate in free-ranging mouflons in Slovenia, but considering the results of previous studies in which SRLV infections were detected in mouflons, it is very likely that the detected seropositive animal is an accidental spillover host for SRLV. Keywords: small ruminant lentiviruses; SRLV; maedi-visna; caprine arthritis-encephalitis; chamois; mouflon; serology; ELISA; survey EN small ruminant lentiviruses SRLV maedi-visna caprine arthritis-encephalitis chamois mouflon serology ELISA survey N.PAG N.PAG 6 04/26/22 20220415 NES 220415 1. [Extracted from the article]

This work identified the presence of AQPs in frozen-thawed sperm of wild ruminants and assessed the influence of the interaction between photoperiod and thyroxine on AQP expression, and on testosterone secretion. Thyroxine and melatonin were administered to ibexes. In a second experiment, performed in mouflons, circulating thyroxine was reduced via treatment with propylthiouracil (PTU), and an artificial long day (LD) photoperiod established. In the ibexes, the melatonin treatment increased the blood plasma testosterone concentration, reduced the cryoresistance ratio (CR) for sperm viability and the presence of an intact acrosome, and increased the percentage of sperm with AQP7 in the acrosome and of AQP3 and AQP10 in the midpiece. In the mouflons, neither the PTU treatment, the LD, nor the combination of both affected the CR of any sperm variable. The percentage of sperm with AQP3 increased in the post-acrosome region but decreased in the tail in the LD+PTU group. The percentage of sperm with AQP10 in the principal piece and endpiece was lower in the PTU+LD group than in the control and LD groups. The influence of photoperiod/melatonin on AQP expression might be indirectly exerted through changes in the testosterone concentration, and thus ultimately affect sperm cryoresistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Locomotion is often a necessity for animal survival and can account for a large proportion of an individual's energy budget. Therefore, determining the energy costs of locomotion is an important part of understanding the interaction between an animal and its environment. Measures of animal acceleration, specifically 'dynamic body acceleration' (DBA) has proved to be a useful proxy of the energy cost of locomotion. However, few studies have considered the effects of interacting factors such as the animal's speed or changes to the terrain slope on the putative acceleration versus energy expenditure relationship and how this may affect the relationship between DBA and energy expenditure. Methods: Here we conducted a methodological study to evaluate the ability of the metric 'vectorial dynamic body acceleration', VeDBA, obtained from tri-axial accelerometer data loggers, to act as a proxy for energy expenditure in non-uniform environments. We used indirect calorimetry to measure the oxygen consumption (V̇O2) of domestic sheep (Ovis aries) that were exposed to different ambient temperatures when immobile (resting) and that walked at various speeds (0.8 to 2.9 km h−1) and slope angles (− 6° to 6°) on a treadmill while simultaneously measuring tri-axial acceleration recorded at 40 Hz by body-mounted tags. Results: The lower critical temperature of sheep was identified as 18 °C, and V̇O2 when they were immobile was 3.67 mL O2 kg−1 min−1. There were positive relationships between V̇O2, VeDBA, and speed of walking. However, VeDBA correlated less well with V̇O2 when the terrain slope either inclined or declined. Conclusions: We advocate caution when using DBA metrics for establishing energy use in animals moving over uneven terrain and suggest that each study species or location must be examined on a case-by-case basis. Reliance upon the relationship described between acceleration and energy expenditure on horizontal-surface treadmills can lead to potential under- or over-estimates of energy expenditure when animals walk on uneven or inclined ground. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human-mediated species dispersal across the Mediterranean stretches back at least 10,000 years and has left an indelible stamp on present-day biodiversity. Believed to be a descendant of the Asiatic mouflon (Ovis gmelini gmelinii), the Corsican mouflon (O. g. musimon) was translocated during the Neolithic as ancestral livestock by humans migrating from the Fertile Crescent to the Western Mediterranean. Today, two geographically limited and disconnected populations can be found in Corsica. Whether they originated from distinct founders or one ancestral population that later split remains unknown, although such information is pivotal for the species' management on the island. We genotyped 109 and 176 individuals at the Cytochrome-b gene and 16 loci of the microsatellite DNA, respectively, to gain insights into the natural history of the Corsican mouflon. We found evidence confirming that the Asiatic was the ancestor of the Corsican mouflon, which should thus be unvaryingly referred to as O. g. musimon, i.e. as a subspecies of the Asiatic mouflon. Haplotype divergence dating and the investigation of genetic structure highlighted a strong and ancient genetic differentiation between the two Corsican populations. Approximate Bayesian Computation pointed to the introduction of a single group of founders as the most reliable scenario for the origin of the entire Corsican population. Later, this ancestral stock would have decreased in number, facing genetic bottlenecks and eventually resulting in two divergent demes. Splitting most likely occurred several hundred years ago. Their shared past notwithstanding, we discuss whether the two relic Corsican mouflon populations should be now considered as distinct management units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their limited environment, farm animals are at greater risk of parasitic infection than free-living animals, which also have greater natural resistance to parasitic diseases. The aim of the present study was to determine the influence of season and meteorological conditions (temperature and humidity) on the species composition and dynamics of parasitic infections in farmed mouflons. The study was conducted in a herd of mouflon (n = 40) in an extensive system: the animals remained on pasture all year round. The herd was dewormed twice per year with albendazole. Fecal samples were collected at monthly intervals over three years and tested. The prevalence of infection was defined based on coproscopic methods. For most of the