Abstract

In the Highlands of Chiapas, in southern Mexico, over 10,000 Indian families from the Tzotzil-speaking group manage small flocks of Chiapas sheep, a unique local breed. Sheep flocks are managed by the Indian women with all animal health care based on traditional herbal remedies. The University of Chiapas (UNACH) is conducting a research programme to investigate the biological basis of traditional sheep husbandry systems and to improve wool production. Animal health research tested the effectiveness of some common herbal remedies. In 4 sheep flocks, garlic (Allium sativum) and Mexican tea epazote (Chenopodium ambrosioides) were administered orally either separately or together. The most effective treatment was the combined 5g garlic + 5g epazote, which significantly reduced (P<0.01) the number of eggs of gastrointestinal nematodes by 66 ± 8% and 61 ± 28% at 1 and 2 weeks after treatment. Reductions in Eimeria spp. oocysts by 43% in 2 different treatments (5g garlic at 3 weeks post-treatment and 5g garlic + 5g epazote at 2 weeks post- treatment) were just below the accepted 50% effectiveness level. These preliminary results have clarified the need for controlled research trials, testing dose rate and frequency of these herbal treatments. Three colour phenotypes of Chiapas sheep have been identified: W-white, BL- black and BR-brown. Wool is subjectively graded by shepherdesses as good (G), medium (M) or poor (P) and 12 month fleece weights show differences between the wool grades - mean annual fleece weight (kg) was higher (P<0.01) for G (1.38±0.10) than P (0.95±0.10) with M intermediate (1.11±0.10). Twenty-seven sheep were examined with the aim of determining which objective fibre characteristics were used in the subjective assessment of wool grade. Mean fibre diameter was coarse (35.7 microns) and did not differ between wool grade or colour phenotype. Staple length differences (mm) were highly significant (P<0.001) between G, M and P (97.3 vs 77.6 vs 63.4) but not colour phenotypes. Kemp levels (%) were higher (P<0.001) for BL (10.24±1.4) vs W (2.32±1.4) and BR (2.19±1.4); and % medullation for BL was 12.14 (P<0.02) compared to 5.19 and 2.77±1.87 for W and BR respectively. These results show that the most consistent fibre characteristic distinguishing the different wool grades is staple length of the long fibres, which could be related to differences in seasonal fleece growing patterns. The results for fibre characteristics differences between colour phenotypes has helped to objectively characterise these phenotypes and provided a valuable insight into the general fibre characteristics of Chiapas sheep.

R, Perezgrovas, A Parry, M Peralta, L Zaragoza, D Trow, and P Pedraza

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 54, , 177-180, 1994