Indigenous Goat Breeds Research Articles

Development and Validation of a 54K Genome-Wide Liquid SNP Chip Panel by Target Sequencing for Dairy Goat.

As an important genotyping platform, SNP chips are essential for implementing genomic selection. In this article, we introduced the development of a liquid SNP chip panel for dairy goats. This panel contains 54,188 SNPs based on genotyping by targeted sequencing (GBTS) technology. The source of SNPs in the panel were from the whole-genome resequencing of 110 dairy goats from three European and two Chinese indigenous dairy goat breeds. The performance of this liquid SNP chip panel was evaluated by genotyping 200 additional goats. Fifteen of them were randomly selected for whole-genome resequencing. The average capture ratio of the panel design loci was 98.41%, and the genotype concordance with resequencing reached 98.02%. We further used this chip panel to conduct genome-wide association studies (GWAS) to detect genetic loci that affect coat color in dairy goats. A single significant association signal for hair color was found on chromosome 8 at 31.52-35.02 Mb. The TYRP1 gene, which is associated with coat color in goats, was identified to be located at this genomic region (chromosome 8: 31,500,048-31,519,064). The emergence of high-precision and low-cost liquid microarrays will improve the analysis of genomics and breeding efficiency of dairy goats.

Genetic diversity analysis of Indonesian indigenous goat breeds based on microsatellite markers

Goats are important livestock in Indonesia as a source of animal protein and income. Indonesia has several indigenous goat breeds with distinct characteristics. 379 unrelated goats were randomly selected from seven indigenous Indonesian goat breeds and collected from individual farmers in various Indonesian provinces. Microsatellite characterization of indigenous Indonesian goats was carried out using 12 specific microsatellite markers. The total number of alleles obtained from the 12 microsatellite loci was 97, with an average score of 8.08, and the number of effective alleles ranged from 1.413 (ILSTS005) to 4168 (INRA23), with an average value of 2.608. A total of 11 private alleles was found in some goat breeds, but the frequencies were very low, 0.71 – 8.86%. The average of polymorphic information content ranged from 0.239 (ETH10) to 0.726 (INRA23). The mean rate of inbreeding value between populations (Fis) was 0.050, and within the population (Fit) was 0.151. The mean expected heterozygosity was 0.54, and the mean observed heterozygosity was 0.52. Except for the Gembrong goat (GEM), the observed number of alleles, polymorphic information content, and expected heterozygosity were all moderate. This study will support the management of livestock genetic resources and conserving endangered Indonesian goat breeds, such as the Gembrong goat.

The effect of insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor gene single nucleotide polymorphism on growth and milk production traits in two native Indian tropical goat breeds

Insulin like growth factor1(IGF-1) is an essential growth factor that mediates the growth-promoting functions of pituitary growth hormone. Insulin like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) is a tyrosine kinase receptor that mediates the actions of IGF1. Therefore, IGF1R is a candidate gene for examining SNPs linked with growth and production traits. The objective of this study was to detect the c.546 + 179170A > T transversion in intron 2 of the gene encoding IGF1R in two goat breeds, Attappady Black and Malabari, and examine the association of this polymorphism with growth and milk production. For the identification of the SNP, the T-ARMS-PCR was utilized. All three genotypes were present in the two investigated breeds. The polymorphism was found to be significantly (p < 0.05) linked with growth traits. At birth, 3 and 6 months of age, Attappady goats with the AT genotype had significantly (p < 0.05) higher body weights than those with the AA and TT genotypes. Malabari goats with the AT genotype had significantly (p < 0.05) higher body weights at birth and at 3 months of age. The genotypes of the IGF1R gene had no effect on total or peak milk production. Therefore, this SNP could be used as a molecular marker in selection of meat-producing goat breeds. HIGHLIGHTS c.546 + 179170A > T IGF1R transversion was detected using T-ARMS-PCR in two indigenous goat breeds from Kerala. Attappady Black and Malabari goat breeds of Kerala possessed all the three genotypes In these breeds, there was a significant correlation between this SNP, c.546 + 179170A > T IGF1R, and body weight. In both the breeds, there was no association between this SNP and milk production traits.

