Linkage disequilibrium and within-breed genetic diversity in Iranian Zandi sheep

This research aimed to measure the extent of linkage disequilibrium (LD), effective population size (Ne), and runs of homozygosity (ROHs) in one of the major Iranian sheep breeds (Zandi) using 96 samples genotyped with Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip. The amount of LD (r2) for single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) pairs in short distances (10–20 kb) was 0.21±0.25 but rapidly decreased to 0.10±0.16 by increasing the distance between SNP pairs (40–60 kb). The Ne of Zandi sheep in past (approximately 3500 generations ago) and recent (five generations ago) populations was estimated to be 6475 and 122, respectively. The ROH-based inbreeding was 0.023. We found 558 ROH regions, of which 37 % were relatively long (> 10 Mb). Compared with the rate of LD reduction in other species (e.g., cattle and pigs), in Zandi, it was reduced more rapidly by increasing the distance between SNP pairs. According to the LD pattern and high genetic diversity of Zandi sheep, we need to use an SNP panel with a higher density than Illumina Ovine SNP50 BeadChip for genomic selection and genome-wide association studies in this breed.

A genetic study on sexual dimorphism of bodyweight in sheep

The aim of the present study was to investigate the genetic basis of sexual dimorphism of bodyweight in Zandi sheep. To do this, a pedigree including 1450 dams and 170 sires was used. Six bivariate animal models were applied for investigating direct and maternal effects for three age-specific bodyweights (bodyweight at birth, 3 and 6 months of age) in male and female Zandi lambs. The variance components were estimated via REML procedure. Males were, respectively, 6%, 7% and 9% heavier than females at birth, weaning and 6 months of age. Estimates of sexual dimorphism levels (expressed as M/F) were 1.11 at birth, 1.07 at weaning and 1.09 at 6 months of age, which indicated relatively low levels of sexual size dimorphism in the traits studied. Except for birthweight, for which estimates of additive genetic, residual and phenotypic variances as well as direct heritability and additive coefficient of variation were higher in females, for other traits studied, estimates were higher in males. However, regarding direct and maternal effects, none of the differences between the sexes was significant, indicating no need for sexual selection. Cross-sex genetic correlations were 0.862 at birth, 0.918 at weaning and 0.922 at 6 months of age, which highlighted birthweight as the most dimorphic trait. It was concluded that, owing to possible contribution of sexual chromosomes to variation of growth-related traits, bodyweight in male and female lambs may not be under the exactly same genetic control.

Estimation of genetic parameters of reproductive traits in Zandi sheep using linear and threshold models

Genetic parameters for reproductive traits in Zandi sheep were estimated from data records of 5025 lambs from 178 sires and 1967 dams collected between the years 1993 and 2010 using ASReml statistical package. Genetic parameters were estimated for four basic and two composite traits. Year of lambing and age of ewe were used as fixed effects. Due to repeated record of ewe animal direct genetic effects and permanent environmental effects were considered random. The heritability estimates for conception rate, number of lambs born, number of lambs born alive, number of lambs alive at weaning, number of lambs born per ewe exposed, and number of lambs weaned per ewe exposed were low with linear model – 0.05, 0.14, 0.12, 0.09, 0.05, and 0.04 respectively while the estimates resulting from threshold analysis were 0.11, 0.19, 0.14, 0.16, 0.12, and 0.11, respectively. Estimates of heritabilities for animal genetic and permanent environmental effects were low mainly due to the typical strong influence of environmental factors on reproductive traits. Estimates of repeatabilities for animal permanent environmental effects were low to medium by linear analysis, and medium by threshold analysis. These estimates of genetic parameters may provide a basis for deriving selection indexes for reproductive traits.