Genome-Wide Association Study for Body Conformation Traits in Kazakh Fat-Tailed Coarse-Wool Sheep

The study conducted a genome-wide association study (GWAS) on 295 Kazakh fat-tailed coarse-wool sheep to identify genetic loci associated with body conformation traits, such as live weight and chest dimensions. Using the OvineSNP50 Genotyping BeadChip, 41,912 SNPs were analyzed, revealing several loci with suggestive associations. Notable candidate genes near these loci included VCAN, NEK1, NRG1, ADAM12, ERBB4, RUNX1T1, and PDGFD, which are involved in skeletal growth and muscle development. These findings suggest potential for marker-assisted selection in sheep breeding, although the lack of genome-wide significant SNPs indicates a need for larger sample sizes in future studies to enhance statistical power and validation.