Polymorphism of the gene GDF9 in sheep of Prikatun type of Altai Mountains breedand its correlation with indices of meat rate productivity

In recent decades in many countries of the world the development of sheep farming is determined by the efficiency of mutton production. One of the promising areas of selection improvement of sheep breeds of meat and meat & wool productivity is an application of molecular-genetic methods. To obtain high-quality mutton it is advisable to use the Altai Mountains sheep breed, which features by high energy of growth of young animals and their adaptability to all-year-round pasture management. One of the candidate genes responsible for sheep meat productivity is the gene of growth differentiation factor -GDF9 (growth differentia­tion factor 9). The article presents the results of research of polymorphism of the gene GDF9 and its relation with the parameters of meat productivity in young sheep of Altai Mountains breed. It was found that the rams-carriers of AA genotype outperformed their peers of AG and GG genotypes in terms of pre-slaughter weight, carcass weight, meat yield and meat content ratio by 1.62 and 7.01 kg, 1.34 and 3.98 kg (P<0.05), 1.21 and 1.86 abs. percent, 0.16 and 0.39 units (P<0.05) accordingly. The muscle tissue of rams of the desired genotype featured the highest content of protein, fat and, accordingly, energy value in comparison with AG and GG genotypes. The animals of AA genotype had the largest area of a rib eye and diameter of muscle fibers. The superiority over other genotypes achieved 1.55 cm2 and 1.98 microns in average. In addition the higher number of inter-fiber and inter-bundle inclusions of fat and lower content of connective tissue stipulated higher marbling score (MB)-higher by 3.32 points. The obtained data in­dicate that it is promising methods to increase the number of homozygotic animals in term of gene GDF9 by intended selection of parent animals whose genotype contains a desirable element for further improvement of quantitative and qualitative parameters of meat rate productivity in sheep of Altai Mountains breed

Genome-wide analysis in the search for candidate genes associated with meat productivity traits in meat-and-dairy goats

The development of the tourism cluster in the North Caucasus causes the expansion of product range with high consumer characteristics, in particular, a sustainable offer of dairy and meat products labeled as environmentally friendly. In the range of such products with high dietary properties, a special role may be played by goat meat obtained from Karachay goats, which are the most common meat-and-dairy goats in the region. The aim of the work was to search for candidate genes associated with live weight and meat productivity of Karachay goats. GWAS analysis using Goat 50K BeadChip high-density DNA microarray determined a genome-wide level of significance for six SNPs located on chromosomes 5, 6, 10 and 16 associated with the live weight of young animals (4 and 8 months old). Three of the six SNPs within the ± 200 kb region were localized to HMGA2, CRADD, and MAX genes. These genes were selected to study the meat productivity traits of young goats with different genotypes. It was found that in the locus linked with HMGA2 gene, young goats with GG genotype were characterized by the best indicators of meat productivity. Compared to AA genotype animals, they had superiority in pre-slaughter weight, slaughter carcass weight, slaughter yield, boneless meat weight and loin eye area by 8.9%, 13.6%, 4.3% (P<0.05), 10.5% (P<0.05) respectively. Young goat meat of this genotype was characterized by the high protein content of 22.56% and low fat content of 9.12%. For the CRADD gene, animals with GG genotype had a higher pre-slaughter weight, slaughter weight, slaughter carcass yield, boneless meat weight and loin eye area. Animals with AG genotype were characterized by the lowest indicators. According to the above characteristics, the difference between the compared genotypes was 15.8%, 25.7% (P<0.01), 8.4% (P <0.05), 18.3%, and 15.7% (P 0.01) respectively. There were no significant differences in the chemical composition of muscle tissue between animals of different genotypes. HMGA2 and CRADD genes are promising for further research of Karachay goats breeding to increase meat productivity and meat quality.

