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Investigating the population structure and genetic differentiation of livestock guard dog breeds

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  14 January 2018

D. Bigi ,
S.P. Marelli ,
L. Liotta ,
S. Frattini ,
A. Talenti ,
G. Pagnacco ,
M. Polli  and
P. Crepaldi
D. Bigi
Affiliation:
Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences (DISTAL), University of Bologna, 40127 Bologna, Italy
S.P. Marelli
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
L. Liotta
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Science, University of Messina, 98168 Messina, Italy
S. Frattini
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
A. Talenti
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
G. Pagnacco
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
M. Polli*
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
P. Crepaldi
Affiliation:
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Milan, 20133 Milan, Italy
*
†E-mail: michele.polli@unimi.it
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Abstract

Livestock guarding dogs are a valuable adjunct to the pastoral community. Having been traditionally selected for their working ability, they fulfil their function with minimal interaction or command from their human owners. In this study, the population structure and the genetic differentiation of three Italian livestock guardian breeds (Sila’s Dog, Maremma and Abruzzese Sheepdog and Mannara’s Dog) and three functionally and physically similar breeds (Cane Corso, Central Asian Shepherd Dog and Caucasian Shepherd Dog), totalling 179 dogs unrelated at the second generation, were investigated with 18 autosomal microsatellite markers. Values for the number of alleles per locus, observed and expected heterozygosity, Hardy–Weinberg Equilibrium, F stats, Nei’s and Reynold’s genetic distances, clustering and sub-population formation abilities and individual genetic structures were calculated. Our results show clear breed differentiation, whereby all the considered breeds show reasonable genetic variability despite small population sizes and variable selection schemes. These results provide meaningful data to stakeholders in specific breed and environmental conservation programmes.

Keywords

doglivestock guardian breedsbreed differentiationpopulation structuregenetic variability
Type
Research Article
Information
animal , Volume 12 , Issue 10 , October 2018 , pp. 2009 - 2016
Copyright
© The Animal Consortium 2018 

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