Amadou Traoré., Luis J. Royo, Adama Kaboré, Isabel Alavarez, Ivan Fernandez, Albert Soudré, Félicienne W. Béré, Moumouni Sanou, Hamidou H.Tamboura and Félix Goyache
The purpose of this study was to assess phenotypic parameters associated with resistance to gastrointestinal parasite disease and to identify specific alleles of interferon gamma in two Burkina Faso sheep breed : Djallonké (West African Dwarf) and Sahelian. For this purpose, two experimental flocks (20 individuals of each breed) located in periurban area of Ouagadougou was followed during 60 days. Sampling was focused on young individuals at approximately 3 to 6 months of age. After identification, individuals were dewormed. 28 and 35 days following deworming, phenotypic measurements was carried out including Body weight, FAMACHA score, hematocrit and faecal egg count (FEC). Total DNA was extracted following phenol/chloroform protocol and genotyping have been done with interferon gamma genes reported to be associated to parasitism infection resistance. No variation was found in FAMACHA score which remained constant during the whole experiment in the 2 breeds, 2.7 and 3.2 at day 28 and day 35 in Djallonké and 2.1 and 3 at day 28 and day 35 in Sahelian. However a significant variation has been found between the 2 sampling periods in sahelian breed. FEC values were significantly different between Sahelian and Djallonké 28 days after deworming (214.28±57.44 and 25±17.078 respectively) but remained constant at day 35 with higher value in Sahelian. A positive correlation was found between FAMACHA score and FEC and negative between these two parameters and hematocrit. The two alleles already described in previous studies were found both in Djallonké and Sahelian and a third one was detected in this study only in Djallonké. This study allowed to note the relative resistance of Djallonké breed and will help to establish and to improve programs for animal identification, to collect phenotypic data and at last to identify genetic markers associated to parasites disease resistance.
