Growth Traits In Goats Research Articles

Effect of GH gene polymorphism on growth traits in goats of Meghalaya’s subtropical hilly region

Effect of GH gene polymorphism on growth traits in goats of Meghalaya’s subtropical hilly region

Relationship between Indel Variants within the JAK2 Gene and Growth Traits in Goats.

Janus kinase 2 (JAK2) plays a critical role in myoblast proliferation and fat deposition in animals. Our previous RNA-Seq analyses identified a close association between the JAK2 gene and muscle development. To date, research delving into the relationship between the JAK2 gene and growth traits has been sparse. In this study, we sought to investigate the relationship between novel mutations within the JAK2 gene and goat growth traits. Herein, two novel InDel (Insertion/Deletion) polymorphisms within the JAK2 gene were detected in 548 goats, and only two genotypes were designated as ID (Insertion/Deletion) and DD (Deletion/Deletion). The results indicate that the two InDels, the del19008 locus in intron 2 and del72416 InDel in intron 6, showed significant associations with growth traits (p < 0.05). Compared to Nubian and Jianzhou Daer goats, the del72416 locus displayed a more pronounced effect in the Fuqing breed group. In the Nubian breed (NB) group, both InDels showed a marked influence on body height (BH). There were strong linkages observed for these two InDels between the Fuqing (FQ) and Jianzhou (JZ) populations. The DD-ID diplotype was associated with inferior growth traits in chest width (ChW) and cannon circumference (CaC) in the FQ goats compared to the other diplotypes. In the NB population, the DD-DD diplotype exhibited a marked negative impact on BH and HuWI (hucklebone width index), in contrast to the other diplotypes. In summary, our findings suggest that the two InDel polymorphisms within the JAK2 gene could serve as valuable molecular markers for enhancing goat growth traits in breeding programs.

The novel candidate gene Grb10 regulates the growth performance of Guizhou white goats

Growth factor receptor binding protein 10 (Grb10) regulates muscle growth but its function in goats is not well studied. This study examined the relationship between Grb10 gene polymorphism and growth traits in Guizhou white goats. Further, the effect of promoter polymorphism on Grb10 transcription was analyzed via a dual-luciferase assay. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction analysis showed that the expression level of the Grb10 gene was the highest in the longissimus dorsi muscle (P < 0.01) and the lowest in the spleen. Moreover, sequencing results showed that the Grb10 gene had five single nucleotide polymorphisms. The association analysis showed that g.–246 C > T, g.72323 T > C, and g.178634 A > G loci were significantly associated with growth traits (P < 0.05). Linkage disequilibrium analysis of each locus showed that g.72323 T > C and g.72814 T > A loci had the strongest linkage (r2 = 0.482, D' = 0.73). Furthermore, according to an analysis conducted using TFDB4 software, it was predicted that a mutation in the promoter region of the g.–246 C > T locus resulted in the absence of four transcriptional regulatory factors. The results of dual-luciferase reporter assay further demonstrated that mutation of the g.–246 C > T locus reduced the transcriptional activity of the promoter region of the Grb10 gene. These findings suggest that Grb10 gene polymorphism could affect growth traits in goats.

An Identification of Functional Genetic Variants in B4GALNT2 Gene and Their Association with Growth Traits in Goats.

β-1,4-N-acetylgalactosamine transferase 2 (B4GALNT2) is a vital candidate gene that affects the growth traits in sheep. However, whether it has the same function in goats remains to be investigated further. This study selected 348 Nanjiang Yellow goats, screened all exons, and conserved non-coding regions of the B4GALNT2 gene for single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Our results revealed the presence of a synonymous mutation, rs672215506, within the exon of the B4GALNT2 gene in the Nanjiang Yellow goat population. The mutation resulted in a decrease in the mRNA stability of the B4GALNT2 gene. The results of SNP detection of the conserved non-coding region of the B4GALNT2 gene showed five potential regulatory SNPs in the Nanjiang Yellow goat population. Except for rs66095343, the ~500 bp fragments of the other four SNPs (rs649127714, rs649573228, rs652899012, and rs639183528) significantly increased the luciferase activity both in goat skeletal muscle satellite cells (MuSCs) and 293T cells. The genetic diversity indexes indicated low or intermediate levels for all six SNPs analyzed, and the genotype frequencies were in Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium. Association analysis showed that rs660965343, rs649127714, and rs649573228 significantly correlate with growth traits in the later stage of growth and development of Nanjiang Yellow goats. The haplotype combinations of H2H3 and H2H2 had higher body weight and greater body size. Moreover, H2H2 haplotype combinations significantly correlated with the litter size of the Nanjiang Yellow goats. The results of our study demonstrate the potential role of the B4GALNT2 gene as a functional genetic marker in the breeding programs of Nanjiang Yellow goats.

