Varieties of sheep and their effects on blood lysozyme and complement activity

Abstract

Using 432 blood samples from the following sheep breeds, we were able to assess the influence of breed on
blood serum lysozyme and complement activities: There are a total of 96 sheep from the following breeds:
White Maritsa, Patch-faced Maritsa, Stara Zagora, Pleven Blackhead, Milk crosses, Ile de France, Trakia
Merino, and Mouton Charollais. The livestock was raised on farms owned by individuals as well as by the
Agricultural Institute in Stara Zagora and Karnobat. Ile de France sheep showed the greatest activity in the
alternative route of complement activation (APCA) (p<0.01), whereas milk crosses raised at the Agricultural
Institute - Stara Zagora had the lowest activity. In contrast, the amounts of blood lysozyme were found to
be lowest in White Maritsa and Ile de France sheep and greatest in milk crosses (p<0.01).