Abstract:

The genetic diversity of 9 Chinese native cattle breeds and 3 introduced breeds were analyzed using 12 microsatellite DNA markers recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and the International Society of Animal Genetics (ISAG) through fluorescence-multiple PCR. According to the allele frequencies of 12 microsatellite locus, mean heterozygosity (H), polymorphism information content (PIC) , DA and DS genetic distances were calculated for each breed. Cluster analysis based on UPGMA method indicated that 12 breeds were clustered into four
groups. GroupⅠbelonged to the southern-China cattle including Enshi, Liping, Zhaotong and Chuannan Mountainous; GroupⅡ belonged to the central-China cattle including Jiaxian Red and Zaosheng, Pinglu Mountainous; GroupⅢ be-longed to the northern-China cattle including Yanbian and Changbai; Group Ⅳ consisted of foreign breeds including Ger-many Yellow, Simmental and Charolais. The results may provide an academic basis for preservation and utilization of Chi-nese native cattle breeds.