Growth Hormone (GH) Gene Polymorphism and Its Association with Meat Productivity in Two Rough Wool Sheep Breeds Grown in Russia's Dry Zone

Abstract

The article considers the methods of efficient use of the gene pool of rough wool sheep breeds in order to improve the level and quality of meat production. The research material was Edilbay (n=100) and Kalmyk fat-tailed sheep (n=100) breeds. The influence of the polymorphism of the genotypes of the growth hormone gene on meat indices were established; and the desired genotypes for further breeding work to increase their specific weight in the population structure were determined. The AB/GH genotype associated with the best meat production in carriers of this genotype has been identified as desirable. The results of the control slaughter have indicated Kalmyk fat-tailed rams of the AB/GH genotype to be superior to their AA/GH and BB/GH genotypes peers in terms of their pre-slaughter weight. The conducted research indicated the feasibility of genetic markers to optimize breeding programs in flocks of rough wool sheep in order to increase the meat production level. The obtained data confirmed the need to investigate the DNA markers associated with the productive qualities of sheep to get greater efficiency of breeding and enhance profitability of the sheep industry. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers