Genetic and biological features of cattle of Kalmyk breed

Current breeding methods are based on molecular genetic methods with the help of which in the early stages it is possible to determine the meat productivity of animals. Many authors have identified a relation between different allelic gene variants and economically useful animal traits. The purpose of the research was to study the genetic and biological characteristics of cattle of Kalmyk breed. Comprehensive studies were carried out including animal science, genetic factors, DNA markers, biochemical test systems in Kalmyk cattle to assess its genetic potential. The pool of alleles of erythrocytic antigens of Kalmyk breed has been studied and the specificity of its composition in different farms was established, the best combinations of parental pairs were identified according to the index of antigenic similarity. The frequency of occurrence of alleles and genotypes of the Thyroglobulin gene in sires of Kalmyk breed was determined by Polymerase Chain Reaction-Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism analysis of genomic DNA. On average, a profitability level of at least 42.0 % was obtained for the experiment. The superiority of steers from parents with an antigenic similarity index of 0.31–0.60 was 8.6 and 8.3 abs.%, respectively. Therefore, steers obtained from parents with an antigenic similarity index of 0.31–0.60 had a higher of profitability level. In order to increase the efficiency of breeding, improve the gene pool and productive traits of cattle of Kalmyk breed along with traditional animal science techniques it is necessary to use the widespread use of immunogenetic and molecular genetic markers, pereamination enzymes, as well as use of sires with the desired TT genotype to the Thyroglobulin TG5 gene.