Molecular Screening of FecB Gene Mutation in Different Sheep Breeds of Tamil Nadu, India

This chapter highlights the presence of the fecundity (FecB) gene among the native sheep breeds of Tamil Nadu and the Indian Garole sheep cross. The indigenous sheep breeds in Tamil Nadu were screened for the presence of the fecundity gene, FecB as part of FecB gene introgression program. A total of 864 genomic DNA samples of sheep breeds were used to screen the FecB gene mutation through Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) and Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) method. The screening results showed that a considerable percentage of FecB mutation present in both Nilagiri and Sandyno synthetic sheep breeds. The frequencies of the wild, FecB homozygote (BB), heterozygote (B+), and homozygote (B) genotypes in Nilagiri sheep were 54.71, 35.87, and 9.41 percent, respectively. In Sandyno sheep the frequency of wild, FecB heterozygote(B+) and homozygote (BB) genotype were 88.14, 11.86 and 0.00 percent respectively. Whereas in Coimbatore, Mecheri and Tiruchy Black sheep FecB gene was absent in all samples screened and all animals showed only the uncut 140 bp band wild type (++) genotype. Further study can be developed on the introduction of homozygous FecB (BB) mutant Nilagiri and Sandyno rams into respective farmers' flocks and in farm as it would increase profitability without increasing flock size in a local breed of sheep.