Using Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines to Estimate the Body Weight of Savanna Goats

The Savanna goat breed is an indigenous goat breed in South Africa that is reared for meat production. Live body weight is an important tool for livestock management, selection and feeding. The use of multivariate adaptive regression splines (MARS) to predict the live body weight of Savanna goats remains poorly understood. The study was conducted to investigate the influence of linear body measurements on the body weight of Savanna goats using MARS. In total, 173 Savanna goats between the ages of two and five years were used to collect body weight (BW), body length (BL), heart girth (HG), rump height (RH) and withers height (WH). MARS was used as a data mining algorithm for data analysis. The best predictive model was achieved from the training dataset with the highest coefficient of determination and Pearson's correlation coefficient (0.959 and 0.961), respectively. BW was influenced positively when WH > 63 cm and HG >100 cm with a coefficient of 0.51 and 2.71, respectively. The interaction of WH > 63 cm and BL < 75 cm, WH < 68 cm and HG < 100 cm with a coefficient of 0.28 and 0.02 had a positive influence on Savanna goat BW, while male goats had a negative influence (-4.57). The findings of the study suggest that MARS can be used to estimate the BW in Savanna goats. This finding will be helpful to farmers in the selection of breeding stock and precision in the day-to-day activities such as feeding, marketing and veterinary services.

Genetic variability of the prion protein gene in Indonesian goat breeds

Scrapie is a naturally occurring transmissible spongiform encephalopathy in sheep and goats. Resistance or susceptibility of small ruminants to classical scrapie is influenced by polymorphisms in the prion protein gene (PRNP). PRNP variability in Indonesian indigenous goat breeds has not been investigated so far and therefore was the goal of this study. Sanger sequencing of the PRNP gene coding region in 72 goats of the seven Indonesian breeds Kacang, Gembrong, Samosir, Kejobong, Benggala, Jawarandu, and Peranakan Etawah revealed three amino acid substitutions, namely W102G, H143R, and S240P. Some silent mutations were also found at codons 42 (a/g), 138 (c/t), and 179 (g/t). The PRNP alleles K222 and D/S146 known to have significant protective effects on resistance to classical scrapie in goats were not detected. The allele R143, which may have a moderate protective effect, had a frequency of 12% among the analyzed Indonesian goat breeds. While R143 was missing in Kacang and Benggala, its frequency was highest in the breed Gembrong (32%). No scrapie cases have been reported in Indonesia until now. However, in the case that selection for protective PRNP variants would become a breeding goal, the analyzed breeds will not be very useful resources. Other goat breeds which are present in the country should be investigated regarding resistance to scrapie, too.

Dairy production in the indigenous Arbia goat breed and growth performance of their kids in Algeria

Knowledge of dairy potential is essential to create products that fully express their genetic potential. This study was carried out on 94 Arbia adult goats and 65 kids (n=195) (February – May 2022) in the wilayas of Souk-Ahras and Tebessa with the aim of estimating the dairy potential of the breed, and the daily gains (ADG) between birth and 90 days of age. The data revealed that daily milk production (n=94) was 0.89±0.85 litres per day. Milk quality was characterised by an average composition of 3.2% fat, 13.46% total protein, 17.28 % total dry extract, 0.78% salt, pH 7.08±0.01, acidity 17.7°D, density 1032 and protein/fat ratio 4.29. Regarding growth performance, the average birth weight was W0 = 1.80±0.61 kg, while the average at 90 days was W90 = 10.05±2.02 kg, which corresponds to an overall daily weight gain of ADG0-90 = 91.66 g/day. The study showed that birth weight was not affected by sex (P&amp;gt;0.05), though males grew faster after weaning (P&amp;lt;0.05), and the performance aspect carried out by some physicochemical characteristics of milk was affected by area (P&amp;lt;0.05). The study results indicated that the local breed goat had good production dairy performance and goat kids demonstrated acceptable potential for meat production under the semi-arid Algerian environmental conditions. Therefore, it would be suitable to check for the presence of lactogenic plants on the pastures of these breeders to enhance production.

Assessment of phenotype, its correlations and prediction of live body weight in goat (Capra hircus) raised under hot semi-arid region of India

The present investigation was carried out on 1,070 local goats named as Udgiri goat in 242 villages from Marathwada and western Maharashtra during 2018 to 2021. The average body weight of adult Udgiri male goat is 42.77±3.94 kg while female weight is 32.98±3.44 kg and was highest than any other recognized indigenous goat breeds of Maharashtra. The average body length was 76.53±3.53 cm, height at withers was 74.65±1.65 cm, chest girth was 74.46±1.72 cm, paunch girth was 73.54±3.88 cm, tail length was 18.50±1.94 cm, horn length was 16.96±1.18 cm and ear length was 22.23±2.27 cm in male. While, in female goat, the average body length was 72.21±2.53 cm, height at withers was 68.7±2.68 cm, chest girth was 71.95±1.74 cm, paunch girth was 74.24±1.83 cm, tail length was 18.52±2.96 cm, horn length was 17.52±1.26 cm and ear length was 21.73±2.91 cm. The highest and positive significant correlation was noticed between live body weight and almost all body measurement parameters in all four age groups. The highest positive significant correlation (0.82) was found between live body weight and body length in the group of adult goat, hence, it may be used as selection criteria for goat and selection based upon these body measurements should improve the meat production. The multiple linear regression model revealed high level of coefficient of determination and low RMSE for prediction of live body weight using linear body measurements parameters.

Predicting the body weight of indigenous goat breeds from morphological measurements using the classification and regression tree (CART) data mining algorithm

Classification and regression tree (CART) is a tree-based data mining algorithm that develops a model to predict an outcome. This study purposed to create a model to predict the body weight (BWT) of Red Sokoto (RS), Sahel (SH), and West African Dwarf (WAD) goats using morphological measurements (such as body length, BL; head girth, HG; head width, HDW; face length, FAL; height at wither, HTW; rump length, RL; shoulder width, SW; rump width, RW; and rump height, RH). In total, 600 goats were used for this study (200 each of RS, SH, and WAD goats). Pearson?s Moment Correlation was used to evaluate the degree of association between BWT and each morphological measurement. Concomitantly, CART analysis was performed to estimate which independent variable (morphological measurements) played a considerable role in the BWT (dependent variable) prediction. In RS and WAD goats, a positive and statistically significant (p &lt; 0.0001) correlation was observed between BWT and each morphological measurement. However, in SH goats, both positive and negative statistically significant correlations were observed between BWT and morphological measurements. The CART analysis indicated that in RS and WAD goats, HG played a considerable role in BWT prediction, while, in SH goats, BL was considered the most critical independent variable in BWT prediction. Therefore, this study suggests that HG can be used as a prognostic index for BWT estimation in Red Sokoto and West African Dwarf, while BL can be used for Sahel goats. The SAS codes used are available via a GitHub repository (https://github.com/Soullevram/CART).

Quality Attributes of Suya from Indigenous Goat Breeds (Bucks) in Nigeria

A study was conducted to evaluate the percentage yield (%), proximate composition and organoleptic evaluation of the freshly prepared Suya product from indigenous goat (buck) breeds in Nigeria .Thigh muscle with average weights of 3.1±0.2 kg was excised from the carcasses of 9 fully matured bucks managed intensively for 90 days. The Chevon were dissected into smaller pieces of 10 cm long. The meat samples were thereafter trimmed of visible fats. They were also finely trimmed to very thin sheets of meat about 0.22 - 0.32 mm in thickness and with a length of about 4.5 cm - 9.3 cm. A total of 99 Suya sticks was prepared with 11 from each buck weighing approximately 88.50 g per stick. Suya ingredients used for the experiment were sourced from Bodija Market, Ibadan. The results showed that weight losses were considerable in all the treatments but the yield was not significantly different (P&gt;0.05) among the breeds. There was also no significant difference in moisture contents among the treatment groups while the protein, ether extract and crude fibre differed significantly across the treatments. Texture of Suya from Sahel bucks with 6.81±0.3 was significantly higher than 5.4±0.3 and 5.5±0.4 for WAD and Red Sokoto bucks respectively. The overall acceptability of Suya from Sahel bucks with 6.24 and Red Sokoto bucks with (6.9±0.1) were similar and most accepted than 5.10 of that from West African dwarf bucks.

GENETIC VARIATION AND PHYLOGENETIC RELATIONSHIPS BASED ON TESTIS DETERMINING REGION-Y (SRY) GENE IN THE LAKOR GOAT BREED

Lakor goat is an Indonesian indigenous goat breeds that successfully survive and is adaptive in the ecology of Lakor island in Southwest Maluku with high temperatures and curah limited rainfall. Genetic variations in Y-chromosome enable researchers to identify paternal lineages, which are informative for introgressions and migrations. This study aims to characterize genetic variation and phylogenetic relationships of Lakor goats based on male-specific region markers, i.e., sex-determining region-Y (SRY) gene. The genomes of 84 follicle samples of male goats (bucks) collected from Lakor island, were analyzed. The amplified product for SRY was 850 bp in encoding region (exon-1). Genetic variation and paternal phylogenetic relationship were established following sequencing using MEGA version X.0 software. The results of Y-chromosome alignments of the entire sequences identified two polymorphic nucleotides between individual goats within the population. Two polymorphism nucleotides, i.e. site 362 (A-G), and found in LK3, LK7, LK11, and LK13 samples, while site 410 (C-T) was found in LK3, LK7, LK11, LK13, and LK24 samples. The two mutations are categorized as substitution (transition type) and this is in the exon-1 area. This study concluded that genetic variation is very low in the Lakor goat breed and phylogenetic analysis grouping is a single clade or monophyletic group.

Assessment of Genetic Diversity and Conservation in South African Indigenous Goat Ecotypes: A Review.

Goats were amongst the first livestock to be domesticated more than 10,000 years ago for their meat, milk, skin, and fiber. They were introduced to Southern Africa by migrating nations from Central Africa to the south. Due to local adaptation to the different agro-ecological zones and selection, indigenous goats are identified as ecotypes within the indigenous veld goat breed. Their ability to thrive in a resource-limited production system and in challenging environmental conditions makes them valuable animal resources for small-scale and emerging farmers. They play important roles in household agriculture and cultural activities as well as in poverty alleviation. Studies have described the phenotypic and genetic variations in indigenous goats, targeting the major goat-producing regions and the breeds of South Africa. In turn, information is restricted to certain breeds and regions, and the experimental design is often not adequate to inform the conservation status and priorities in changing environments. Advances in genomics technologies have availed more opportunities for the assessment of the biodiversity, demographic histories, and detection regions associated with local adaptation. These technologies are essential for breeding and conservation strategies for sustainable production for food security. This review focuses on the status of indigenous goats in South Africa and the application of genomics technologies for characterization, with emphasis on prioritization for conservation and sustainable utilization.

Correlation of Certain Biochemical Constituents of Seminal Plasma with Semen Characteristics in Pantja Buck

Background: Pantja is a dual purpose indigenous goat breed, reared in Tarai region of Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh. There is a lack of thorough study about the seminal characteristics of this goat breed. Hence, the present study was conducted to evaluate the level of certain biochemical constituents and their relationship with macroscopical and microscopical semen characteristics in Pantja buck. Methods: A total thirty two ejaculates from four sexually mature Pantja buck were analysed. The ejaculates were evaluated for volume (0.36±0.06 ml), mass activity (4.47±0.22), concentration (3.54±0.13 x 109/ml), individual motility (85.28±1.17%), viability (88.28±0.78%), morphological abnormalities (4.70±0.17%), plasma membrane integrity (86.31±0.62%) and acrosome integrity (94.31±1.05%) by standard semen evaluation protocol. Seminal plasma ALT (18.10±0.45 U/L), AST (124.04±0.86 U/L), ALP (49.98±0.38 U/L), LDH (216.36±1.78 U/L), GSH-Px (10.90±0.21 U/ml), MDA (2.14±0.05 nmol/ml), albumin (2.29±0.03 gm/dl), globulin (2.52±0.02 gm/dl), total proteins (4.81±0.05 gm/dl), calcium (11.07±0.18 mg/dl) and phosphorus (12.34±0.20 mg/dl) were determined spectrophotometrically. Two tailed Pearson’s correlation was applied to check the relationship among the above attributes. Result: A significant correlation was observed among the biochemical constituents of seminal plasma and seminal attributes of Pantja bucks. The selected biochemical constituents also showed significant correlation with each other.

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.

Differential gene expression and identification of growth-related genes in the pituitary gland of South African goats

Growth and carcass quality are economically important traits in goat production. This study investigated differentially expressed genes from the caprine pituitary gland transcriptome of South African indigenous goat breeds of varying growth performances and carcass quality parameters. Tissues were harvested from the pituitary gland of three South African Boer goats and three village ecotype goats all raised under similar conditions simulating intensive commercial production systems. Three additional tissues were harvested from village ecotype goats that were raised extensively on village farms. Between breed differences were investigated by comparing differential gene expression among three South African Boer and three village goats that were both raised under intensive commercial production system at a research farm. Within-breed differences were investigated by comparing differential gene expression among three village goats raised under extensive conditions (on-farm in Pella, S.A. village farming community) and three village goats raised under intensive commercial production system (at ARC research farm in Pretoria, South Africa. Total RNA was isolated from the pituitary gland of 36-week-old animals (n = 9) and sequenced individually in triplicates. An average of 28,298,512 trimmed, and quality-controlled reads/animal were mapped to the goat genome (Capra_hircus.ARS1.94) using HiSat2 software. Transcript assembly and quantification yielded 104 differentially expressed genes for village goats raised under extensive system and 62 for village goats raised under the intensive production system at the false discovery rate (FRD) of ≤0.05 and a fold change of ≥2. Growth-related genes such as POU3F4 and TSHZ1 were highly expressed within breeds raised under both production systems. Conversely, growth-related genes such as FGFR2 and SMPX genes were highly expressed between breeds raised under similar production systems. Ballgown analysis revealed a high expression of GH1 and IGF1 in the intensively raised compared to extensively raised goats. Both genes were also highly expressed in the village goats when compared to the Boer. The differential gene expression data provided insights into genes and molecular mechanisms associated with growth and growth development in goats.

Coenurosis Cerebralis Case Investigation in Indigenous Goat at Womberema District of North Western Ethiopia

The current case report was raised from indigenous goat breed of Soma village of Womberema district of North Western Ethiopia. The goat was presented with a history of circling movement towards the left side. Diagnosis of the case was held both through tentative (clinical observation) and based on post mortem inspection and macroscopic visualization of the cyst under investigation for confirmation. The availability for definitive hosts (domestic and wild canines) has been also one of the main factors considered as inclusion criteria for the parasite investigation. Based on clinical observation the goat (Doe) showed circling towards the left, uncoordinated movement, and unable to browse properly. Based on clinical sign and presence of definitive hosts at the area the case has been defined for coenurosis cerebralis. For further confirmatory diagnosis postmortem inspection for the brain was undertaken. Indeed, the presence of cyst which were settled superficially in the left cerebral hemisphere of the brain, with fluctuant consistency, and filled with numerous white protoscolex was a confirmatory diagnosis for a larval stage of taenia multiceps called coenurosis cerebralis. In conclusion the disease causes great economic loss in small ruminants directly by animal mortality and production impairment through weight loss. The community should regularly deworm dogs and proper disposal of the brain of infected sheep and goats after slaughter; will be highly recommended as a prevention and control method of the parasite.

Environment suitability mapping of livestock: A case study of Ethiopian indigenous sheep and goats

Demand for livestock products is increasing as climate volatility threatens animal productivity and welfare. Therefore, novel technologies and approaches to meet these challenges are required. Geo-informatics and geo-visualization can address a critical question in this endeavor -where can improved indigenous, newly developed and composite breeds be introduced while retaining optimal productivity and resilience to climatic and environmental volatility? Here, a case study of four and two Ethiopian indigenous breeds of sheep (Atsbi, Doyogena, Horro, Menz) and goats (Abergelle, Yabello), and geo-informatics based spatial analytics generating, for each breed, a suitability index map is presented. The analysis reveals overlapping and breed-specific enviro-geographic and ecological suitability niches. More than 51% of Ethiopia is unsuitable for the optimal performance of the six breeds. The proportions of unsuitable land are 64.84% (Menz), 53.44% (Horro), 76.98% (Doyogena), 83.53% (Atsbi), 82.37% (Abergelle) and 63.89% (Yabello). The suitable production range for the four sheep breeds show a slight overlap, but that of the two goat breeds did not. The goats are best suited to the drylands, but the niche for Abergelle is in the north, and that of Yabello is in the south of Ethiopia. The heatmaps suggest that the mean annual temperature and precipitation have the largest contribution in the classification of geographic areas into suitability classes. Our results provide insights for targeting location specific species- and breed-interventions, and with climate change trajectories and natural resource base abundance, will be a major criterion for building resilient livestock production systems. Furthermore, ecological suitability mapping can allow practitioners to evaluate potential geographic ranges for newly-developed, experimental, and improved livestock breeds to design sustainable and innovative agro-ecological solutions.

POSSIBILITIES OF BREEDING SUB-MEDITERRANEAN GOATS FOR THE NEEDS OF AGRITOURISM - AN EXAMPLE OF INDIGENOUS CROATIAN GOAT BREEDS

The breeding of indigenous Croatian goat breeds is most often marked by extreme extensiveness and very low profitability and production efficiency. Possible additional income opportunity for breeders of indigenous goats is provided by the offer of their products through agritourism. Therefore, the aim of this study was to determine the awareness of consumers and their knowledge of the indigenous Croatian goat breeds and determine the perception of the potential of indigenous goats and/or their products as a part of agritourism offer. An online survey was conducted on a sample of 353 respondents. More than two thirds of the respondents would more often visit an agritourism where indigenous goats are kept and/or which offer their products. Almost half of the respondents believe that the products of the indigenous breeds are of better quality than the products of other goats, while one third of the respondents think that the products of the indigenous goats should be more expensive than the products of other goats. These results provide an informative basis for the development of innovative marketing strategies for agritourism owners who could enrich their offer with the introduction of autochthonous (local) products.

Genome-Wide Estimates of Runs of Homozygosity, Heterozygosity, and Genetic Load in Two Chinese Indigenous Goat Breeds

