Elementary study on melanin traits of black bone sheep in Yunnan

Seven black bone sheep and 4 native sheep (non-black bone sheep) in Lanping and 2 silky fowls were chosen for the measurement of melanin traits in their tissues and organs. The results showed that the character of infrared spectrum (IR) of melanin in black bone sheep was similar to that in silky fowl; and melanin was eumelanin; Melanin content in the tissues and organs in black bone sheep was higher than that in non-black bone sheep; Melanin deposite in the tissues and organises of black bone sheep showed difference in time (age) and space (tissues and organs), namely, melanin content increased with age growing. Other than melanin deposite mode in the black chicken, the order of the melanin content was: livertrachea, heart, kidneyspleen, lungtongue, muscle, skinbones; Melanin content in the tissues and organs was relative to the coat colour in black bone sheep and was higher than that in versicolor coat sheep.