The Identification of Goat KCNJ15 Gene Copy Number Variation and Its Association with Growth Traits.

(1) Background: Copy number variation (CNV) is a critical component of genome structural variation and has garnered significant attention. High-throughput screening of the KCNJ15 gene has revealed a correlation between the CNV region and the growth traits of goats. We aimed to identify the CNV of the KCNJ15 gene in five goat breeds and analyze its association with growth characteristics. (2) Methods: We utilized 706 goats from five breeds: Guizhou black goat (GZB), Guizhou white goat (GZW), Bohuai goat (BH), Huai goat (HH), and Taihang goat (TH). To evaluate the number of copies of the KCNJ15 gene using qPCR, we analyzed the correlation between the CNV and growth characteristics and then used a universal linear model. The findings revealed variations in the distribution of different copy number types among the different goat breeds. (3) Results: Association analysis revealed a positive influence of the CNV in the KCNJ15 gene on goat growth. In GZB, individuals with duplication types exhibited superior performance in terms of cannon bone circumference (p < 0.05). In HH, individuals with duplication types exhibited superior performance in terms of body slanting length (p < 0.05). Conversely, normal TH demonstrated better body height and body weight (p < 0.05), while in GZW, when CN = 3, it performed better than other types in terms of body weight and chest circumference (p < 0.05). However, in BH, it had no significant effect on growth traits. (4) Conclusions: We confirmed that the CNV in the KCNJ15 gene significantly influences the growth characteristics of four distinct goat breeds. The correlation between KCNJ15 gene CNVs and goat growth traits offers valuable insights to breeders, enabling them to employ precise and efficient breeding methods that enhance livestock welfare, productivity, and overall economic benefits in the industry.

A novel 22-bp InDel within FGF7 gene is significantly associated with growth traits in goat

Fibroblast growth factor 7 (FGF7) is involved in lipid metabolism, which is considered as a candidate gene with close relation with muscle development by eGWAs and RNA-Seq analyses. To date, limited research has been conducted on the relationship between FGF7 gene and growth traits. The main objective of this work was to further investigate the association between novel InDel within FGF7 gene and growth traits in goat. Herein, FGF7 mRNA expression levels were investigated in various Fuqing goat tissues. We found that FGF7 gene was expressed in six adult goat tissues with the highest mRNA levels in adipose tissue. This result suggested that FGF7 gene might play a critical role in fat deposition. We also detected potential polymorphisms in Fuqing, Nubian and Jianyang Daer breeds. A 22-bp InDel polymorphism in FGF7 gene was detected in 396 goats and the three genotypes were designated as II, ID, and DD. Correlation analysis revealed that InDel polymorphism was significantly associated with growth traits (P < 0.05). Goats with genotypes ID and/or II had superior growth traits compared to those with genotype DD. In summary, our findings suggested that the 22-bp InDel within FGF7 gene could act as a molecular marker to improve the growth traits of goats in breeding programs.

InDel and CNV within the AKAP13 Gene Revealing Strong Associations with Growth Traits in Goat.

A-kinase-anchoring protein 13 (AKAP13) is a member of the AKAP protein family that has been found to be associated with bone formation. Thus, we investigated the AKAP13 gene as a potential candidate gene for molecular-marker-assisted selection (MAS) in breeding. Our aim was to explore genetic variations (InDel and CNV) within the AKAP13 gene of Shaanbei white cashmere (SBWC) goats and analyze their relationship with growth traits. Ultimately, we identified three InDel loci (16-bp deletion, 15-bp insertion, and 25-bp deletion) and three CNVs, and the 16-bp and 15-bp loci were significantly associated with goat body length (p < 0.05). Both the 16-bp deletion variant and the 15-bp insertion variant facilitated an increase in body length in goats. In addition to this, there was a certain superposition effect between 16-bp and 15-bp loci, although there was no linkage. Additionally, the CNV1 locus was significantly correlated with body height and body length of goats (p < 0.05), and CNV2 was significantly correlated with chest depth, chest circumference, and cannon circumference of goats (p < 0.05). Individuals with gain type showed excellent growth performance. In conclusion, the InDel and CNV loci that we have identified could possibly serve as effective molecular markers in goat breeding, which is very essential for improving efficiency and success of breeding. Moreover, our findings provide a new avenue for further research into the function of the AKAP13 gene.

Goat Pleomorphic Adenoma Gene 1 (PLAG1): mRNA Expression, CNV Detection and Associations with Growth Traits.

The pleomorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) gene, as the major gene responsible for growth, plays a vital role in myogenesis. Meanwhile, the relationship between copy number variation (CNV) of this gene and growth traits in goats remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigated four aspects: bioinformatics analysis, mRNA expression (n = 6), CNV detection (n = 224), and association analysis. The findings indicated that the gene had a large number of conserved motifs, and the gene expression level was higher in fetal goats than in adult goats. Three CNV loci were selected from the database, among which CNV1 was located in the bidirectional promoter region and was associated with goat growth traits. CNV analysis showed that CNV2 and CNV3 of the PLAG1 gene were associated with growth traits such as body weight, heart girth, height at hip cross, and hip width (p < 0.05), with CNV1 loss genotype being the superior genotype, and CNV2 and CNV3 median and gain genotypes of being superior genotypes. This finding further confirms that the PLAG1 gene is the dominant gene for growth traits, which will serve as theoretical guidance for goat breeding.

Goat MyoD1: mRNA expression, InDel and CNV detection and their associations with growth traits

The Myogenic differentiation 1 (MyoD1) gene is a crucial regulator of muscle formation and differentiation. However, there are few studies on the mRNA expression pattern of the goat MyoD1 gene and its effect on goat growth and development. To address this, we investigated the mRNA expression of the MyoD1 gene in several tissues of fetal and adult goats, containing heart, liver, spleen, lung, kidney and skeletal muscle. The results focused on the expression of the MyoD1 gene in skeletal muscle of fetal goats was much higher than adult goats, suggesting its important role in skeletal muscle formation and development. Following, a total of 619 Shaanbei White Cashmere goats (SBWCs) were used to monitor the InDel (Insertion/Deletion) and CNV (Copy Number Variation) variations of the MyoD1 gene. Three InDel loci were identified, and there was no significant correlation with goat growth traits. Furthermore, a CNV locus containing the MyoD1 gene exon with three types (Loss type, Normal type, Gain type) were identified. The association analysis results showed that the CNV locus was significantly associated with body weight, height at hip cross, heart girth and hip width in SBWCs (P < 0.05). Meanwhile, the Gain type of CNV exhibited the best growth traits and good consistency among three types in goats, suggesting its potential as a DNA marker for marker-assisted breeding of goats. Overall, our study provided a scientific basis for breeding goats with better growth and development traits.

The 12-bp indel in the SMAD family member 2 gene is associated with goat growth traits

SMAD family member 2 (SMAD2) is a member of the TGFβ signaling pathway and functions as an essential regulator in the processes of development, cell proliferation, and bone formation. A previous observation reported that a 12-bp deletion of this gene affected the litter size in goats. However, according to our knowledge, no study has reported an association between this polymorphism and goat body measurement traits. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of the insertion/deletion (indel) within the SMAD2 gene with the growth traits of goats. The indel polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with chest width and bust (p < 0.05), while cannon circumference was significantly the strongest compared to other traits (p < 0.01) and individuals with the DD genotypes were more dominant genotypes than other genotypes. In summary, we found evidence that the 12-bp indel within the SMAD2 gene could improve goat body measurement traits, paving the way for marker-assisted selection in the field of goat genetics and breeding.

Detection of small sequence variations within the goat GHR gene and its effects on growth traits

Growth hormone receptor (GHR) gene is considered to be an important candidate gene in growth traits. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to detect whether there were potential indel variations in the GHR gene that were related to the growth traits of the Shaanbei white cashmere goats (SBWC). In this study, genomic DNA from 931 healthy SBWC individuals were used to verify the relationship between the indel of the GHR gene and growth traits. Two indel variants, P49-bp indel in intron 1 and P1410-bp indel in 3’-UTR, were confirmed. Association analyses demonstrated that these two indel polymorphism loci were associated with the chest circumference and chest width of SBWC. Additionally, for the P49-bp and P1410-bp indel loci, the ID and II genotypes were dominant genotypes, respectively. Moreover, the genotypic distributions of these two indel loci in SBWC were significantly different from those in three other Chinese indigenous goat breeds (HNBG, GZDG and IMWC) (p < 0.05). Taken together, two indel loci (P49-bp indel and P1410-bp indel) both significantly affected the growth traits of goats. This illustrated that these two indel loci might be the potential DNA marker for use in improving the selection and breeding of goats.

Genome-wide association study of live body weight and body conformation traits in young Karachai goats

The study aimed to identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with live body weight and body conformation traits in young Karachai goats in Russia, we genotyped 281 goats and 35,426 informative SNPs. SNPs were identified for six of the eight traits studied: live body weight at birth (1 SNP), live body weight (33 SNPs), withers height (2 SNPs), rump height (4 SNPs), oblique body length (2 SNPs), and thoracic depth (1 SNP) at age 4 months. The most significant number of candidate genes was identified at Chr5 (14 candidate genes for the 3 traits). The most significant genes related to live body weight at age 4 months are MSTN, HEG1, FGF10, FGF14, GHRH, and SLAIN, which are growth factors with high expression in muscle tissue. GRIK3, ATP1A3, ACACA, APBB2, PAQR3, and PGM1 genes regulate energy metabolism in cells and are involved in various metabolic processes, including fatty acid biosynthesis and lipid metabolism. Cell division and immune response are regulated by TBK1, CDK2, BPIFA1, BPIFA3, MUC13, GALNT10, GALNT14, DEFB119, DEFB123, SLC12A8, SLC38A6, and LPP. The genes SYN3 and TIMP3 have been associated with oblique body length trait, as well as neuroregulatory processes and extracellular matrix. These genes can be used as a molecular marker for selecting growth traits in goats, which provides a theoretical basis for genetic improvement in goat breeds in Russia.

Evaluation of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 gene polymorphism for growth traits in Indian goat breeds

The genetic improvement of production traits can be made through marker assisted selection using a candidategene approach. Bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) are multifunctional growth factors that belong to thetransforming growth factor b (TGF-b) superfamily. This study aimed to detect the genetic polymorphism of BMP-4in different goat breeds by polymerase chain reaction-single strand confirmational polymorphism (PCR-SSCP) andassociation of polymorphic variants with growth traits. The amplified fragments of BMP4 gene of 380 bp size wereanalysed using SSCP in non-denaturing PAGE and the results showed the presence of two genotypes: AA (47-67%) and BB (33-53%) in Barbari, Sirohi and Black Bengal breed. The association of BMP-4 polymorphism withdifferent growth trait parameters showed non-significant effect of genotypes. However, some genotypes showednon-significant superiority over others. Further research on a large population is required to validate the role of theBMP-4 gene in goat growth traits.

Investigation of the association between goat DNMT3B gene polymorphism and growth traits

The DNA methyltransferase 3 beta (DNMT3B) gene is key for DNA methylation and has been well recognized in regulating growth and development. A previous observation indicated that an 11-bp indel of DNMT3B affected the reproductive traits in goats, yet the effect of this polymorphism on body measurement traits in goats has not been reported. This study aims to investigate the associations between DNMT3B gene polymorphism and goat growth traits. We investigated this 11-bp indel in 2184 goats and three genotypes have been found in Shaanbei white cashmere goat (SBWC): insertion/insertion (II), deletion/deletion (DD) and insertion/deletion (ID). Only ID and DD genotypes were detected in Nubian goats and Guizhou heima goat (GZHM). The allele frequencies analyzed revealed that the ‘D’ allele frequencies were higher in all three goat breeds. Further association analysis demonstrated that this indel is markedly associated with the cannon circumference (CC) and cannon circumference index (CCI) of SBWC and cannon circumference (CC) of Nubian goats (p < .05). The CC and CCI are essential indicators to measure the growth status of goats. In summary, our study sheds some light on the potential impact of the 11-bp indel polymorphism of the DNMT3B gene on improving the growth traits in goats.

Association of single nucleotide polymorphism in leptin gene with growth traits of Jamunapari goat

The current study sought to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the leptin gene and investigate their relationship with growth traits in goats. Phenotypic data for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), body weight at six month (6MW), body weight at nine month (9MW) and body weight at twelve month (12MW) from Jamunapari goats were recorded. Seven pairs of primers were designed to amplify the leptin gene spanning promoter, exonic, intronic and 3’ UTR regions by polymerase chain reaction. High Resolution Melting (HRM) was employed for genotyping, and DNA sequencing was utilized to mining SNPs. Four novel SNPs at g.584C&gt;T, g.4226T&gt;C, g.4158T&gt;C and g.4133T&gt;A were identified in promoter region and 3' UTR region of leptin gene. Statistical analysis revealed that SNPs at g.584C&gt;T was associated with weaning and post weaning stages of growth. Moreover, goats with the CT genotype had higher body weight at WW, 6MW, 9MW and 12MW than those with CC genotype. The results of this study demonstrated that SNPs in leptin gene was significantly associated with growth traits in goat. These findings suggest that an SNP in the caprine leptin gene could be one of the candidates for improving body weight in the Jamunapari goat.

An upstream deletion polymorphism within the goat Period circadian regulator 1 (PER1) gene was associated with growth traits

The Period circadian regulator (PER) gene family, including PER1, PER2 and PER3, codes transcriptional repressors which could accurately control biological rhythms. PER1/2 gene was proved to be associated with bone mass and PER1 gene was associated with insulin-like growth factor binding proteins 3 (IGFBP3) levels in serum. However, it was few studies reported genetic effects of PER gene on growth traits at the individual level. In this study, we identified the potential insertion/deletion (indel) loci in PER1/2/3 gene, and then explored the relationship between goat growth traits and the frequency of genotype in Shaanbei white cashmere goats (n = 827). As a result, a 9 bp indel within PER1 gene (g.27528003-27528011 del.TGCTGCTGC; rs642467689) was identified using molecular biology techniques. In addition, there existed significant correlation between the 9 bp indel and body height, height at hip cross, chest depth, body length index and cannon circumference index of goats. These results suggested that the 9 bp indel variation in PER1 gene was associated with goat growth traits, providing the theoretical basic for the role of PER1 gene in goat breeding.

Exploration of Genetic Variants within the Goat A-Kinase Anchoring Protein 12 (AKAP12) Gene and Their Effects on Growth Traits.

Simple SummaryAKAP12, the family of A-kinase anchoring proteins (AKAPs), plays an important role in the regulation of growth and development. There have been no corresponding studies of the effect of the AKAP12 gene on growth traits in goats. In our previous study, 7 bp (intron 3) and 13 bp (3′UTR) indels within the AKAP12 gene significantly influenced AKAP12 gene expression. This study expected to identify the association between these two genetic variations and growth-related traits in 1405 Shaanbei white cashmere (SBWC) goats. The P1–7 bp indel locus was significantly correlated with height at hip cross (HHC; p < 0.05) and the P2–13 bp indel locus was associated with body weight, body length, chest depth, chest width, hip width, chest circumference and cannon (bone) circumference in SBWC goats (p < 0.05). These results prove that the AKAP12 gene plays an important role in the growth and development of goats.The A-kinase anchoring protein 12 gene (AKAP12) is a scaffold protein, which can target multiple signal transduction effectors, can promote mitosis and cytokinesis and plays an important role in the regulation of growth and development. In our previous study, P1–7 bp (intron 3) and P2–13 bp (3′UTR) indels within the AKAP12 gene significantly influenced AKAP12 gene expression. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the association between these two genetic variations and growth-related traits in Shaanbei white cashmere goats (SBWC) (n = 1405). Herein, we identified two non-linkage insertions/deletions (indels). Notably, we found that the P1–7 bp indel mutation was related to the height at hip cross (HHC; p < 0.05) and the P2–13 bp indel was associated with body weight, body length, chest depth, chest width, hip width, chest circumference and cannon (bone) circumference in SBWC goats (p < 0.05). Overall, the two indels’ mutations of AKAP12 affected growth traits in goats. Compared to the P1–7 bp indel, the P2–13 bp indel is more suitable for the breeding of goat growth traits.

Detection of 15-bp Deletion Mutation within PLAG1 Gene and Its Effects on Growth Traits in Goats.

Simple SummaryGoats have always served as an important domesticated livestock. PLAG1 is a major gene that affects the stature and growth of animals. Body size traits are very important for goats as it directly affects the economic characteristics of meat and cashmere production. This study showed that the 15-base pair (bp) InDel (rs637141549) can significantly affect growth traits such as body weight, height, height at hip cross, chest circumference, hip width and body index of goats through the detection of large samples (n = 1581) in four indigenous breeds. Accordingly, it is suggested that the deletion mutation can be used as a potential molecular marker that significantly affects goat growth traits. Moreover, the 15bp deletion mutation can be used as a potential molecular marker, which significantly affects the growth traits of goats and plays an important role in animal husbandry production. Stature and weight are important growth and development traits for animals, which also significantly affect the productivity of livestock. Polymorphic adenoma gene 1 (PLAG1) is located in the growth-related quantitative trait nucleotides (QTN), and its variation has been determined to significantly affect the body stature of bovines. This study found that novel 15-bp InDel could significantly influence important growth traits in goats. The frequencies of genotypes of the 15-bp mutation and relationship with core growth traits such as body weight, body height, height at hip cross, chest circumference, hip width and body index were explored in 1581 individuals among 4 Chinese native goat breeds. The most frequent genotypes of Shaanbei white Cashmere goat (SWCG), Inner Mongolia White Cashmere goat (IMCG) and Guanzhong Dairy goat (GZDG) were II genotypes (insertion/insertion), and the frequency of ID genotype (insertion/deletion) was found to be slightly higher than that of II genotype in Hainan Black goat (HNBG), showing that the frequency of the I allele was higher than that of the D allele. In adult goats, there were significant differences between 15-bp variation and body weight, chest circumference and body height traits in SWCG (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the locus was also found to be significantly correlated with the body index of HNBG (p = 0.044) and hip width in GZDG (p = 0.002). In regard to lambs, there were significant differences in height at the hip cross of SWCG (p = 0.036) and hip width in IMWC (p = 0.005). The corresponding results suggest that the 15-bp InDel mutation of PLAG1 is associated with the regulation of important growth characteristics of both adult and lamb of goats, which may serve as efficient molecular markers for goat breeding.

SNP discovery of PRKAB1 gene and their associations with growth traits in goats

AMPK plays an important role in regulating the metabolism of carbohydrate, lipid and protein in an organism, and is considered to be a key regulator of cellular energy homeostasis. In recent years, attention has been drawn to AMPK subunit polymorphisms and their association with economical traits of domestic animals and fowls. PRKAB1 encodes the β1 regulatory subunit of AMPK, and it has been reported that PRKAB1 may be applied in breeding programs of meat-type chicken. To date, the polymorphism of goat PRKAB1 gene and its associations remain unknown. In this paper, the polymorphism of PRKAB1 gene was detected in 316 goats of three breeds. A total of four novel single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of PRKAB1 gene were revealed by sequence analysis. Among them, three were in the coding region (285 C > A, 297 C > A, 309 C > T), and they were all synonymous. One was in the intron (229 A > G). The associations between polymorphic loci and the growth traits of Xuhuai and Haimen goats were analyzed, and significant associations were found in body length index and trunk index (p < 0.05) for Xuhuai breed, while no significant associations in Haimen breed. Our results provide useful information for the improvement and breeding of Chinese native goats.

Estimation of genetic parameters for horn traits and essential economic traits in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats

Horns are unique cranial appendages in ruminants, and horn traits are useful in the indirect selection of growth traits in goat. However, genetic parameters for horns have not been estimated in Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats. In this study, we collected pedigree information with 7 632 records from 2 049 Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats during 2017 to 2019 to study horn base interval (HBI), horn length (HL) and horn base circumference (HBC), as well as four essential economic traits including cashmere length (CL), staple length (SL), cashmere weight (CW) and live body weight (LBW). Genetic parameters and (co)variances were estimated by a multivariate animal model, average information restriction maximum likelihood method in WOMBAT software. The estimates of heritability for HBI, HL, HBC, CL, SL, CW and LBW were 0.31, 0.25, 0.30, 0.10, 0.34, 0.21 and 0.12, respectively, indicating moderate heritability of horn traits in Cashmere goats. We found out that coefficients of genetic correlations between three horn traits were –0.31 to 0.78, while those between three horn traits and four economic traits ranged from –0.05 to 0.52. Strong genetic correlations were observed between horn traits (HBC-HL, HBC-HBI). In addition, a strong phenotypic correlation was revealed for horn and economic traits (HL-LBW). In summary, this study uncovered genetic characteristics and relationships for horn traits in Cashmere goats, which will facilitate the breeding practices of Cashmere goats by providing easier measurement than common economic traits.