Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep
The Merino breed, which originates from Spain, is the most emblematic livestock breed in the world, since it is the first with a worldwide extension and has had an important impact on the genetic origin of several of the main current sheep populations. For this reason, it is of vital importance to t...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-01-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/313 |
| _version_ | 1797446950506725376 |
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| author | Antonio Granero Gabriel Anaya María J. Alcalde |
| author_facet | Antonio Granero Gabriel Anaya María J. Alcalde |
| author_sort | Antonio Granero |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Merino breed, which originates from Spain, is the most emblematic livestock breed in the world, since it is the first with a worldwide extension and has had an important impact on the genetic origin of several of the main current sheep populations. For this reason, it is of vital importance to typify the historical genetic lines of the original Spanish Merino breed and thereby ensure the conservation of its variability. In the present study, we used 337 purebred animals (males and females) registered in the Genealogical Book of the Native Merino Breed. All the animals were descendants of herds from six ancestral genetic lines (Maesso, Egea, Granda, López-Montenegro, Hidalgo, and Donoso). Significant differences were found in all the morphometric traits and indexes between the different genetic lines. Using discriminant analysis, 84% of the animals were classified correctly into their historical genetic lines. Furthermore, the distances between the lines, calculated by a cluster test, showed that Hidalgo, Maesso, and Donoso had the most clearly defined lines, while the Granda, López-Montenegro, and Egea lines were more similar to each other. All this demonstrates the rich genetic variability existing in the genuine gene pool of the Merino sheep breed. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:48:52Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-2fdf4fb3f8be48e596406572b9c1856d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T13:48:52Z |
| publishDate | 2023-01-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-2fdf4fb3f8be48e596406572b9c1856d2023-11-30T20:54:12ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152023-01-0113231310.3390/ani13020313Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino SheepAntonio Granero0Gabriel Anaya1María J. Alcalde2Asociación Nacional de Criadores de Ganado Merino (ACME), 28028 Madrid, SpainDepartment of Genetics, University of Córdoba, CN IV, KM 396, 17071 Córdoba, SpainAgronomy Department, University of Sevilla, 41013 Sevilla, SpainThe Merino breed, which originates from Spain, is the most emblematic livestock breed in the world, since it is the first with a worldwide extension and has had an important impact on the genetic origin of several of the main current sheep populations. For this reason, it is of vital importance to typify the historical genetic lines of the original Spanish Merino breed and thereby ensure the conservation of its variability. In the present study, we used 337 purebred animals (males and females) registered in the Genealogical Book of the Native Merino Breed. All the animals were descendants of herds from six ancestral genetic lines (Maesso, Egea, Granda, López-Montenegro, Hidalgo, and Donoso). Significant differences were found in all the morphometric traits and indexes between the different genetic lines. Using discriminant analysis, 84% of the animals were classified correctly into their historical genetic lines. Furthermore, the distances between the lines, calculated by a cluster test, showed that Hidalgo, Maesso, and Donoso had the most clearly defined lines, while the Granda, López-Montenegro, and Egea lines were more similar to each other. All this demonstrates the rich genetic variability existing in the genuine gene pool of the Merino sheep breed.https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/313Merinozoometryancestralgenetic linesdiversity |
| spellingShingle | Antonio Granero Gabriel Anaya María J. Alcalde Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep Animals Merino zoometry ancestral genetic lines diversity |
| title | Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep |
| title_full | Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep |
| title_fullStr | Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep |
| title_full_unstemmed | Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep |
| title_short | Morphostructural Differences between the Historical Genetic Lines of the Spanish Merino Sheep |
| title_sort | morphostructural differences between the historical genetic lines of the spanish merino sheep |
| topic | Merino zoometry ancestral genetic lines diversity |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/2/313 |
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