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The present
study investigates the genetic relationship of Marwari,
Jaisalmeri, Malpura and Patanwadi sheep breeds with Kheri
sheep, which is considered to have originated from a
crossbred base with unknown levels of inheritance from these
breeds. Microsatellite based information was used to
estimate molecular coancestry and kinship distances which
were supported by classical genetic distance measures. Our
results revealed high molecular coancestry and least kinship
distance between Kheri and Malpura sheep, whereas Marwari
sheep appeared distinct. The molecular coancestry and
genetic distance analyses suggest that Kheri sheep share
more genetic similarity with Malpura than with Marwari,
Jaisalmeri or Patanwadi sheep breeds. The genetic distances,
phylogenetic tree and principal coordinate analyses
reflected a clear differentiation of Marwari breed probably
implying that the influence of Marwari sheep into the Kheri
sheep, if any, would be limited. On the basis of the present
results, it may be concluded that Malpura sheep breed, which
appears closely related to Kheri sheep, may have been a
significant contributor towards the formation of Kheri
sheep, while the participation of other breeds like Marwari,
Jaisalmeri and Patanwadi is less clear and may have occurred
at an early stage of its evolution.
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