Coat and skin morphology of hair sheep breeds in an equatorial semi-arid environment

• Published in: Journal of thermal biology 2019-08, Vol.84, p.103-110
• Main Authors: de Amorim, Mikael Leal Cabral Menezes, Saraiva, Edilson Paes, de França Carvalho Fonsêca, Vinicius, Guerra, Ricardo Romão, dos Santos, Severino Guilherme Caetano Gonçalves, de Melo Costa, Cíntia Carol, Almeida, Maria Elivania Vieira, da Costa Pinheiro, Antônio, Pimenta Filho, Edgard Cavalcanti
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Acclimatization; Air temperature; Animal Fur - anatomy & histology; Animals; Blood; Capillaries; Capillaries - anatomy & histology; Climate; Cutaneous surface; Female; Hair; Morphology; Phenotype; Phenotypic acclimatization; Semiarid environments; Sheep; Sheep - anatomy & histology; Sheep - physiology; Skin; Skin - anatomy & histology; Sunlight; Sweat; Sweat gland; Temperature; Thermal Conductivity; Thermal insulation; Tropical climate
• ISSN: 0306-4565; 1879-0992
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jtherbio.2019.06.007

This study aims to address if are there annual changes in the hair coat traits and skin morphology of hair sheep breeds raised in an equatorial semi-arid region? Coat and skin samples were taken from thirty Morada Nova (4 ± 2 years old; red coat; ±SD) and twenty Santa Inês multiparous ewes (5 ± 2 years old; brown and black coat; ±SD) every 3 months over a year. Hair coat traits included thickness (mm), density (number of hairs cm−2), length (mm), and diameter (mm), plus epidermal and dermal thickness (μm), sweat glands and blood capillaries area (μm cm−2) were determined. Means of solar irradiance and ambient air temperature were higher between September and December. Annual changes (P