Melatonin Promotes Secondary Hair Follicle Development in Early Postnatal Cashmere Goats and Improves Cashmere Quantity and Quality by Enhancing Antioxidant Capacity and Suppressing Apoptosis

The study conducted on April 3, 2019, demonstrated that melatonin treatment in early postnatal Inner Mongolian cashmere goats led to the development and maturation of secondary hair follicles, which are crucial for cashmere fiber production. The treatment resulted in a significant increase in the density and number of secondary follicles, as well as an improved ratio of secondary to primary follicles. This contributed to a 12.03% increase in cashmere yield, finer fiber diameters, and a 52.12% increase in staple length. The underlying mechanisms for these improvements were attributed to the enhancement of antioxidant enzyme activities, such as superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase, an increase in total antioxidant capacity, and the modulation of apoptotic protein expression, with an upregulation of Bcl-2 and downregulation of Bax and caspase-3. The study involved 16 female cashmere goat kids, with 8 in the melatonin-treated group and 8 in the control group. These findings suggest that melatonin can be used to improve the economic value of cashmere fibers by promoting follicle development and enhancing fiber quality through antioxidant and anti-apoptotic effects.