Species-specific PCR for the identification of goat cashmere and sheep wool

In order to establish rapid and species-specific method of goat cashmere and sheep wool identification, a polymerase chain reaction using specific primer pairs targeting mitochondrial D-loop was developed. The goat specific primers yielded a 294 bp PCR fragment and the sheep specific primers yielded three PCR fragments of which only the 404 bp fragment was found highly diagnostic. The specificity and reliability of the developed species-specific PCR assay was validated by considering as many as 500 cashmere and wool samples. The developed species-specific PCR was found effective in detecting mixed samples of cashmere and wool precisely with the relative content over 9.09%. The species-specific PCR method proved to be low cost, fast, easy and reliable alternative to determine the addition of sheep wool in goat cashmere.