Parentage verification and identity test of Ghezel sheep using microsatillate markers

Abstract

The Ghezel sheep is a fat tail high weight Iranian breed which is raised in the North-west of Iran. To design an efficient improvement program and genetic evaluation system for this indigenous breed, accurate estimates of the population genetic parameters is per-required and all pedigrees and relationships should be correctly recorded. Otherwise, it can produce biased evaluations when pedigrees contain errors and procedures utilize information from relatives. The pedigree and genotype data of Ghezel sheep were examined for errors. Parentage control has been performed by amplification of microsatellites. Mean heterozygosities, mean polymorphism index content (PIC) and mean number of alleles per loci were 0.50, 0.43 and 3.71, respectively. Mendelian errors were found following the pedigree corrections. Alleles at the following seven microsatellite loci were identified: BM4307, CSSM004, BM415, RM029, INRA49, BM3205 and OarFCB5. The pedigree was considered incorrect in 6 (12%) out of all the evaluated progeny, as their genotype did not match their parents. The present findings attest to the usefulness of the investigated microsatellites for parentage control in Ghezel sheep.

Key words: Ghezel sheep, microsatellites, genotyping errors, progeny test.