A Morphometric Study on Skulls of Hasmer and Hasak Sheep Breeds

The aim of the study was to investigate the head structures of two domestic sheep breeds (Hasak and Hasmer) in Turkey. Gender neutral eight adult Hasmer sheep of 45-66 kg and eight Hasak sheep breeds of 43-66 kg obtained from Bahri Dag.das, International Agricultural Research Institute were used in this study. Measurements were made using digital caliper from 40 points on the skulls of both species. The skull of Hasmer sheep (265.56 +/- 14.08) was longer than the skull of Hasak sheep (262.86 +/- 9.65). However, the length of the arcus alveolaris maxillaris (77.01 +/- 5.08), the length of the molar teeth (50.81 +/- 1.22) and the length of the premolar teeth (26.16 +/- 4.62) of Hasak sheep were compared to the Hasmer sheep (71.59, +/- 5.25; 47.99 +/- 3.64; 24.03 +/- 3.76, respectively) was observed to be greater. According to these findings, although the skull length of Hasak sheep was shorter than that of Hasmer sheep and arcus alveolaris maxillaris in which molar and premolar teeth were placed was longer. In Hasmer sheep the values of greatest breadth of the foramen magnum, height of the foramen magnum (basion - opisthion), greatest neurocranium breadth-greatest breadth of the braincase (euryon - euryon) were higher than those of Hasak sheep. The difference between these values was also statistically significant (p <0.05). The lateral length of the premaxilla (nasointermaxillare- prosthion) parameter measured between these two species was statistically very important (p <0.01). In conclusion, in this study craniometric values depending on skull morphology of Hasmer and Hasak sheep which accepted as native breeds of Turkey were tried, to reveal similarities and differences with other sheep breeds in both amongst themselves.