studied protozoans (except for E. parva), a greater prevalence was recorded in spring and summer (i.w. from May to September). Regarding nematodes, Capillaria spp., Nematodirus sp., and the Trichostrongylidae demonstrated a much greater prevalence in winter (i.e., in January and December). Temperature and precipitation were found to be positively correlated with intensity of infection by protozoans. However, maximum air temperature was negatively correlated with infection intensity by some nematodes. The deworming practice used in the herd (selection of substance, date, and method of dosing) did not effectively protect the mouflons against parasitoses. Changes in the microclimate resulted in high extent and intensity of mouflon infection with gastrointestinal parasites. Understanding the dynamics of parasitic infections in mouflons during the year allows the development of an appropriate preventive programme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Farm profitability is heavily influenced by reproductive capacity. Fertility, prolificacy, and fecundity are all indicators of reproductive efficiency. In sheep with high economic value, prolificacy is a key reproduction parameter (Notter, 2008). Because most sheep breeds are monotocous, similar to Mouflon wild sheep (Garel et al., 2005), improving fecundity is a serious concern (Tang et al., 2019). This review aims to study genes and the genetic means of improving sheep reproduction parameters. Numerous mutations in the transforming growth factor (TGF) superfamily have been reported to influence sheep reproductive parameters. As a result, molecular genetics and marker-assisted selection (MAS) are essential in improving reproduction efficiency. If these mutations are not present in the population, introgression of the beneficial mutations to indigenous breeds is possible. Because within-breed selection has been considered relatively inefficient, due to the low heritability of the trait, crossbreeding of native breeds with prolific breeds has been the major means of genetically improving prolificacy. Studying fecundity genes is important in order to increase production efficiency and stabilizing optimal litter sizes. Different studies based on whole-genome sequencing (WGS), which are called genome-wide association studies (GWAS), and also proteomic studies, transcriptome analysis, and mitochondrial DNA analysis have revealed further genetic variation with medium or minor effects on reproduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Anaplasma, Babesia and Theileria are tick-borne pathogens (TBPs) that affect livestock worldwide. However, information on these pathogens in yaks (Bos grunniens) and Tibetan sheep (Ovis aries) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP), China, is limited. In this study, Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. infections were assessed in yaks and Tibetan sheep from Qinghai Province. Methods: A total of 734 blood samples were collected from 425 yaks and 309 Tibetan sheep at nine sampling sites. Standard or nested polymerase chain reaction was employed to screen all the blood samples using species- or genus-specific primers. Results: The results showed that 14.1% (60/425) of yaks and 79.9% (247/309) of Tibetan sheep were infected with at least one pathogen. Anaplasma ovis, Anaplasma bovis, Anaplasma capra, Anaplasma phagocytophilum, Babesia bovis and Theileria spp. were detected in this study, with total infection rates for all the assessed animals of 22.1% (162/734), 16.3% (120/734), 23.6% (173/734), 8.2% (60/734), 2.7% (20/734) and 19.3% (142/734), respectively. For yaks, the infection rate of A. bovis was 6.4% (27/425), that of B. bovis was 4.7% (20/425) and that of Theileria spp. was 3.3% (14/425). Moreover, 52.4% (162/309) of the Tibetan sheep samples were infected with A. ovis, 30.1% (93/309) with A. bovis, 56.0% (173/309) with A. capra, 19.4% (60/309) with A. phagocytophilum and 41.4% (128/309) with Theileria spp. Conclusions: This study revealed the prevalence of Anaplasma spp., Babesia spp. and Theileria spp. in yaks and Tibetan sheep in Qinghai Province, China, and provides new data for a better understanding of the epidemiology of TBPs in these animals in this area of the QTP, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of the Pest des petits ruminants (PPR) over the past ten years in Iran has resulted in devastating effects on the wild goat (Capra aegagrus) and mouflon (Ovis gmelini) populations, as well as small domestic ruminants. The aim of this study was to identify areas with high risk of PPR outbreak, determine the environmental and landscape factors affecting the spread of the disease, and identify the transmission corridors of the disease through the wild hosts of PPR virus in Markazi province. The risk of occurrence of PPR was mapped once in livestock and wildlife separately and also jointly for both groups using maximum entropy model. An electrical circuit model was used to identify migration corridors and evaluate the transmission of disease through the wild hosts of the PPR virus. The model performance index was calculated 0.727 for livestock, 0.997 for wild ruminants, and 0.849 for both groups. The results showed that precipitation of the wettest month was the most important variable affecting the prevalence of PPR. Potential migration corridors of wild sheep matched the areas where the risk of PPR occurrence was high. The results of the present study can be operative in developing effective methods to prevent the spread of this fatal disease in the country's wildlife. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Toxoplasmosis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by Toxoplasma gondii which infects warm‐blooded species worldwide. Humans can be infected through ingestion of tissue cysts from raw or undercooked meat, including game meat. A nationwide large‐scale cross‐sectional study was conducted to assess exposure to T. gondii in seven wild ruminant species in Spain. A total of 2,040 serum samples from 77 sampling sites randomly distributed in the five bioregions (BRs) covering mainland Spain were tested for antibodies against T. gondii using the modified agglutination test. The overall seroprevalence was 22.0% (449/2,040). Seroprevalence by species in decreasing order was as follows: 39.6% (141/356) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus), 37.1% (138/372) in fallow deer (Dama dama), 16.6% (92/553) in red deer (Cervus elaphus), 14.0% (26/186) in Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), 11.5% (24/209) in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), 7.8% (27/346) in Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) and 5.6% (1/18) in Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia). Seropositivity was detected in 74.0% (57/77) of the sampling sites. Results indicate widespread but not homogeneous exposure to T. gondii in wild ruminant populations in Spain during the last two decades and highlight differences related to animal species and spatial distribution of these species in this country; this implies potential consequences of T. gondii for animal health, conservation and public health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The domestication and subsequent development of sheep are crucial events in the history of human civilization and the agricultural revolution. However, the impact of interspecific introgression on the genomic regions under domestication and subsequent selection remains unclear. Here, we analyze the whole genomes of domestic sheep and their wild relative species. We found introgression from wild sheep such as the snow sheep and its American relatives (bighorn and thinhorn sheep) into urial, Asiatic and European mouflons. We observed independent events of adaptive introgression from wild sheep into the Asiatic and European mouflons, as well as shared introgressed regions from both snow sheep and argali into Asiatic mouflon before or during the domestication process. We revealed European mouflons might arise through hybridization events between a now extinct sheep in Europe and feral domesticated sheep around 6000–5000 years BP. We also unveiled later introgressions from wild sheep to their sympatric domestic sheep after domestication. Several of the introgression events contain loci with candidate domestication genes (e.g., PAPPA2, NR6A1, SH3GL3, RFX3 and CAMK4), associated with morphological, immune, reproduction or production traits (wool/meat/milk). We also detected introgression events that introduced genes related to nervous response (NEURL1), neurogenesis (PRUNE2), hearing ability (USH2A), and placental viability (PAG11 and PAG3) into domestic sheep and their ancestral wild species from other wild species. Chen, Xu, et al. performed a population genetics analysis of the eight species in the Ovis genus to assess the evolutionary and demographic history of these wild species and its domesticated counterpart. The authors identified a number of introgression events at different time periods, likely associated with the domestication process as well as identify a number of possible genomic targets of domestication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Archaeological and genetic evidence show that sheep were originally domesticated in area around the North of Zagros mountains, North-west of Iran. The Persian plateau exhibits a variety of native sheep breeds with a common characteristic of coarse-wool production. Therefore, knowledge about the genetic structure and diversity of Iranian sheep and genetic connections with other sheep breeds is of great interest. To this end, we genotyped 154 samples from 11 sheep breeds distributed across Iran with the Ovine Infinium HD SNP 600 K BeadChip array, and analyzed this dataset combined with the retrieved data of 558 samples from 19 worldwide coarse-wool sheep breeds. The average genetic diversity ranged from 0.315 to 0.354, while the F ST values ranged from 0.016 to 0.177 indicating a low differentiation of Iranian sheep. Analysis of molecular variance showed that 90.21 and 9.79% of the source of variation were related to differences within and between populations, respectively. Our results indicated that the coarse-wool sheep from Europe were clearly different from those of the Asia. Accordingly, the Asiatic mouflon was positioned between Asian and European countries. In addition, we found that the genetic background of Iranian sheep is present in sheep from China and Kyrgyzstan, as well as India. The revealed admixture patterns of the Iranian sheep and other coarse-wool sheep breeds probably resulted from the expansion of nomads and through the Silk Road trade network. • Low genetic differentiation was detected for the Iranian sheep populations. • There is a high genetic diversity within Iranian native sheep breeds. • The effective population size is declining in Iranian native breeds. • There is a common ancestry between the Iranian and Asian coarse-wool sheep. • There are admixture patterns for the Iranian sheep and other coarse-wool sheep breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycobacterium avium subsp. paratuberculosis (MAP) is the etiological agent of paratuberculosis (John’s disease) mainly in large and small domestic and wild ruminants, and suspected causative agent in human Crohn’s disease. In Bulgaria, paratuberculosis is still poorly researched in both groups of ruminants. We present results of the first in-depth study of mouflon, grown free in one hunting reserve in the Western region of the country. The aim was to prove the presence of MAP in diagnostic materials from regularly hunted or dead mouflon suspected for paratuberculosis. Small intestine and mesenteric lymph nodes (MLN) from 12 hunted and 4 dead mouflon and 10 faecal samples (Fc) were studied in the period of 2009–2013. Typical for paratuberculosis pathomorphological lesions were observed in four mouflon (of 16 examined). The intestinal wall was thickened, strongly folded and soft, with severe hyperemia. The MLN were enlarged, soft, with marbled appearance. The affected section of the ileum showed hyperplasia of the mucous corion and submucosa with diffuse infiltration of epithelioid cells. Lymphadenopathy with atrophy of T and B lymphocytes areas was observed in the mesenteric lymph nodes. For bacteriological isolation of MAP, the tissue and faecal samples were decontaminated with NALC-NaOH, cultured in Middlebrook 7H9 Broth and on Herrold’s medium. The Ziehl–Neelsen stained smears and isolates were examined microscopically for acid-fast bacteria. Presence of MAP was observed in tissue samples of 4 (25%) mouflon and in 2 (20%) faecal samples. The same samples were confirmed by the IS900 PCR for the presence of specific for MAP fragments with a commercial amplification kit. The cases of paratuberculosis found at different times in the free-living mouflon in our study prove that the disease exists in Bulgaria and highlight the need for more serious control of the disease among wild and domestic ruminants.

This study aimed to identify the effects of host species on the gut microbial flora in three species (Hemitragus jemlahicus, Pseudois nayaur, and Ovis orientalis) from the subfamily Caprinae, by excluding the impact of environment factors. We investigated the differences in intestinal flora of three species belonging to Caprinae, which were raised in identical conditions. Fecal samples were collected from tahr, mouflon, and bharal, and the V3–V4 region of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene was analyzed by high‐throughput sequencing. The analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences reveals that fecal samples were mainly composed of four phyla: Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Spirochaetes, and Proteobacteria. The most abundant phyla included Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes accounting for >90% of the bacteria, and a higher Firmicutes/Bacteroidetes ratio was observed in tahrs. Moreover, significant differences existed at multiple levels of classifications in the relative abundance of intestinal flora, differing greatly between species. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene indicated that mouflon is closely related to bharal, and it is inconsistent with previous reports in the species evolutionary relationships. In this study, we demonstrated that the gut microbiota in tahr had a stronger ability to absorb and store energy from the diet compared with mouflon and bharal, and the characteristics of host–microbiome interactions were not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large herbivores play an important role in species-based and site-based conservation approaches in the country. The success of these approaches depends on reducing genetic threats posed by isolation of species in their key habitats. In the present study, we assessed structural connectivity for wild sheep (Ovis gmelini), wild goat (Capra aegagrus), goitered gazelle (Gazella subgutturosa), and Indian gazelle (Gazella bennettii), using species distribution algorithms and connectivity models. Our findings showed that while the distributions of the studied species were correlated to different variables, conservation areas, landscape roughness and grasslands were the most contributing factors in predicting distribution of the species. Majority of habitat patches were located within the boundaries of existing conservation areas, which could be caused by the high environmental resistance outside of conservation areas. Despite the strong structural connectivity in some species, large proportion of migration corridors outside of conservation areas and high degrees of anthropogenic disturbances in natural habitat may reduce functionality of the predicted corridors. The selection of unprotected habitat patches and high-rate migration corridors as Indigenous and Community Conservation Areas (ICCAs) can improve the efficiency of the existing conservation network. The obtained results revealed that the conservation of medium to large-bodied herbivores requires integrated landscape-level management to improve functional connectivity among habitats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To describe briefly the physiology, the anatomy and the reproductive management of the ram. Design/methodology/approach: Review of the anatomy, physiology and general considerations for an adequate reproductive management of the ram. Results: The ram presents a less seasonal reproductive activity than the female and its reproductive behavior is easier to observe. However, it is in the fall, the reproductive season of seasonal sheep, when their behavior is much more complex and complete. It begins with smelling the external genitals of the female, goes through the flehmen response and ends with mating, intromission and ejaculation. It is necessary to consider the anatomical and physiological aspects of the ram and its meticulous management to avoid reproductive failures in the flock. Frequently, the rams are less important for the flock's handler during the season of reproductive rest. Monitoring their diet and parasite and disease control is necessary to keep them apt for reproduction. The evaluation of the reproductive aptitude of the ram before mating is convenient and can be planned as part of its management; and once mating begins, considering the adequate proportion of rams/females, in addition to monitoring their performance during this event. Study Limitations/Implications: To consider that the ram shows a good capacity for mating, capacity for service, libido, quality of semen, since it is responsible for a proportion of lamb production. Findings/conclusions: Reproduction in sheep is regulated by the photoperiod, genetic potential, nutritional status, health status and other factors, which are important both in the ram and in the female. Some sheep breeds have potential of prolificacy; a good reproductive management of the ram can influence these factors and increase the reproduction rate in the flocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During domestication processes, changes in selective pressures induce multiple phenotypical, physiological, and behavioral changes in target species. The rise of next-generation sequencing has provided a chance to study the genetics bases of these changes, most of the time based on single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). However, several studies have highlighted the impact of structural variations (SVs) on individual fitness, particularly in domestic species. We aimed at unraveling the role of SVs during the domestication and later improvement of small ruminants by analyzing whole-genome sequences of 40 domestic sheep and 11 of their close wild relatives (Ovis orientalis), and 40 goats and 18 of their close wild relatives (Capra aegagrus). Using a combination of detection tools, we called 45,796 SVs in Ovis and 15,047 SVs in Capra genomes, including insertions, deletions, inversions, copy number variations, and chromosomal translocations. Most of these SVs were previously unreported in small ruminants. 69 and 45 SVs in sheep and goats, respectively, were in genomic regions with neighboring SNPs highly differentiated between wilds and domestics (i.e. putatively related to domestication). Among them, 25 and 20 SVs were close to or overlapping with genes related to physiological and morpho-anatomical traits linked with productivity (e.g. size, meat or milk quality, wool color), reproduction, or immunity. Finally, several of the SVs differentiated between wilds and domestics would not have been detected by screening only the differentiation of SNPs surrounding them, highlighting the complementarity of SVs and SNPs based approaches to detect signatures of selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Population genetic studies provide accurate information on population structure, connectivity, and hybridization. These are key elements to identify units for conservation and define wildlife management strategies aimed to maintain and restore biodiversity. The Mediterranean island of Sardinia hosts one of the last autochthonous mouflon populations, descending from the wild Neolithic ancestor. The first mouflon arrived in Sardinia ~ 7000 years ago and thrived across the island until the twentieth century, when anthropogenic factors led to population fragmentation. We analysed the three main allopatric Sardinian mouflon sub-populations, namely: the native sub-populations of Montes Forest and Mount Tonneri, and the reintroduced sub-population of Mount Lerno. We investigated the spatial genetic structure of the Sardinian mouflon based on the parallel analysis of 14 highly polymorphic microsatellite loci and mitochondrial D-loop sequences. The Montes Forest sub-population was found to harbour the ancestral haplotype in the phylogeny of European mouflon. We detected high levels of relatedness in all the sub-populations and a mitochondrial signature of hybridization between the Mount Lerno sub-population and domestic sheep. Our findings provide useful insights to protect such an invaluable genetic heritage from the risk of genetic depletion by promoting controlled inter-population exchange and drawing informed repopulation plans sourcing from genetically pure mouflon stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fasciola hepatica is a liver parasite of ruminants whose distribution is determined by its intermediate host, the freshwater snail Galba truncatula. In Europe, F. hepatica is mostly associated with lowlands. Infection from sympatric domestic reservoirs is rarely reported in wild mountain ungulates. This study explores F. hepatica in a multi‐host system in a European alpine area. Serum samples (n = 1,209) from Pyrenean chamois (Rupicapra p. pyrenaica), European mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and domestic cattle (Bos taurus) were collected in the National Game Reserve of Freser‐Setcases (NGRFS) in Catalonia, Northeastern Spain, from 2008 to 2019, and tested for antibodies against F. hepatica. During the same period, the livers of 214 chamois hunted in the NGRFS were inspected for F. hepatica and associated pathological changes. Finally, 907 freshwater snails were collected in summer 2016 between 1559 and 2,224 metres above sea level (asl) in the NGRFS, and F. hepatica DNA sought by PCR. Antibodies against F. hepatica were detected in all four species, with a higher prevalence in cattle and sheep than in chamois. Fasciola hepatica and hepatic lesions were concurrently observed in 13/214 of the chamois livers inspected (6.1%, CI95 2.9%–9.3%). Fasciola hepatica DNA was detected in one out of the 907 snails (0.1%, Cl95 0.1% – 0.3%; Ct value 33.3) and collected at 2054 m asl. Fasciola hepatica was consistently detected in a high mountain multi‐host system, suggesting that its life cycle is completed and that it occurs endemically at the highest elevation reported in Europe. Transhumant livestock are the likely source in this alpine ecosystem, which according to rare occurrence of F. hepatica DNA in G. truncatula is still a suboptimal habitat for F. hepatica life cycle. Studying parasites at their highest distribution range can be useful to monitor climate change in seasonal mountain environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous morphological studies suggested that mouflon may have sarcocysts similar to those of sheep. However, to date, no molecular-based studies of the species of Sarcocystis infecting mouflon have been done. The present study identified Sarcocystis species in diaphragm muscle samples from 20 European mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon). Molecular identification using the cox1 sequence analysis was performed on sarcocysts excised from muscle tissue and on DNA from digested muscle samples. Both frequency and intensity of infection in mouflon were high with 19 of 20 animals testing Sarcocystis positive and > 50 cysts per gram of tissue recovered from 10 of the 19 Sarcocystis positive animals. Molecular analysis revealed dominant Sarcocystis tenella (18/19 animals) and Sarcocystis arieticanis (1/19 animals), whose known intermediate hosts are sheep. In addition, Sarcocystis capracanis, which is known to form sarcocysts in goats, was detected in two animals. The results of this study demonstrated the digestion method to be superior over the direct isolation of sarcocysts for the molecular identification of Sarcocystis species in a certain host. Future research of Sarcocystis diversity in wild ovine and caprine species is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The timing of birth has a predominant influence on both the reproductive success of the mother and the life‐history trajectory of her offspring. Because early growth and survival are key drivers of population dynamics, there is an urgent need to understand how global change is affecting reproductive phenology and performance. However, identifying when and where birth occurs is often difficult in the wild due to the cryptic behaviour of females around parturition, although this information may also help managers to protect reproductive females and newborn against human disturbance. While several approaches to identify parturition based on movement metrics derived from GPS monitoring have previously been proposed, their performance has not been evaluated over a range of species with contrasted movement characteristics.Here, we present a novel approach to detect parturition by combining data on animal movements, activity rate and habitat use. Using machine learning approaches, we evaluated the relative and combined performance of each category of metrics in predicting parturition for three large herbivores with contrasted life histories: a hider‐type species, the roe deer Capreolus capreolus and two follower‐type species, the Mediterranean mouflon Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp. and the Alpine ibex Capra ibex.We first showed that detection of parturition was much improved when birth‐related modifications in the habitat use and activity rate of the mother were considered, rather than relying on movement metrics only. We then demonstrated that our approach was highly successful (76%–100% of events correctly identified) in detecting parturition in both follower and hider species. Furthermore, our approach generated estimates for peak birth date and the proportion of parturient females that were comparable with those based on direct observations at the population scale. Finally, our approach outperformed the most commonly employed methods in the literature which generally failed to identify non‐reproductive females for the three studied species, and provided birth timing estimates that only poorly match the true parturition date.We suggest that by combining sources of information, we have developed a standardised methodological approach for inferring parturition in the wild, not only for large herbivores but also for any species where parturition induces marked behavioural changes in the mother. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large‐scale study was carried out to determine the prevalence of antibodies against Pestivirus species in wild ruminants and describe their spatial variation in mainland Spain. Serum samples of 1,874 wild ruminants from different regions of this country were collected between the years 2000 and 2017. A total of 6.6% (123/1,874) animals showed antibodies against Pestivirus by both blocking ELISA (bELISA) and virus neutralization tests (VNT). The prevalence of antibodies against pestiviruses was different both among species and regions. Seroprevalence by species was 30.0% (75/250) in Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica), 7.0% (25/357) in fallow deer (Dama dama), 2.5% (10/401) in red deer (Cervus elaphus), 2.4% (8/330) in Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica), 1.1% (4/369) in roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) and 0.8% (1/130) in mouflon (Ovis aries musimon), not detecting seropositivity (0/37) in Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia). The results confirm that exposure to pestiviruses was detected throughout mainland Spain, with significantly higher seroprevalence in Northern regions associated with the presence of Southern chamois. This indicates an endemic circulation of pestiviruses in Southern chamois and a limited circulation of these viruses in the remaining wild ruminant species during the last two decades, thus suggesting that non‐chamois species are not true Pestivirus reservoirs in Spain. Nonetheless, the high spatial spread of these viruses points out that new epidemic outbreaks in naïve wild ruminant populations or transmission to livestock may occur, evidencing the usefulness of monitoring pestiviruses in wild ruminants, especially at the wildlife–livestock interface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The possibility of Toxoplasma gondii transmitted from game meat to humans is of public health concern. Here we determined seroprevalence and risk factors associated with T. gondii in large game ungulates that cohabit in Sierras de Cazorla, Segura and Las Villas Natural Park (SCSV‐NP) (Southern Spain), a natural park with high human–animal interaction. Antibodies against T. gondii in 328 wild ungulates were assayed by the modified agglutination test (MAT ≥ 1:25). Antibodies were found in 39 (11.9%, 95% CI: 8.4–15.4) wild ungulates, with seroprevalence levels of 20.8% in wild boars (Sus scrofa) (5/24), 19.0% in fallow deer (Dama dama) (12/63), 13.9% in Iberian ibex (Capra pyrenaica hispanica) (14/101), 7.9% in red deer (Cervus elaphus) (6/76), and 3.1% in mouflons (Ovis aries musimon) (2/64). Significantly higher seroprevalence was observed in fallow deer and wild boars compared to mouflons. Animals living close to urban areas (<2 km) had 4.6‐times higher risk compared to those living at >5 km of urban areas. The results indicate high circulation of T. gondii in wild ungulates in SCSV‐NP, which is of animal and public health concern. The increased seroprevalence of T. gondii detected in wildlife ungulates living close to urban areas may increase human infection in those areas if meat from infected animals is consumed raw or undercooked. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of multidisciplinary approaches of investigation including biological, biogeographical, historical, morphological, and genetic analysis, can be useful in identifying and preserving biodiversity. The present study focuses on the characterisation and conservation of a mouflon population (Ovis gmelini musimon) from the Mediterranean island of Giglio. Here we provide the first molecular data on the Giglio population and compare it with mouflons from Sardinia, Elba, and Corsica using both nuclear and mitochondrial markers. Our results suggest that the Giglio mouflon harbours genetic variability likely of Sardinian origin but not represented in the current Sardinian mouflon diversity. Although not presenting the typical characteristics of an invasive alien species, the Giglio mouflon is being subjected to eradication through culling or trapping and surgical sterilization. The molecular evidence we report highlights that such actions are causing the irremediable loss of ancestral genetic variants of the genus Ovis. Finally, we highlight how a multidisciplinary approach is necessary to aid the conservation and management of the anthropochorous populations of Mediterranean mammals.

The aim of our study was to evaluate the selected biochemical parameters of mouflon depending on gender. For research were used thirty mouflons of both sexes with approximate age in winter season. Blood samples for biochemical analysis were taken from vena jugularis for determination of selected biochemical parameter. Biochemical indicators were measured using the standard automatic analyser. The results of statistical testing of selected biochemical parameters in the experimental group of animals confirmed differences between the genders and at the selected biochemical parameters.

Endoparasites are the potential source of substantial health complications in animals; exclusively the endoparasites of zoonotic importance are of great concern to researchers and health authorities for diverse perspectives. A coprological study was conducted to inspect the endoparasitic infestation in antelopes kept at three captive localities, i.e., Safari Park, Jallo Wildlife Park, and Lahore Zoo, situated in Lahore, Pakistan. There were 109 selected species of antelopes including nilgai (Boselaphus tragocamelus), blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra), urial (Ovis orientalis), and chinkara (Gazella bennettii). The fresh fecal samples of each experimental animal from individual and mixed animal enclosures were collected and tested by an appropriate parasitological method. The fecal samples were examined by applying the modified McMaster technique through the Whitlock chamber method and observed by a compound microscope for identification and fecal egg count. The prevalence (%) of egg per gram (EPG) and diversity of endoparasitic eggs identified from fecal samples of experimental animals from three captive localities were recorded. The analysis revealed species from phylogenetic groups of nematodes cestodes and trematodes along with coccidian occurrence. The prevalence of endoparasites was highest in nilgai (B. tragocamelus) with combined average prevalence (23.88 ± 3.13) from three captive localities followed by chinkara (G. bennettii) combined average prevalence (21.68 ± 2.64), urial (O. orientalis) combined average prevalence (21.41 ± 4.69), and blackbuck (A. cervicapra) combined average prevalence (16.88 ± 2.66). To prevent such infestations which prevail more intensely regarding changing climate and increasing pollution levels, there should be regular monitoring and appropriate prophylaxis combined with epizootiological investigation for future studies and implication of advance technology, for captive animals so that best possible adaptations can be made to reduce the spread of infective diseases that are of zoonotic importance also. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For an efficient allocation of the limited resources to alien species management, the most damaging species should be prioritised. Comparing alien species based on their impacts is not straightforward, as the same species can cause different types and magnitudes of impacts when introduced to different contexts, making it difficult to summarise its overall impact. The Environmental Impact Classification for Alien Taxa (EICAT) systematically summarises and compares detrimental impacts caused by alien populations to native biota and has been adopted by the International Union for Conservation of Nature. For each alien species, all reported impacts to native populations within the introduced range are classified into five levels of severity, from negligible impact to irreversible local extinction. Currently, EICAT only compares alien species based on their highest impact, thereby ignoring variation in impact magnitudes. Here, we used information on the variation in impact magnitudes of alien species to estimate their risks to cause high impacts if introduced to a novel environment. We demonstrate the usefulness of this approach by classifying the global impacts of alien ungulates. We found impact reports for 27 of the 66 alien ungulate species established worldwide, highlighting substantial knowledge gaps in invasion science. We classified a total of 441 impacts to native fauna and flora caused by these 27 species. Twenty‐six of the species were found to cause harmful impacts (native population declines or local extinctions). Mouflon (Ovis orientalis, Gmelin, 1774) and dromedary (Camelus dromedarius, Linnaeus, 1758) had a higher risk of causing local extinctions if introduced to a novel environment than sika deer (Cervus nippon, Temminck, 1838) and goats (Capra hircus, Linnaeus, 1758). Including risk of high impacts allows to discriminate among species with the same EICAT classification and improves alien species prioritisation for management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schmallenberg disease (SBD) is an emerging vector‐borne disease that affects domestic and wild ruminants. A long‐term serosurvey was conducted to assess exposure to Schmallenberg virus (SBV) in all the wild ruminant species present in mainland Spain. Between 2010 and 2016, sera from 1,216 animals were tested for antibodies against SBV using a commercial blocking ELISA. The overall prevalence of antibodies was 27.1% (95%CI: 24.7–29.7). Statistically significant differences among species were observed, with significantly higher seropositivity found in fallow deer (Dama dama) (45.6%; 99/217), red deer (Cervus elaphus) (31.6%; 97/307) and mouflon (Ovis aries musimon) (28.0%; 33/118) compared to Barbary sheep (Ammotragus lervia) (22.2%; 8/36), Iberian wild goat (Capra pyrenaica) (19.9%; 49/246), roe deer (Capreolus capreolus) (17.5%; 34/194) and Southern chamois (Rupicapra pyrenaica) (10.2%; 10/98). Seropositive animals were detected in 81.4% (57/70; 95%CI: 70.8–88.8) of the sampled populations. SBV seroprevalence ranged from 18.8% (48/256) in bioregion (BR)2 (north‐central, Mediterranean) to 32.3% (31/96) in BR1 (northeastern or Atlantic, Eurosiberian). Anti‐SBV antibodies were not found before 2012, when the first outbreak of SBD was reported in Spain. In contrast, seropositivity was detected uninterruptedly during the period 2012–2016 and anti‐SBV antibodies were found in yearling animals in each of these years. Our results provide evidence of widespread endemic circulation of SBV among wild ruminant populations in mainland Spain in recent years. Surveillance in these species could be a useful tool for monitoring SBV in Europe, particularly in areas