Lamb Survival and Prion Protein Genotype in Sheep Breeds
Author Information
Author(s): Simon Gubbins, Charlotte J Cook, Kieran Hyder, Kay Boulton, Carol Davis, Eurion Thomas, Will Haresign, Stephen C Bishop, Beatriz Villanueva, Rachel D Eglin
Primary Institution: Institute for Animal Health, Pirbright Laboratory
Hypothesis
Does prion protein genotype affect lamb survival in different sheep breeds?
Conclusion
The study found no evidence that selective breeding based on prion protein genotype negatively impacts lamb survival.
Supporting Evidence
- No significant associations between PrP genotype and lamb survival were identified for most breeds.
- The only significant effect was in the Charollais breed, where ARR/VRQ lambs had a higher risk of mortality.
- Factors like birth weight, litter size, sex, and age of dam significantly influenced lamb survival.
Takeaway
This study looked at how the genes of sheep affect how many lambs survive. It found that the genes don't really change how many lambs live or die.
Methodology
Survival times from birth to weaning were analyzed using Cox proportional hazard models for each breed.
Potential Biases
Potential biases could arise if live lambs were selected before PrP genotyping.
Limitations
Not all PrP genotypes commonly found in each breed were represented in the study.
Participant Demographics
Lambs from ten mainstream sheep breeds in Great Britain.
Statistical Information
P-Value
p>0.05 for most breeds; significant for Charollais breed with p<0.05.
Confidence Interval
95% CI: 1.31–5.44 for Charollais breed.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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