Abstract:

China has a rich resource of native sheep breeds, some of which possess specific traits such as prolificacy, excellent lamb pelts, multiple horns, fat tails and strong stress resistance. All these have been the focus of research. However, there is still a controversy about the origin of sheep breeds and a lack of comprehensive and systematic studies on genetic diversity of Chinese native sheep. In this review, we summarize recent research advances on the origin, evolution and genetic diversity of Chinese native sheep breeds based on paternal, maternal, and autosomal markers. This review will provide useful information for the conservation and utilization of sheep genetic resources, breeding of new sheep breeds and the sustainable development of Chinese sheep industry.

Key words: sheep, origin, evolution, dispersal, genetic diversity