Differentiation between Lithuanian White-Backed and Lithuanian Black-and-White (old genotype) cattle using blood groups

Abstract

The aim of the study was to carry out a genetic analysis of Lithuanian White-Backed (LWB) and old genotype Lithuanian Blackand-White (LBW) cattle within breeds, and to make pairwise comparisons. The blood samples were taken from 164 LWB and 89 old genotype LBW cows. The EAB and EAC blood type systems were analysed, the allele frequency was calculated, and the degree of homogeneity Ca% and genetic distance r between the breeds were measured. In the EAB system, out of 36 studied alleles, 25 were identified in the population of LWB cattle and 21 in the old genotype LBW cattle. In the EAC blood type system, out of 25 studied alleles, 19 were identified in the population of Lithuanian White-Backed cattle and 20 in the old genotype Lithuanian Black-and-White cattle. The research showed that in the EAB system 5 alleles that were found in previous data of LWB cattle are more characteristic of the present population of LWB cattle. I₂ allele was most characteristic of the old genotype LBW cattle, whereas G₂Y₂E’₂Q’ allele was most characteristic of LWB cattle. In the EAC genetic system only four alleles, R₂ (C₂’’), WR₂, WX₂, X₂(C₂’’), with a high frequency were found in the population of LWB cattle. C₂ER₂, C₂X₂, C₂EC, WE, R₂C’ alleles were discovered in the population of old genotype LBW cattle. In the EAB system the degree of homogeneity of LBW was two times higher than that of LWB cattle. The genetic similarity between LWB and old genotype LBW cattle was r = 0.60.