PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON EFFECTS OF HAEMOGLOBIN GENOTYPE AND ESTIMATE OF GENETIC DISTANCE AT THE HB LOCUS IN WEST AFRICAN DWARF AND RED SOKOTO GOATS

Abstract

Haemoglobin (Hb) alleles, genotypes, their frequencies and effects of Hb type on some traits were studied in 126 West African Dwarf (WRlir) and Red Sokotc, (RS) goats. The  frequencies of HbA and HbB in RS goats were 0.467 and 0.533, genufype frequencies were
I-ibAA (0.3551, HbAB (0.224) and HbBB (0.421). The corresponding values for WAD goats were 0.530, 0.470 and (1.300, 0.460 and 0.240 respectively. ltlb type did nut sign~ficantly affect packed cell volume and total serum proteins. However, Wb type affected haemoglobin concentration in both breeds (P < 0.05). NbAA and HbAB type animals had significantly (P < 0.05) higher Hb concentration than HbBB animals. Hb type irtfluence may indicate a superior kIb content in erythrocytes associated with the HbA allele. Hb type had no significant effect on four production traits: gestation length, oestrus duration, kid birth weight and average daily gain studied in WAD goats only. Estimate of genetic distance between WAD and RS goats was 0.004 based on Hb locus. This Tow value may indicate high similarity of alleles at this locus and may have phylogenetis implications. Our current work employing larger sample sizes and many mare polymorphic genetic loci will further elucidate this situation. This may pave the way for marker-assisted selection in the genetic improvement ol Nigerian goats using biochemical markers.