[Study of the breed-forming process in sheep using multivariate methods of analysis of genetic and morphologic...

Comparison of biochemical genetic variation and morphological variation during formation of a new breed of sheep by means of multi-breed mating has been carried out. Genetic distances calculated by biochemical markers using various methods (by M. Nei, J.S. Rogers, I.I. Cavalli-Sforza and A.W.F. Edvards) have been discovered to significantly correlate with Manhattan and average taxonomic distances calculated on the basis of six morphological traits (r = 0.841-0.889, t = 2.98-2.99, P = 0.999). Nevertheless, it appeared that relationships between crossbred animals revealed with the help of methods for multidimensional analysis (principle component analysis and multidimensional scaling) on the basis of genetic distances matrix more precisely correspond to the real scheme and direction of breeding work than relationships described while using the given methods on the basis of morphological distances matrix. Greater correspondence of data on biochemical genetic variations of the animal groups studied to real processes of breeding, as compared with the data on morphological traits, is supposed to be connected with direct involvement of non-accounted phenotypic characters into the breeding work.