Morphobiometric characterization of sheep (Ovis aries) in Cameroon Bimodal Rain Forest and Sudano-Sahelian agroecological zones

Abstract

Small ruminants are important animal genetic resources in the tropics and play a significant role in many developing countries for food, and socio-economic aspects. Given a contribution in the genetic resources of sheep for their better utilisation, this study aims to describe the indigenous sheep (Ovis aries) for their body measurements, morphological characteristics and major genes with visible effect on the phenotype in Cameroon Bimodal Rainforest (CBR) and Sudano-Sahelian (SS) agroecological zones. Qualitative traits show that sheep are multicoloured, with the predominance of the white spotted with black colour (75.06%) and white spotted with brown (15.17%). However, other coat colour traits, including black (1.67%) and brown (0.56%), were less represented. Some sheep wear wattles (4.5%) and manes (11.80%). Horns are primarily present in rams. The main body measurements were evaluated in cm as follows: the chest depth (43.82±5.58), the heart girth (75.44±8.71), the scapulo-ischial length (60.46±6.41), height at withers (75.16±9.23), head length (22.08±2.91), tail length (36.42±8.14) and ear length (16.08±3.82). Although the above studies were conducted in various localities by different researchers, there is little information on the genetic diversity of sheep in Cameroon. Studies such as molecular polymorphisms and genotyping associated with phylogeny are quite necessary in order to deepen the genetic differences between and within sheep populations.