GENETIC RELATIONSHIP AMONG NIGERIAN WEST AFRICAN DWARF GOAT POPULATIONS USING BLOOD PROTEIN POLYMORPHISM

Abstract

This investigation was carried out to study the genetic relationship among three populations of Nigerian West African Dwarf (WAD) goat using blood protein markers. Blood samples were obtained from a total of one hundred and forty adult animals of both sexes, and their protein polymorphism was investigated using cellulose acetate electrophoresis in three loci (haemoglobin, transferrin and carbonic anhydrase). Based on the estimated allele frequencies, the populations were characterized by their genetic variability using heterozygosity (H), a number of alleles (Na) and genetic distance (D) among the populations. The estimates of heterozygosity were 0.48, 0.47, 0.39 and 0.46 for Ogun, Ondo, Osun and Oyo populations respectively. Two alleles were reported for each of the population (A, and B in both haemoglobin and transferrin while F and S for carbonic anhydrase). The closest genetic relationship was found between the Ogun and Oyo WAD goat populations (D=0.011), while population from Ondo and their Osun counterparts were more genetically distance (D=0.066). The relationships among the four populations were consolidated by the dendrogram that emanated from their genetic distances. The present information may be exploited in formulating appropriate management in conservation strategies and improvement of Nigerian WAD goat populations.