Vet World   Vol.16   December-2023  Article-3

The implications of various gene variant combinations on breeding values for Awassi ewe milk production

Background and Aim: Milk production is an important factor to consider in selecting Awassi sheep. This trait is influenced by various genes that can be managed to boost production. The breeding values (BVs) for milk production in Jordan’s Awassi sheep flocks have been established. This study determined how combined gene variants of BLG, PRL, CSN3, CSN1S1, and CSN2 affect the estimated BVs (EBVs) for milk production in Awassi sheep.

Materials and Methods: Milk and blood samples were collected from 391 Awassi sheep, which was then subjected to molecular analysis through sequencing in order to identify potential alleles and genotypes that could be linked to the EBVs of milk.

Results: The predicted BVs for milk were significantly influenced by PRL and CSN3 gene variants. Through performing the act of epistasis, the i nteractions of BLG with CSN3 and –CSN1S1 greatly impacted EBVs for milk production. Likewise, the three-way interaction among PRL, CSN3, and CSN1S1, as well as the combined effect of CSN3 with CSN1S1 and CNS1 significantly improved BVs for milk production. When the breeding selection program incorporates the polymorphisms of these genes, gains in milk production can be obtained.

Conclusion: Alleles within the examined genomic areas are crucial for evaluating BVs and maximizing genetic gain in milk production. Keywords: Awassi sheep, breeding value, milk production.

Keywords: Awassi sheep, breeding value, milk production.

How to cite this article: Jawasreh KI and Al-Amareen AH (2023) The implications of various gene variant combinations on breeding values for Awassi ewe milk production, Veterinary World, 16(12): 2411-2415.

Received: 16-08-2023  Accepted: 01-11-2023     Published online: 05-12-2023

Corresponding author: Khaleel I. Jawasreh   E-mail: kijawasreh@just.edu.jo

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2023.2411-2415

Copyright: Jawasreh KI and Al-Amareen, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.