{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,9,29]],"date-time":"2026-09-29T22:52:31Z","timestamp":1790722351841,"version":"4.1.0"},"reference-count":99,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"10","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1779148800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"DOI":"10.13039\/501100001809","name":"Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","award":["U25A20699"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["U25A20699"]}],"id":[{"id":"10.13039\/501100001809","id-type":"DOI","asserted-by":"crossref"}]},{"name":"President\u2019s Fund Project of Tarim University","award":["TDZKCX202401"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TDZKCX202401"]}]},{"award":["TDZKCX202401"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["TDZKCX202401"]}],"id":[{"id":"https:\/\/ror.org\/05202v862","id-type":"ROR","asserted-by":"publisher"}]},{"name":"Major Science and Technology Special Project of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region","award":["2024A02004-3"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2024A02004-3"]}]},{"name":"Postgraduate Practical Innovation Project of Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps","award":["BTYJXM-2024-S23"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["BTYJXM-2024-S23"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["IJMS"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Duolang sheep, an indigenous breed of southern Xinjiang, are significant for their agricultural systems due to their adaptation to arid and semi-arid environments. This review integrates recent advancements in Duolang\u2019s reproductive biology, genomic studies, and management strategies to address the breed\u2019s reproductive efficiency under challenging ecological conditions. Reproductive traits such as puberty onset, estrous cycle characteristics, and seasonal breeding are influenced by complex genetic and several environmental factors. Numerous remarkable genomic findings highlight key loci related to fecundity, including the Booroola FecB mutation, as well as genes involved in steroidogenesis, folliculogenesis, and HPG axis regulation. Despite the genetic potential for increased prolificacy, Duolang sheep often exhibit low litter sizes, largely constrained by detrimental environmental factors and management practices. This review emphasizes the significance of integrating genetics, nutrition, and reproductive management to optimize productivity. Strategies such as nutritional flushing, hormone-based estrous synchronization, and selective breeding for increased litter size are discussed, with a focus on minimizing the risks associated with early puberty and lamb survival. Furthermore, the review explores the potential of genomic selection, marker-assisted breeding, and advanced reproductive technologies to enhance the breed\u2019s performance. Finally, the review outlines future research directions, necessitating the development of genomic resources, precise breeding programs, and field trials on reproductive interventions to accelerate genetic gains in Duolang sheep. This integrated approach promises to improve reproductive outcomes, with implications for sustainable sheep production in Xinjiang and similar environments across the globe.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ijms27104554","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]],"date-time":"2026-05-19T11:53:10Z","timestamp":1779191590000},"page":"4554","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":1,"title":["Reproductive Physiology, Genetic Architecture, and Management of Duolang Sheep Under Arid-Zone Production Systems: A Review"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"27","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-0886-8863","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Gul Muhammad","family":"Shahbaz","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0008-9437-1246","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Muhammad","family":"Sajid","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0004-5545-6344","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Huiping","family":"Sun","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chenglon","family":"He","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0009-6400-7483","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Lexiao","family":"Zhu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Wei","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0009-0006-4447-3178","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Ruohuai","family":"Gu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Chaofan","family":"Wang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Shuxin","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Feng","family":"Xing","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Key Laboratory of Tarim Animal Husbandry Science and Technology, Xinjiang Production and Construction Group, School of Animal Science and Technology, Tarim University, Alar 843300, China"}],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,19]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"241","DOI":"10.3390\/ruminants4020017","article-title":"Sustainable sheep and goat farming in arid regions of Jordan","volume":"4","author":"Khashroum","year":"2024","journal-title":"Ruminants"},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"271","DOI":"10.1016\/j.livprodsci.2004.09.003","article-title":"A review of genetic parameter estimates for wool, growth, meat and reproduction traits in sheep","volume":"92","author":"Safari","year":"2005","journal-title":"Livest. 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