ReviewAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI2013
Exploration of the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis to Improve Animal Welfare by Means of Genetic Selection: Lessons from the South African Merino.
Review in Animals : an open access journal from MDPI, 2013. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
2 citing papers in PubMed, 24 citations in OpenAlex.
- Differential Expression of Hypothalamic Genes in Laying Hens Housed in Caged and Cage-Free Systems Under Commercial Conditions in the Tropics.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Article
- Prolactin and heat stress; focus on domestic ruminants.Journal of animal science · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 1 institution in 1 country.
Funding
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Abstract
It is a difficult task to improve animal production by means of genetic selection, if the environment does not allow full expression of the animal's genetic potential. This concept may well be the future for animal welfare, because it highlights the need to incorporate traits related to production and robustness, simultaneously, to reach sustainable breeding goals. This review explores the identification of potential genetic markers for robustness within the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA), since this axis plays a vital role in the stress response. If genetic selection for superior HPAA responses to stress is possible, then it ought to be possible to breed robust and easily managed genotypes that might be able to adapt to a wide range of environmental conditions whilst expressing a high production potential. This approach is explored in this review by means of lessons learnt from research on Merino sheep, which were divergently selected for their multiple rearing ability. These two selection lines have shown marked differences in reproduction, production and welfare, which makes this breeding programme ideal to investigate potential genetic markers of robustness. The HPAA function is explored in detail to elucidate where such genetic markers are likely to be found.
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Registered trials
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