where wild ruminants share habitats with livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mouflon (Ovis musimon) is an alien species in Poland, and a good example of how former customs in hunting become a problematic situation in modern wildlife management. The objective of the study was to document the history of the mouflon, its introductions and the reason for their failures, as well as the changes in population numbers between 1902 and 2014. The history of mouflons was tracked in three periods: 1902-1945, 1946-1981, and 1982-2014. The earliest introductions took place in the Sudeten mountains in 1902. About 50% of next introductions were unsuccessful because of severe winters, lack of supplemental feeding, poaching, and predation by stray dogs, as well as the consequences of inbreeding. Currently less than 3.000 mouflons inhabit the Sudeten mountains in south and the lowlands in western Poland. They occur in 23 local populations. In all locations, mouflon inhabit big forests which represent typical stands composition and potential understory sites. In mountains there are Picea abies stands on Dentario Enneaphyllidis-Fagetum sites, and in lowlands – Pinus sylvestris stands on Galio SilvaticiCarpinetum sites respectively. Unfortunately, existing populations need constant protection by hunters that cause legitimate questions about the sense of further breeding of this species for the purpose of hunting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a survey study on the macroscopic species of Sarcocystis infecting domestic sheep (Ovis aries) and cattle (Bos taurus) in Egypt, the macrosarcocysts of Sarcocystis gigantea and Sarcocystis medusiformis were detected in the carcasses of 33 domestic sheep out of a total of 250 (13.20%), whereas Sarcocystis hirsuta macrosarcocysts were found in 17 out of 150 cattle (11.33%) slaughtered at the municipal abattoirs of two different provinces in Egypt. The sarcocysts of each species were thoroughly described morphologically through gross inspection, histopathologic and transmission electron microscopic (TEM) examination. By TEM, S. gigantea primary cyst wall was 6–7.5 μm thick and had irregular highly branched cauliflower-like villar protrusions (VP).The VP contained microtubules (mt) and multiple electron dense granules (edg) that were dispersed inside the cores of the branched VP. Besides, the parasitophorous vacuolar membrane (PVM) had minute blister-like invaginations all over the entire surface of the sarcocyst. S. medusiformis cyst had a thin sarcocyst wall (~2 μm thick) as compared to that of S. gigantea. The cyst wall had trapezoidal or nearly pyramidal VP that were surrounded by thick PVM in addition to a ground substance GS that contained electron-dense fine particles. S. hirsuta sarcocyst wall was 7–9 μm thick and possessed rhomboid-shaped VP that contained microtubules (mt) and electron-dense granules (edg) of variable sizes. The edg were arranged in rows and running parallel to the longitudinal axis of the protrusions. The VP had characteristic narrow neck-like constrictions at their bases, dilated middle portions, and tapered distal ends. The detected macrosarcocysts were eventually confirmed by molecular characterization on the levels of 18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and Cox1 sequences. Phylogenetic analyses based on the sequences of the 18S rRNA and Cox1 genetic markers gave rise to robust associations of the currently identified isolates of S. gigantea, S. medusiformis, and S. hirsuta within a major clade of Sarcocystis species with felines as presumed or known definitive hosts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In polygynous ungulates, males invest time and energy to reproductive activities during the rut and this involvement is expected to increase with age due to different mating tactics in young versus adult males. In contrast, mating period is expected to be less costly for females for which late gestation and lactation are the most energetically demanding periods. However, empirical supports of these hypotheses through direct measures of reproductive effort are still limited in ungulate species, particularly in males. In addition, this general pattern may be modified in populations facing selective harvesting on adult males, where young males may experience less competition to mate and invest more energy during the rut. We investigated these hypotheses by studying the age- and sex-specific variations of kidney fat reserves from pre- to post-rut periods in a trophy-hunted population of Mediterranean mouflon (Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp.), a polygynous dimorphic mountain ungulate. Females were found to build up energy from the pre-rut to the post-rut periods, most likely to face with the subsequent costs of gestation/lactation that occur few months later. Conversely, kidney fat mass strongly decreased similarly in both young and mature males, and with the same magnitude, suggesting a strong investment of males of all ages in this population. This might be related to the selective hunting pressure on mature males this population is facing with. This result supports the need for more empirical and comparative studies to better grasp the influence of trophy hunting on reproductive effort in male ungulates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Life histories are strongly age dependent, notably linked to the onset of reproductive maturity and subsequent senescence. Consequently, ageing is predicted to impact behaviour, through the expression of either mating tactics in males or neonatal antipredator tactics in females. However, the influence of ageing, and the associated reproductive activity, on spatial behaviour remains poorly investigated. In this regard, we quantified age- and sex-specific intra-annual variation in movement rates and space use of two large herbivores with contrasting life histories: the roe deer, Capreolus capreolus, an asocial species with a territorial male mating strategy and a hider neonatal tactic, and the Mediterranean mouflon, Ovis gmelini musimon × Ovis sp., a gregarious species with a roaming male mating strategy and a follower neonatal tactic. We expected age-related differences to be mostly related to (1) age-specific mating tactics during the rut for males and the presence/absence of offspring for females, and (2) experience and/or locomotory