Identification of quantitative trait loci for wool traits in Iranian Baluchi sheep

Abstract

Regions on 3 ovine chromosomes (OAR1, 5 and 25) were selected to study quantitative trait loci (QTL) segregating for wool traits in Baluchi sheep, an indigenous sheep breed in Iran. Progenies (503) from 13 half-sib families were genotyped for 15 microsatellite markers. The average number of progeny per sire was 38 and ranged between 16 and 59. Wool traits (14) were analyzed and phenotypes were corrected for fixed effects of birth year, sex, flock, litter size and shearing date (year and season). The QTL analyses were performed using regression-based interval mapping. The results revealed 4 QTL on OAR1 for fibre type traits (hetero-type and Kemp fibres type per cent in fleece), coefficient of variation of fibre diameter and greasy fleece weight, one QTL on OAR5 for clean fleece weight and 7 QTL on OAR25 for fibre type traits (Hetro-type, Kemp and True wool fibres per cent), greasy and clean fleece weight, coefficient of variation of average fibre diameter and the per cent of fibre diameter between 40 and 50 μm.