The domestic water buffalo is native to the Asian continent but through historical migrations and recent importations, nowadays has a worldwide distribution. The two types of water buffalo, i.e., river and swamp, display distinct morphological and behavioral traits, different karyotypes and also have different purposes and geographical distributions. River buffaloes from Pakistan, Iran, Turkey, Egypt, Romania, Bulgaria, Italy, Mozambique, Brazil and Colombia, and swamp buffaloes from China, Thailand, Philippines, Indonesia and Brazil were genotyped with a species-specific medium-density 90K SNP panel. We estimated the levels of molecular diversity and described population structure, which revealed historical relationships between populations and migration events. Three distinct gene pools were identified in pure river as well as in pure swamp buffalo populations. Genomic admixture was seen in the Philippines and in Brazil, resulting from importations of animals for breed improvement. Our results were largely consistent with previous archeological, historical and molecular-based evidence for two independent domestication events for river- and swamp-type buffaloes, which occurred in the Indo-Pakistani region and close to the China/Indochina border, respectively. Based on a geographical analysis of the distribution of diversity, our evidence also indicated that the water buffalo spread out of the domestication centers followed two major divergent migration directions: river buffaloes migrated west from the Indian sub-continent while swamp buffaloes migrated from northern Indochina via an east-south-eastern route. These data suggest that the current distribution of water buffalo diversity has been shaped by the combined effects of multiple migration events occurred at different stages of the post-domestication history of the species.

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Aim:The aim of this study was to investigate the seroprevalence of antibodies against foot and mouth disease (FMD), Peste des Petits ruminants (PPR), and bluetongue (BT) in sheep and goats within Giza and Beni-Suef governorates at the second half of 2016.Materials and Methods:A total of 300 animals (sheep and goats) randomly selected from small stocks with no history of previous vaccination against FMD virus (FMDV), PPR, or BT viruses (BTV) and examined with competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for detection of FMD-non-structural protein, PPR, and BT antibodies.Results:Seroprevalence analysis revealed that antibodies against FMDV were 40.8% and 37.1% at Giza governorate, while at Beni-Suef governorate, the percent was 36.7% and 50% in sheep and goat, respectively. Antibodies against PPR were 63.8% in sheep and 45.7% in goats at Giza governorate, whereas the results for Beni-Suef governorate were 71.7% in sheep and 45% in goats. Antibodies against BT were 45% and 37% in sheep and goats, respectively, in Giza governorate, whereas the results for Beni-Suef governorate were 80% and 55% in sheep and goats, respectively. The average of BTV antibody prevalence was significantly higher in sheep (45% and 80%) than in goats (37% and 55%) in Giza and Beni-Suef, respectively. Statistical analysis for the three viruses showed the high relation between the two governorates in case of sheep (r=0.85) and in case of goats (r=0.87). In general, a strong positive correlation was observed between the governorates (r=0.93).Conclusion:Giza and Beni-Suef governorates are endemic with FMDV, PPR, and BTV. Regional plan for characterization and combating FMD, PPR, and BT is recommended to help in the achievement of the most suitable combination of the vaccine regimen.

Aim:Native rabbits in smallholder system are considered as important genetic resources, and the present study was aimed to study the genetic and phenotypic characterization and detection of the maternal origin of the native rabbit populations located at the Middle of Egypt.Materials and Methods:A survey of native rabbit populations was conducted in three governorates (Fayum [FY], Beni Suef [BN], and El Menia [MN]). The phenotypic characterization of rabbits included the profile body of the head, ears, eyes, neck, and legs and the coat colors. The blood samples were collected for genetic characterization based on mitochondrial (cytochrome b) and the microsatellite markers.Results:The phenotypic characterization of the body parts in the three populations was almost similar. The body weight of the mature rabbits in MN Government was significantly heaviest, and the measurements for the main body parts (body length, chest circumference, and abdominal girth) were the highest compared to the two populations. The results of mitochondrial (cytochrome b) analysis revealed that the rabbits from the three governments belonged to lineage A except one animal was recorded as lineage G from MN’s rabbit population. The results of the microsatellite markers revealed that the genetic diversity between the three populations showed genetic interferences; however, a closer genetic relationship was observed between BN and MN than FY. The majority of the genetic diversity was the individual variability.Conclusion:The mitochondrial lineage A is the major lineage in rabbit populations in the area of the Middle Egypt understudy. The genetic populations’ structure is the interferences among the three populations. A large-scale survey should be done on native rabbit populations for the sustainable management and conservation of the local breeds’ genetic resources.

The mitochondrial D-loop region was used to investigate genetic diversity within and between populations of Egyptian goats, to elucidate processes that explain present patterns of diversity and differentiation and to characterize Egyptian goats relative to international breeds. A total of 120 animals from six populations were sampled. Results confirm the main trend from previous studies of mtDNA diversity in goats, with high levels of diversity within populations, but with a comparative lack of genetic structure supporting geographic distribution. Haplotype diversity varied in a narrow range whereas nucleotide diversity values were more informative in showing differences between populations. The majority of goats analyzed (93.2%) displayed haplotypes that group with Haplogroup A, the most common type found in global goat populations. The remaining animals grouped with the less common Haplogroup G. Population differentiation analysis showed some uniqueness in the Aswan and Sharkawi populations from the South and East of Egypt. Overall, the structure of the Egyptian goat population is characterized by a high degree of homogeneity among populations from the north-western coastal region, the Nile Delta and the upper and middle regions of the Nile valley, but with possible introgression of rarer haplotypes into populations at the southern and eastern extremities of the country.