senescence otherwise. During the rutting period, older roe deer males travelled greater daily distances than younger males due to patrolling behaviours for territory defence, whereas older mouflon males travelled less than younger males, which often adopted coursing tactics to mate with females. During the birth period, reproductive females had smaller home ranges than nonreproductive females in roe deer, whereas no marked differences were observed in mouflon females. The most marked age-related variation in space use of mouflon occurred outside the reproductive periods; specifically, the oldest individuals travelled less far and had a smaller home range (females only) than younger individuals. Our findings illustrate how space use tactics vary within and between populations of large herbivores, providing strong evidence that age and reproductive activity are major determinants of their spatial behaviour. • Reproductive constraints and experience influence spatial behaviour in ungulates. • Contrasting mating tactics of males generated age-specific patterns of space use. • Neonatal tactic generated age-specific patterns of space use in female roe deer. • Outside reproductive periods, older mouflon had restricted space use patterns. • Age is a major determinant of spatial behaviour in both species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mouflon (Ovis orientalis) with its huge and beautiful horns is considered as one of the ancestors of domesticated sheep. The European mouflon (Ovis orientalis musimon) is in the Asiatic mouflon (O. orientalis) clade. In order to provide novel genome information for mouflon, moreover promote genetic analysis of genus Ovis both domestic and wild, we propose to sequence the mouflon genome. We assembled the highly heterozygous mouflon genome based on Illumina HiSeq platform using the next-generation sequencing technology. Finally, the draft genome we accessed approximately 2.69 Gb (42.15% GC), while N50 sizes of contig and scaffold are 110.1 kb and 10.4 Mb, respectively. The contiguity of this assembly is obviously better than earlier versions. Further analyses predicted 20,814 protein-coding genes in the mouflon genome and 12,390 shared gene families among bovine species. It is estimated that the divergence time between O. orientalis musimon and Ovis aries was 7.6 million years ago. The draft mouflon genome assembly will provide data support and theoretical basis for various investigations of the genus Ovis species in future.

Small ruminant lentiviruses (SRLVs) belong to the genus Lentivirus in the Retroviridae family, which are responsible for the diseases maedi-visna and caprine arthritis-encephalitis in sheep and goats worldwide and are also widespread in Slovenian sheep and goats. SRLVs cause lifelong infections with chronic inflammatory lesions in various organ systems. Cross-species transmission of SRLV strains in sheep and goats is well documented, but there are few data on the ability of these viruses to infect wild ruminants. The objective of this study was to investigate whether SRLVs circulate among wild small ruminants in Slovenia. During the 2017–2018 hunting season, a total of 38 blood samples were collected from free-ranging chamois (Rupicapra rupicapra) and European mouflon (Ovis ammon musimon). The serum samples were tested for antibodies against SRLV by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The serological tests revealed that of all tested mouflons, 1 animal (11.1%) was seropositive, while all samples from chamois were negative. Based on the results of this study and considering the results of previous studies in which SRLV infections were detected in mouflons with low seroprevalence, it is very likely that the detected seropositive animal was an incidental spillover host for SRLV. Although no seropositive samples were found in chamois, we cannot speculate on whether chamois may not be a host for SRLV infection because of the small sample size and the disadvantages of the ELISA assay used when applied to samples from chamois.

This work identified the presence of AQPs in frozen-thawed sperm of wild ruminants and assessed the influence of the interaction between photoperiod and thyroxine on AQP expression, and on testosterone secretion. Thyroxine and melatonin were administered to ibexes. In a second experiment, performed in mouflons, circulating thyroxine was reduced via treatment with propylthiouracil (PTU), and an artificial long day (LD) photoperiod established. In the ibexes, the melatonin treatment increased the blood plasma testosterone concentration, reduced the cryoresistance ratio (CR) for sperm viability and the presence of an intact acrosome, and increased the percentage of sperm with AQP7 in the acrosome and of AQP3 and AQP10 in the midpiece. In the mouflons, neither the PTU treatment, the LD, nor the combination of both affected the CR of any sperm variable. The percentage of sperm with AQP3 increased in the post-acrosome region but decreased in the tail in the LD+PTU group. The percentage of sperm with AQP10 in the principal piece and endpiece was lower in the PTU+LD group than in the control and LD groups. The influence of photoperiod/melatonin on AQP expression might be indirectly exerted through changes in the testosterone concentration, and thus ultimately affect sperm cryoresistance.

The epidemiology behind multi-host/multi-parasite systems is particularly interesting to investigate for a better understanding of the complex dynamics naturally occurring in wildlife populations. We aimed to approach the naturally occurring polyparasitism of gastrointestinal nematodes in a sympatric wild ruminant scenario present in south-east Spain. To this end, the gastrointestinal tract of 252 wild ruminants of four different species (red deer, Cervus elaphus; mouflon, Ovis aries musimon; Iberian ibex, Capra pyrenaica and fallow deer, Dama dama) were studied in Cazorla, Segura y Las Villas Natural Park (Andalusia, Spain). Of the analysed animals, 81.52% were positive for parasite infection and a total of 29 nematode species were identified. Out of these, 25 species were detected in at least two host species and 11 parasitized all ruminant species surveyed. The multi-host interaction between these nematodes and the four host species is discussed under the perspective of host family-based differences. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]