Authors: André Martinho Almeida
Publish Date: 2011/04/21
Volume: 43, Issue: 7, Pages: 1427-1441
Abstract
Sheep production is one of the most important activities in animal production in tropical regions Southern Africa SA fattailed sheep such as the Afrikaner Namaqua Afrikaner Nguni Persian Black Head Tswana Pedi Sabi and particularly the Damara are important animal genetic resources very well adapted to their harsh home environments In this review autochthonous sheep genetic resources of SA are reviewed regarding history and productive performance A special focus is made to the most internationalized of such breeds the Damara The following aspects are reviewed history standards productive performance in SA and importation to Australia Finally a reference is made to the influence of fattailed sheep formation of composite breeds such as the Dorper or the MeatmasterThe author is indebted to the authors that kindly ceded some of the photographs published in this article F PinhoMorgado Fig 1a JS SantaComba Fig 1b and LMJ Schwalbach Fig 1d Author acknowledges the Instituto de Investigação Científica Tropical IICT for kindly ceding photographs in Fig 2 by Professor J LimaPereira Manuscript revision by GM Almeida IPATIMUP Porto Portugal is also acknowledged Author AM Almeida is supported by a Ciência 2007 Research Contract by the Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia FCT of the Ministério da Ciência Tecnologia e Ensino Superior MCTES Lisbon Portugal
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