Genetic and phenotypic variation among four Nguni sheep breeds using random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) and morphological features
Date
2015Author
Gwala, Phiwamandla Emanuel
Bezuidenhout, Cornelius Carlos
Kunene, Nokuthula Winfred
Mavule, Bafowethu Sibanda
Metadata
Show full item recordAbstract
This study was conducted to investigate phenotypic
and genetic differentiation among the four Nguni sheep
breeds. Sheep with two permanent incisors and above were
sampled from areas, namely KwaZulu-Natal (Zulu sheep),
Limpopo (Pedi sheep), Mozambique (Landim sheep) and
Swaziland (Swazi sheep). The Dorper was used as an outgroup.
Eight morphometric variables were measured from
each animal, and blood samples were collected (n=50 per
population) for genetic characterization. The mean body
weights for sheep were 30.41±0.41, 35.34±0.43, 35.23±
0.43, 37.63±0.42 and 52.84±0.30 for Swazi, Zulu, Landim,
Pedi and Dorper, respectively. Morphometric cluster analysis
showed the Landim, Swazi and Zulu breeds in one cluster.
The Pedi sheep were closer to the Dorper than to the other
Nguni sheep. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD)
technique was used to assess genetic variation. Eight primers
were selected for analysis based on band pattern quality,
reproducibility and the presence of distinctive bands. The
Swazi sheep formed a cluster with Zulu sheep, and the
Pedi formed a cluster with the Dorper. These results confirm
indications by other researchers that Pedi sheep are
genetically distant from Zulu and Swazi sheep breeds.
This could indicate the possibility of cross breeding Zulu
and Swazi sheep as a possible conservation strategy to
control inbreeding. The mtDNA should be analyzed to trace
the relationships between Pedi and the three Nguni sheep
breeds through maternal lines
URI
http://hdl.handle.net/10394/18788http://dx.doi.org/ 10.1007/s11250-015-0865-9
http://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11250-015-0865-9