Background: Saryarka sheep belong to fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep breed. This breed is distinguished by increased meat productivity while being competitive in young lamb production. Live weight and body indices are relevant data for assessing sheep body constitution, which directly affects the breeding characteristics and meat productivity of animals. Objectives: This study aimed to find associations with SNPs and nine phenotypic characteristics of the Saryarka fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep breed including live weight and eight body indices (wither height, rump height, bicoastal diameter, body depth, body length, rump width, heart girth, and cannon bone circumference), and find candidate genes related to these characteristics. Methods: A total of 100 animals from the Karaganda region of Kazakhstan were used in this study. Live weight and eight body indices of sheep were measured using tape and electronic scales. The blood samples of the animals were used for DNA extraction. DNA samples were genotyped with the OvineSNP50 Genotyping BeadChip and analyzed using GWAS. Statistically significant SNPs were identified for each characteristic trait referencing the genome of Ovis aries (Oar_v3.1) using BioMart. Results: The GWAS results demonstrated a substantial chromosomal-level correlation between 32 chromosome-wide significant and suggestively significant SNPs in the studied sheep breed. Overall, seven SNPs located in seven different genes were revealed as candidates for live weight and four body indices: s20793.1 SNP in the IGFBP6 gene for live weight, OAR4_54217431.1 SNP in the ST7 gene for bicoastal diameter, s25229.1 in the SCD5 gene, and s01175.1 SNP in the DTNBP1 gene for rump width, OAR2_175574781.1 SNP in the KYNU gene for heart girth, and OAR1_209022621.1 SNP in the FGF12 gene and s15415.1 SNP in the FTO gene for cannon bone circumference. Some of these genes were previously reported to be involved in body constitution and fat deposit in other sheep breeds. Conclusions: The results of the present study open up new opportunities for targeted sheep breeding for meat and fat productivity.

Sheep breeding is an important sector of livestock production in the Republic of Kazakhstan. The Kazakh fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep holds a prominent position among local breeds due to its high meat productivity, resilience to extreme climatic conditions, and efficient use of pasture resources. This study focuses on the analysis of runs of homozygosity (ROH) to evaluate the genetic diversity level, inbreeding and to detect selection signatures in the Kazakh fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep breed. A total of 500 animals were genotyped using the OvineSNP50 BeadChip (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). As a result, a total of 41,728 ROH segments were identified, with an average length of 1.59 Mb, distributed across the entire genome. The most prominent homozygous regions were detected on chromosomes OAR10, OAR13, and OAR22, which might be associated with selection signatures. Genomic inbreeding coefficients (F_ROH and F_GRM) showed a strong positive correlation (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), supporting the effectiveness of ROH-based analysis. Several candidate genes were detected, including MYF5, PRDM16, TGM3, SLC26A4 and SMAD5 which are notably involved in muscle formation, wool traits, and fat metabolism. The findings have substantial practical value for breeding programs and for managing genetic diversity in sheep farming enterprises in the Republic of Kazakhstan.

Background: In Kazakhstan, there is a notable demand for fat-tail sheep breeds in both domestic and international markets, which has led to the prioritization of certain breeds for breeding purposes. Among the various sheep breeds raised in the desert and semi-desert regions of Kazakhstan, the Kazakh fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep is particularly valued for its production of high-quality mutton. Objective: This study aimed to identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with body conformation traits in this breed using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). Methods: A GWAS was performed on 295 Kazakh fat-tailed coarse-wool using OvineSNP50 Genotyping BeadChip (Illumina, San Diego, CA, USA). Results: After quality control, 41,912 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) remained for analysis. Several loci showed suggestive associations (p < 1 × 10⁻⁵) with growth traits. These included s23127.1 and OAR6_56152225.1 for live weight; s08490.1 for chest width; s22731.1 for oblique length; OAR10_1168444.1 for cannon bone circumference; and s58409.1 for both rump height and withers height. Candidate genes near these loci encompassed VCAN, NEK1, NRG1, ADAM12, ERBB4, RUNX1T1, and PDGFD. Conclusion: Thus, these genetic variations have the potential to serve as candidate markers for MAS targeting body conformation traits in Kazakh fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep.

Artificial insemination (AI) is a key reproductive biotechnology for genetic improvement in sheep. However, its efficiency remains lower and more variable than in most other livestock species. This review critically synthesizes the historical foundations of sheep AI, including methodological principles established by the Soviet school, and evaluates how these concepts have been further developed and adapted to contemporary reproductive biology. Particular emphasis is placed on estrous synchronization protocols, semen processing and cryopreservation, and insemination techniques. We highlight how anatomical constraints of the ovine cervix, seasonal reproductive physiology, and species-specific characteristics of ram sperm collectively limit fertility outcomes, especially when frozen–thawed semen is used. Comparative analysis of cervical, transcervical, and laparoscopic insemination methods indicates that laparoscopic AI remains the most reliable approach, although recent advances in catheter design and semen handling have improved the feasibility of less invasive techniques. This review further discusses emerging approaches, including sperm sex-sorting, alternative recovery methods, and early-stage spermatogonial stem cell–based technologies, emphasizing both their potential applications and current limitations. Overall, the available evidence suggests that future progress in sheep AI will depend on the integrated optimization of hormonal synchronization, semen preservation, and insemination strategies, rather than on isolated technical innovations.

Елімізде етті-майлы қой шаруашылығын дамытудың болашағы сондай-ақ, азықпен қамтамасыз ету, азықтандыру, күтіп-бағу ерекшеліктерін ескере отырып, етті-майлы құйрықты қойлардың әлеуетті генетикалық мүмкіндіктерін іске асыру бойынша селекциялық - асылдандыру жұмыстарды жандандыру болып табылады, асыл тұқымды қойлардың репродуктивті құрамын есепке алып, функционалдық мүмкіндіктерін барынша пайдалана отырып, компьютерлік технологияларды енгіп, зерттеу материалдарын биометриялық өңдеу. Саулықтарды қолдан ұрықтандыру үшін жылжымалы пункттерді пайдалану, шәует еріткіштерін қолдану, лазерлік биобелсенділік саланы жүргізудің дәстүрлі әдісімен салыстырғанда, қаржы үнемдеуге және қой шаруашылығының табыстылығын 26-42 пайызға арттыруға мүмкіндік береді. «Ержан» шаруа қожалығында өсірілетін қойлар ет-май өнімділігі жоғары, ерте жетілуімен және оңтүстік-шығыс Қазақстанның табиғи-климаттық және азықтандыру жағдайларына жақсы бейімделуімен ерекшеленеді. Селекциялық топтағы қошқарлардың орташа салмағы 110–120 кг, жүн түсімі – 3,2–3,5 кг, саулықтардікі сәйкесінше 73–76 және 2,2–2,4 кг. Қозылардың туғаннан суалғанға дейінгі аралықтағы орташа тәуліктік салмағы 290-296 грамм, қозылар үшін 260-270 грамм. «Ержан» шаруа қожалығының етті-майлы құйрықты ірі жүнді қойларын жақсартуда, ең алдымен, қошқарларды осы белгі бойынша таңдағанда пайдаланатын өндірушілердің тірілей салмағы ескертілді.

Artificial insemination is an advanced reproductive technology used to increase the number of lambs born from elite sires to accelerate genetic gain in a flock