Runs of homozygosity (ROH) and heterozygosity (ROHet) are windows into population demographic history and adaptive evolution. Numerous studies have shown that deleterious mutations are enriched in the ROH of humans, pigs, cattle, and chickens. However, the relationship of deleterious variants to ROH and the pattern of ROHet in goats have been largely understudied. Here, 240 Guangfeng and Ganxi goats from Jiangxi Province, China, were genotyped using the Illumina GoatSNP50 BeadChip and genome-wide ROH, ROHet, and genetic load analyses were performed in the context of 32 global goat breeds. The classes with the highest percentage of ROH and ROHet were 0.5–2 Mb and 0.5–1 Mb, respectively. The results of inbreeding coefficients (based on SNP and ROH) and ROHet measurements showed that Guangfeng goats had higher genetic variability than most Chinese goats, while Ganxi goats had a high degree of inbreeding, even exceeding that of commercial goat breeds. Next, the predicted damaging homozygotes were more enriched in long ROHs, especially in Guangfeng goats. Therefore, we suggest that information on damaging alleles should also be incorporated into the design of breeding and conservation programs. A list of genes related to fecundity, growth, and environmental adaptation were identified in the ROH hotspots of two Jiangxi goats. A sense-related ROH hotspot (chromosome 12: 50.55–50.81 Mb) was shared across global goat breeds and may have undergone selection prior to goat domestication. Furthermore, an identical ROHet hotspot (chromosome 1: 132.21–132.54 Mb) containing two genes associated with embryonic development (STAG1 and PCCB) was detected in domestic goat breeds worldwide. Tajima’s D and BetaScan2 statistics indicated that this region may be caused by long-term balancing selection. These findings not only provide guidance for the design of conservation strategies for Jiangxi goat breeds but also enrich our understanding of the adaptive evolution of goats.

The occupied proportion of hair follicle group in Inner Mongolia cashmere goat (Capra hircus)

Despite the significant advantages of using indigenous Chinese goat breeds in cashmere production, yield improvement is an ongoing challenge to cashmere goat breeding. This study aimed to investigate the occupied proportion of hair follicle group (HFG) and examine its influence on total hair follicle density (THFD). A total of 459 skin samples from the Inner Mongolia cashmere goat were processed for paraffin embedment, transverse sectioning, and H&E staining. An image of 9.26 mm2 was captured for each sample. All hair follicles were marked as color dots and the areas occupied by HFGs were filled by color blocks. Color blocks and the corresponding color dots were then analysed to calculate parameters. Our results showed that those samples with the higher THFD had the following characteristics: the size of the HFG (Size-HFG) was smaller, the HFGs (Num-HFG) was denser, the area proportion of the HFGs (Ratio-HFG) was larger, and the hair follicle density within HFG (Int-THFD) was higher. For each sample, its THFD was directly determined by the Int-THFD and Ratio-HFG. By improving one or both of Int-THFD and Ratio-HFG, a higher THFD can be achieved, thereby increasing the cashmere yield. This work implied that the Inner Mongolia cashmere goat still has upward potential for THFD improvement.

Genome-Wide Association Study of Body Conformation Traits by Whole Genome Sequencing in Dazu Black Goats

Simple SummaryBody conformation traits are economically important in the goat meat industry. Good growth performance in goats, including an accelerated growth rate, can improve carcass weight and meat yield. The identification of genetic variants associated with these traits provides a basis for the genetic improvement of growth performance. In this study, we measured six body conformation traits, including body height, body length, cannon circumference, chest depth, chest width, and heart girth. By a genome-wide association study of a Chinese meat goat breed, 53 significant single nucleotide polymorphisms and 42 candidate genes associated with these traits were detected. These findings improve our understanding of the genetic basis of body conformation traits in goats.Identifying associations between genetic markers and economic traits has practical benefits for the meat goat industry. To better understand the genomic regions and biological pathways contributing to body conformation traits of meat goats, a genome-wide association study was performed using Dazu black goats (DBGs), a Chinese indigenous goat breed. In particular, 150 DBGs were genotyped by whole-genome sequencing, and six body conformation traits, including body height (BH), body length (BL), cannon circumference (CC), chest depth (CD), chest width (CW), and heart girth (HG), were examined. In total, 53 potential SNPs were associated with these body conformation traits. A bioinformatics analysis was performed to evaluate the genes located close to the significant SNPs. Finally, 42 candidate genes (e.g., PSTPIP2, C7orf57, CCL19, FGF9, SGCG, FIGN, and SIPA1L) were identified as components of the genetic architecture underlying body conformation traits. Our results provide useful biological information for the improvement of growth performance and have practical applications for genomic selection in goats.