Pedigree analysis in the Polish Red cattle population.

Area of Science:

• Animal Genetics
• Population Genetics
• Conservation Biology

Background:

• The Polish Red Cattle (PRC) breed is a small, local population facing potential genetic resource challenges.
• Understanding population structure and inbreeding is vital for effective conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the population structure and inbreeding levels within the Polish Red Cattle (PRC) breed.
• To assess genetic diversity and effective population size in the context of conservation programs.
• To determine ancestral paths and identify potential risks to the breed's genetic integrity.

Main Methods:

• Analysis of pedigree records for 9,170 PRC animals from 1950-2014.
• Utilized the CFC program to analyze population structure and inbreeding coefficients.
• Calculated average inbreeding, percentage of inbred animals, and longest ancestral paths (LAP).

Main Results:

• The average inbreeding coefficient in the PRC population was 4%, with 23.8% of animals exhibiting inbreeding.
• Only 2.53% of animals had a longest ancestral path (LAP) of 10 or more generations.
• The study identified potential risks of disrupting the population structure due to inbreeding and limited genetic depth.

Conclusions:

• Effective management of selection and mating decisions is essential to control coancestry and inbreeding in the PRC breed.
• Continuous monitoring of endangered populations like PRC is necessary to maintain genetic diversity and effective population size.
• The findings highlight the need for proactive conservation efforts to safeguard the genetic resources of small, local cattle breeds.