Correlation between Biochemical Parameters and Production Traits in Merino Crosses Sheep I- Erythrocyte Potassium and Glutathione

Authors: NİHAT MERT, HANDAN GÜNDÜZ, VEDAT AKGÜNDÜZ, MÜNEVVER AKGÜNDÜZ

Abstract: To determine the relationship between biochemical parameters and production traits in sheep, 111 sheep raised in Bandırma Sheep Research Institute were used as living material. Blood samples of 31 Hampshire Down x Merino, 33 Dorset Down x Merino, 27 German Black Headed x Merino and 20 Border Leicester x Merino crosses were taken. The levels and types of blood glutathione (GSH) and erythrocyte potassium (K^+) were determined. Correlations between some production traits such as greasy fleece weight and lamb birth weight were estimated. Statistical significance was found in greasy fleece weight and high glutathione (GSH^H) and low potassium (LK) SBA x Merino crosses, but in Dorset Down x Merino crosses only low glutathione (GSH^h) type was shown to have significance with regards lamb birth weight.

Keywords: Biochemical polymorphism, erythrocyte potassium, glutathione, blood, sheep, production traits.

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