Carcass characteristics and meat quality of progeny of five Merino dam lines, crossed with Dormer and Suffolk sires

This study details the slaughter traits of lambs born from a terminal crossbreeding experiment that involved five Merino type dam lines crossed with Dormer and Suffolk sires. Dam lines included dual purpose types; South African Mutton Merino (SAMM), Dohne Merino, SAMM rams crossed to commercial Merino ewes (SAMM cross) and specialist Merino lines selected either for clean fleece weight (FW+) or for an increased fertility (Rep+). Data include between 228 and 483 individual records, depending on the trait. The unadjusted fat depth 25 mm from the midline at the 13th rib of lambs from dual-purpose ewes was between 22 and 32% greater than that of lambs from FW+ Merino ewes. Progeny from Rep+ Merino ewes showed a closer resemblance to the progeny of dual-purpose breeds than to those of FW+ Merino ewes in this instance. Adjustment for slaughter weight eliminated these differences. The initial pH of meat from progeny of FW+ Merino ewes was lower than that from progeny of dual-purpose ewes, and Rep+ Merino ewes. No differences in Warner-Bratzler shear values of the meat were found between the different crosses. Crossbred progeny of the Merino lines performed satisfactorily for all the traits considered, and will not be discriminated against in the market. No conclusive differences in favour of either sire breed were found. Keywords: Dohne Merino, meat quality, SA Mutton Merino, terminal crossbreeding South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 38 (4) 2008: pp. 355-36

Improving stress coping ability: comparison between the CYP17 genotype Of Ovis Aries and Capra Hircus

The ability of animals to adapt to stress is not only an animal health and welfare concern, but also influences reproduction potential and robustness. An important pathway involved in the stress response is the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) that results in the release of cortisol from the adrenal gland. In this study the cortisol responses of South African Merinos were measured to assess HPAA responsiveness to stress and relate it to behavioural stress responses to flock-isolation. The experiment was structured according to a 2×2 statistical design, with CYP17 genotype (WT1/WT1 vs. WT1/WT2) and selection line (H-line vs. L-line) as factors. Selection line criteria was based on divergent selection for (H-line) or against (L-line) maternal multiple rearing ability, where the H-line generally outperformed the L-line in terms of reproduction, animal welfare and resistance to certain pathogens. The CYP17 genotype is involved in the biosynthesis pathway of cortisol. In the present study the CYP17 genotype showed a significant influence on behavioural stress responses, where three parameters of the flock-isolation test were affected (P<0.05), namely the number of bleats uttered, the urinating frequency and the average distance from a human operator. It is suggested that the CYP17 genotype affects behavioural responses via its effects on cortisol production, and that the SNPs located within the CYP17 genotype may have application in marker-assisted selection of sheep

Intermediate strain rate behavior of cancellous bone: From the lower to the higher strain rate

Not applicabl

The National Women's monument brochures: a rhetoric of male supremacy

Paper presented at the Wits History Workshop: Myths, Monuments, Museums; New Premises? 16-18 July, 199

Galations 2:15-21 and the Belhar Confession (1986) in dialogue

This article brings Gal 2: 15-21 into dialogue with the Confession of Belhar (1986). It starts off with the issue of the formation of confessions in Early Christianity and asks whether there could be a confession basic to or in the making in the Galatians passage. The Confession of Belhar (1986) is structured around three concepts, namely, unity, reconciliation and justice within the South African context of the churches disunity with all its social consequences. Galatians reflects a critical and decisive period in the history of the Early Christianity as it struggles with the issue of justification. In this pericope Paul focuses on Justification by faith, but supports it with other concepts like grace, equality/unity and freedom. While these sets of concepts do not correspond with one another, they both reflect a crucial period of transformation in the history of the church.Department of HE and Training approved lis

Social cohesion and social capital: Possible implications for the common good

<p>The main objective of the article is to identify the possible implications of social cohesion and social capital for the common good. In order to reach this overarching aim the following structure will be utilised. The first part explores the conceptual understanding of socialcohesion and social capital in order to establish how these concepts are related and how they could possibly inform each other. The contextual nature of social cohesion and social capital is briefly reflected upon, with specific reference to the South African context. The contribution of religious capital in the formation of social capital is explored in the last section of the article. The article could be viewed as mainly conceptual and explorative in nature in order to draw some conclusions about the common good of social capital and social cohesion.</p><p><strong>Intradisciplinary and/or interdisciplinary implications: </strong>This article contributes to the interdisciplinary discourse on social cohesion with specific reference to the role of congregations. It provides a critical reflection on the role of congregations with regard to bonding and bridging social capital. The contextual nature of social cohesion is also addressed with specific reference to South Africa.</p

N,N-Bis(diphenyl­phosphan­yl)cyclo­­penta­namine

The coordination around the N atom in the title compound, C29H29NP2, shows an almost planar geometry, defined by the attached P and C atoms, in order to accomodate the steric bulk of the phenyl rings. The distortion of the trigonal–pyramidal geometry of the N atom is illustrated by the bond angles ranging between 115.22 (12) and 121.76 (9)°. The P atoms present a pyramidal environment with bond angles ranging from 100.62 (9) to 104.71 (8)°. One of the C atoms in the cyclo­pentyl ring displays a 0.822 (4):0.178 (4) positional disorder. Within the crystal structure, intra­molecular C—H⋯P hydrogen bonds together with inter- and intra­molecular C—H⋯π inter­actions link the mol­ecules into a supra­molecular two-dimensional network

A comparison between the body composition, carcass characteristics and retail cuts of South African Mutton Merino and Dormer sheepe/pj

No Abstract. South African Journal of Animal Science Vol. 34 (1) 2004: pp.44-5

Development Studies Working Paper, no. 54

This research, originally undertaken as part of a B.A.(Honours) Degree in Anthropology, has several aims. Firstly, it aims to reveal the various community options available to women in rural Transkei for coping with their domestic activities in the face of the large-scale absence of men. It will analyse the rationale behind the choices and their consequences for the women’s workload. Secondly, this will illuminate gender and generational roles and attitudes of community members, present and absent, in the community. The focus, in this case, will be predominantly on women, however. Thirdly, and finally, this research will analyse the relationships of power between men and women, and between adults and children by examining the various influences, such as religion and education, which constrain and coerce their behaviour and attitudes. From this, we should be left with an illuminating picture of the forces under which women operate in rural Transkei; and with some insight into their behaviour and attitudes, their beliefs and aspirations and into their lives.Digitised by Rhodes University Library on behalf of the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER