Booroolo Allele Segregation in Garole Maluro and GM Sheep

Abstract

Garole Sheep of west Bengal (India) is known to carry mutation in an autosomal gent FecB (Boraola allel or FecB + ) on ovine chromosome 6. The mutation is known to affect Ovulation rate and in turn litter size in Garole sheep. The mutated allel is hypothesized to be the original genotype of the breed and by this virtue the sheep produces twins, triplets and quadruplets. To incorporate the character of higher prolificacy in mutation type non-prolific Malpura sheep of semi-arid region of Rajasthan, Garole sheep was used as sire breed in FecB introgression programme started in 1997 at Central sheep and wool Research Institute, Avikanagar. Presence of FecB allel was detected in Garole and GM sheep. The genotype frequencies of homozygous carriers (FecB B+ ) were 0.41 and 0.11 in Garole and GM, respectively. The corresponding Figures for heterozygous (Fecb B+ ) were 0.48 and 0.60 in Garole and GM, respectively.