POLYMORPHISM OF GH, CAST, GDF9 AND KAP1.3 GENES IN THE ANDEAN SHEEP BREED WITH SEMI-COARSE WOOL

Marker selection opens up new horizons for targeted breeding work. Using genetic markers, it is possible to select animals with certain desirable traits at the embryonic stage or soon after birth. This allows us to significantly reduce the time required to obtain highly productive animals. Thus, the goal of our work is to search for and study selection-significant alleles of genes. Experiments with a sample of crossbreeds to study selection-significant alleles of the GH, GDF9, CAST, KAP1.3 genes associated with such economically useful indicators as growth and development, live weight and wool productivity were carried out at the livestock farm of OOO UKHO. Genotyping was carried out using polymerase chain reaction in relation to the above-described genes. In Andean sheep, the homozygous genotype GDF9GG prevailed, amounting to 80.0%. The heterozygous genotype GDF9AG is present in the studied group of animals in an insignificant amount - 5.0%. The number of ewes carrying homozygous genotypes GDF9AA and GDF9GG in the studied sample was 19 heads, with animals with the GDF9AA genotype accounting for 3 sheep, and animals with the GDF9GG genotype - 16 heads. The obtained results of the analysis of the genetic structure of the studied sample of Andean sheep for the GH, CAST and GDF9 genes indicate a significant deficiency of heterozygotes.