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The breeding structure for the small ruminant resources in India.
G R Gowane1, Najif Akram2, S S Misra2
1Animal Genetics and Breeding Division, ICAR-Central Sheep and Wool Research Institute, Avikanagar, Tonk, Malpura, Rajasthan, 304501, India. gopalgowane@gmail.com.
Tropical Animal Health and Production
|January 4, 2020
Summary
Effective population size (Ne) impacts genetic diversity and inbreeding in livestock. Larger Ne reduces inbreeding and increases chromosome segments, crucial for genetic improvement programs in sheep and goats.
Area of Science:
- Animal Genetics
- Population Genetics
- Livestock Breeding
Background:
- Intense selection for desired traits has reduced effective population size (Ne) in global plant and livestock populations.
- Understanding the impact of Ne on genetic architecture is vital for sustainable breeding programs.
- Estimating Ne and its ratio to the adult breeding population (NB) is crucial for assessing genetic diversity in small ruminants.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the impact of effective population size (Ne) on population genetic architecture using simulated data.
- To investigate the Ne and NB ratio in Indian small ruminant census data.
- To evaluate the relationship between Ne and genetic parameters like inbreeding and breeding value accuracy.
Main Methods:
- Simulated populations with variable Ne under selection were analyzed.
- Inbreeding coefficients and the correlation between estimated and true breeding values were calculated.
- Effective number of chromosome segments (Me) was determined. Livestock census data for Indian sheep and goats were analyzed for Ne and NB.
Main Results:
- Average inbreeding decreased with increasing Ne; inbreeding increase per generation was highest in populations with the lowest Ne.
- Correlation between estimated breeding value (EBV) and true breeding value (TBV) was largely unaffected by Ne.
- Effective number of chromosome segments (Me) showed a significant positive linear relationship with Ne. Indian sheep and goat breeds exhibited large Ne, with median Ne/NB ratios of 0.120 (sheep) and 0.131 (goats).
Conclusions:
- Effective population size significantly influences genetic architecture, particularly inbreeding and chromosome segment diversity.
- Most Indian sheep and goat breeds possess large Ne, indicating substantial genetic diversity and potential for productivity improvement.
- Conservation efforts are needed for endangered breeds like Karnah and Poonchi sheep due to low breeding female populations.
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