ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN MARKER GENE ALLELES AND EGYPTIAN SUFFOLK SHEEP, NUBIAN (ZARAIB1) GOAT AND BUFFALO TRAITS

In Egyptian Suffolk (70-90 % UK Suffolk. 10 – 30% Ossimi sheep) ewes,
blood serum proteins examined for biochemical polymorphism showed that
the highly significant (P<0.01) associations were between the Bovine-serum
Albumin (Alb) marker gene alleles Aa1, Aa2 and the highest values of each of
age at first lambing and lambs weight at weaning, Ab1, Ab2 and fertility
(number of lambs produced /number of ewes exposed during the breeding
season) and A01, A02 and lambing interval. Alb alleles Ab1, Ab2 & A01, A02 and
Ab1, Ab2 were significantly (P<0.01) associated with the lowest age at first
lambing, fertility and lambing interval, respectively.
In Nubian (Zaraibi) goat does, plasma proteins showed that allele Cb of
Carbonic Anhydrase Erythrocyte marker gene was associated (P<0.05) with
the shortest age at first kidding. The allele Ia of Trepsinogen Inhibitor marker
gene was associated (P<0.01) with the highest values of litter size and litter
weight at birth and at weaning. The allele Aa of Albumin marker gene was
associated (P<0.01) with the highest values of kilograms produced at birth
and at weaning/ lifetime of doe. The allele Pc of Immunoglobulin P marker
gene was associated (P<0.05) with the lowest value of abortion and the
allele Pb of the same marker gene was associated (P<0.05) with the lowest
value of mortality rate.
In buffaloes, examination of plasma proteins of male calves and plasma
and milk proteins of cows showed that the Immunoglobulin G allele Ga was
associated (P<0.01) with the highest values of daily milk yield, while the
effects of the studied other marker genes on most the studied traits were not
significant.
The beneficial results may suggest that marker assisted selection could be
carried out at a very early age on marker gene types for improvement of
local animals studied traits, since such marker genotypes could be scored at
very early age, which may save time, effort and costs.