Exploring genetic diversity in cashmere goats of Ladakh for enhancing production

• Published in: Small ruminant research 2021-08, Vol.201, p.106409, Article 106409
• Main Authors: Sheikh, F.D., Ganai, T.A.S., Ganai, A.M, Alam, Safeer, Asmat, Sabiya
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Allele; Cashmere; Changthangi goat; Genetic diversity; Microsatellite markers
• ISSN: 0921-4488; 1879-0941
• DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2021.106409

•Maintenance of Genetic diversity is very important to check inbreeding, breed improvement and conservation of Changthangi goat breed of Ladakh.•Highly polymorphic microsatellite markers recommended by FAO markers recommended by FAO are useful tool to study Genetic Diversity in Cashmere goats of Ladakh.•Selection process favoring heterozygosity is a good indicator of genetic diversity maintained in Changthangi goat population over a period of time.•Our study shows wide diversity among Changthangi Goats of Ladakh with a great scope for its production improvement. The maintenance of genetic diversity is a key to the long-term survival of most species. Changthangi goats of Ladakh is known for producing finest cashmere fibre in the world and these goats sustain the economy of thousands of Changpa nomads of Ladakh. In the present study we have used 15 highly polymorphic microsatellite markers (ISAG-FAO) in 232 randomly selected Changthangi goats from 7 different clusters of Ladakh. The average observed homozygosity and heterozygosity was 0.25 and 0.75 respectively. The overall mean of Shannon’s Information Index for the whole population and polymorphism information content value (PIC) observed was 1.66 and 0.7117 respectively. The mean FIS, FIT and FST values for the whole population are found to be -0.0433, 0.0121 and 0.0531, respectively with a gene flow rate of 4.4601, indicating low level of inbreeding within the population and also point towards low genetic differentiation within the populations. No bottleneck for Changthangi Goat population were seen. Our study shows a highly diverse and adapted Changthangi goat population in the region. The genetic distance computed from the present study can be utilized for implementing a sound future breeding programme for the genetic improvement of this goat.