Genetic markers in sheep meat breeding

Cattle breeding, including sheep farming, is an important sector of agriculture. Increasing productivity and improving meat quality are considered today as the priorities in the industry. Significant advances have been achieved in sheep breeding through the use of genetics. The commonplace of all selection programs is using manufacturers selected on the basis of the quality of the offspring, relatives or ancestors. At the same time, using the achievements of molecular genetics can lead breeding to a new methodological level. The problem of finding reliable communication between productivity features and genetic markers has not yet been solved, because productivity is a set of features (unlike, for example, monogenic diseases) and its expression depends on the balance between various physiological functions. By contrast, imbalance may cause reduced productivity as a whole even if there is a positive role of prevailing element. Selection on the basis of genetic markers of productivity aims to work with animals with high genetic potential for weight gain and meat quality. This review considers promising genes – potential markers of productivity in sheep farming, such as growth hormone gene, callipyge, calpain and calpastatin, which have promise as genetic markers for sheep selection. However, it should be stated that in spite of numerous reports about potential genetic markers of productivity there is still no data about the influence of molecular genetic methods on improving the economic performance of sheep selection

Investigation of gene pool and genealogical links between sheep breeds of southern Russia by blood groups and DNA microsatellites

To study the gene pool and the establishment of genealogical relationships between breeds of sheep of different directions productivity bred in Russia, were used two classes of genetic markers - blood and DNA microsatellites. The included sample sheep are fine-wool Merino breeds: Grozny (GR), Caucasian (CA), Manychskij merino (MM), the Soviet Merino (SM), Stavropol (ST) and coarse wool breeds: Edilbaevskaya (ED), Karakul (CR) and Romanov (RO). For the study of erythrocyte, were selected antigens (blood group) in 1159 samples from 11 breeding farms. For microsatellite DNA study - 598 from 10 breeding farms. Microsatellite analysis revealed that the most polymorphic were Stavropol breed sheep that have identified an average of 18.27 alleles per locus were relatively conservative Romanov breed sheep - 9.7 alleles per locus. The minimum genetic distances established between Grozny and Soviet Merino - 0.0569 (for microsatellites) and 0.0741 (blood groups - later in the same sequence). The rocks of the Stavropol - Grozny were 0.0861 and 0, 0810. Whereas Stavropol and Soviet Merino 0.0861 and 0.1094. Also relatively close between Grozny - Edilbaevskoy, Grozny Karakul, Edilbaevskoy - Karakul: 0.1364 and 0.0851, respectively; 0.1620 and 0.1208; 0.1875 and 0.1192. The highest genetic distances were between Stavropol and Karakul 0.2664 and 0.1804, as well as between the Romanov and all studied species - 0.2491 ... 0.3211 and 0.1734 ... 0.2235

High-density genotyping reveals signatures of selection related to acclimation and economically important traits in 15 local sheep breeds from Russia

Domestication and centuries of selective breeding have changed genomes of sheep breeds to respond to environmental challenges and human needs. The genomes of local breeds, therefore, are valuable sources of genomic variants to be used to understand mechanisms of response to adaptation and artificial selection. As a step toward this we performed a high-density genotyping and comprehensive scans for signatures of selection in the genomes from 15 local sheep breeds reared across Russia

TREND AND CURRENT SITUATION IN ANIMAL HUSBANDRY OF SERBIA

Despite the very favorable natural conditions, animal breeding in Serbia are still looking for a way to stabilize production. In the last decade of the 20th century, livestock in Serbia almost halved. It reduced the number of animals and total production of all types of meat. The small farms were dominant in Serbian agriculture with an average area between 3 and 4 ha. At the end of 2014, compared to 2006 the number of animals in Serbia reduced by 16.81% in cattle, 19.09% in pigs, and 26.75% in goats. Compared to 2006, we see that the fund sheep in 2014 increased by 10.98%. production of cow's milk at the end of 2014 decreased compared to 2006 by 5.98%. Unlike cattle, in sheep is an evident trend of increase in milk production by as much as 25% in the period. Goat milk from 2006 to 2014, varied and we can say that in 2014 we produced less milk 7.31%, however, shows that the quantity of milk per animal increased, as a result of selection and better growing conditions. The amount of wool decreased by 2,52% in 2014, however, due to the low interest for wool farmers is not recorded, so that the statistical indicators are not entirely realistic. Egg production increased by 21.7%, in line with the growing number of of poultry. Serbia produces 452.000 tons of meat. From that number 73,000 tons of beef, 27,000 tons of sheep meat, 258,000 tons of pork, and 94,000 tons of poultry meat. Total meat production in our country has a tendency of stagnation or slight decline

Biochemical and histological indicators of blood and m. longissimus dorsi of young bulls of Kazakh white-headed breed of different genotypes by the CAPN1 and GH genes

The use of molecular genetic markers for productivity is one of the modern approaches in breeding beef cattle. The article presents the results of the studies on the influence of genotypes by the calpain (CAPN1) and growth hormone (GH) genes on live weight, fatty acid composition of blood plasma, quantitative and qualitative indicators of meat of young cattle of Kazakh white-headed breed. It was established that animals of the homozygous geno-types СС–CAPN1 and VV-GH had a larger live weight and its average daily gain on the 240th and 365th days. Their superiority over the GG and LL genotypes was 13.8% (P<0.05) and 6.9%; 14.6% (P<0.05) and 6.9%, respectively. The carriers of the desirable alleles in the homozygous state had the sum of unsaturated fatty acids higher by 6.3% and 7.1%, respectively, than the young bulls, in which genotypes they were absent. The predominance of unsaturated fatty acids over saturated fatty acids also determined lower values of lipid me-tabolism direction index (0.92 and 1.00) in the animals with the desirable genotype. Muscle tissue of animals of the СС and VV genotypes was characterized by a higher level of protein, fat by 0.28–2.13 abs. per cent, energy value, and the quantity of muscle fibers with a smaller diameter per unit area compared to the GG and LL genotypes by on average 8.7% and 25.5% (P<0.01). Due to the greater number of interfiber fat inclusions, muscle tissue of the desirable genotypes received higher marbling scores. The obtained data testify to the prospects of replication of animals, which genotype has the desirable alleles for further improvement of traits of meat productivity of Kazakh white-headed breed

Association of CAPN1 and GH genes with productivity traits in Kazakh Whiteheaded cattle

The Kazakh Whiteheaded cattle was developed by crossing local breeds with the Hereford breed in Kazakhstan in the 30s of the last century. This breed is adapted to arid conditions of extreme continental climate. The goal of the investi-gations was the assessment of the genetic structure of the Kazakh Whiteheaded breed based on the genes of calpain (CAPN1) and somatotropic hormone (GH) and analysis of the association of genotypes for these genes with productivity traits. The main argument for this aim is research works illustrated that both genes could affect on meat productivity traits in other breeds of cattle. 352 blood samples from representatives of Kazakh Whiteheaded animals of different sex and age groups were genotyped for the CAPN1 and GH loci. As a result, it was firstly proved that Kazakh Whiteheaded animals, who are CC homozygosis at the CAPN1 locus and VV homozygosis at the GH locus, reliably exceed animals without C and V alleles on the productivity traits such as milk production, average daily body weight gain, and pre-slaughter body weight, slaughter weight, carcass weight, flesh weight, chemical composition and histological characteristics of meat. It was also shown that the frequencies of the desired alleles and genotypes of these loci are rather low the frequency of the C allele was 0.11–0.17, and the frequency of the CC genotype was 0.03–0.06 in different age and sex groups; the frequency of the V allele was 0.19-0.40, and the frequency of the VV genotype was 0.03-0.31. Thus, planning selection for Kazakh Whiteheaded cattle, it would be useful to take into account the assessment of ani-mal genotypes at the CAPN1 and GH loci to increase the proportion of animals with the desired genotypes

Polymorphism of PIT‐1, PRL and GH genes in dairy cattle of the Caucasian Brown breed bred in various natural ecological zones of the Republic of Dagestan, Russia

Aim. The widespread use of so‐called commercial breeds leads to the loss of a unique gene pool of native breeds and the narrowing of the genetic base that is necessary to preserve and to increase the genetic diversity of cattle breeds which are still preserved. These breeds include the Caucasian Brown. In connection , the aim of this research was to study the polymorphism of PIT‐1, PRL and GH genes in dairy cattle bred in different ecological climatic zones of the Republic of Dagestan to identify the genotypes of carriers of selection‐significant marker alleles for their preservation and further use in the selection process.Material and Methods. Genotyping of the Caucasian brown breed cows bred in different natural climatic zones was carried out using PCR‐RFLP methods. The polymorphism of PIT‐1, PRL and GH genes was studied, population analysis of their distribution in the cattle stock studied was carried out and the features of the genetic structure in the researched populations were studied in relation to the conditions of their habitat.Results. The specific allelic PIT‐1, PRL, and GH gene spectrum, characteristic for each animal population studied has been established. Homozygous and heterozygous carrier genotypes of the desired marker alleles with frequency of occurrence depending on both the gene and the animal population were identified. The genetic structural features of the genes studied in the researched populations were revealed.Conclusion. The data obtained indicate the genetic uniqueness of the Caucasian Brown breed bred in different natural climatic zones in the Republic of Dagestan and are probably associated with the manifestation of adaptations, the nature of which has developed under the influence of the prevailing ecological, natural climatic conditions of its habitat