Analysis of genetic structure of West African Dwarf goats by allozyme markers

• Estimates of genetic variability revealed substantial genetic variation frequently.
• Population was observed to be significantly differentiated into different groups.
• Populations showed fairly high level of outbreeding.

Genetic variation at three allozyme (Haemoglobin, Carbonic Anhydrase and Transferrin) loci and population structure hypothesis were examined for West African Dwarf goat populations in four Southwestern state of Nigeria. One hundred and forty animals, twenty from each sampling area comprising Ijebu-Ode and Ado-Odo, (Ogun state), Ondo, (Ondo state), Ile–Ife, Osogbo and Iwo, (Osun state), and Ibadan, (Oyo state), were randomly selected. Estimates of genetic variability such as effective number of alleles and gene diversities revealed substantial genetic variation frequently displayed by allozyme markers. Numbers of alleles observed across the allozyme loci varied from 246 to 250 with an overall mean of 247.33 ± 2.31. Average polymorphism across the studied loci and expected gene diversity in the population were 0.63 ± 0.09 and 0.44 ± 0.09, respectively. Population was observed to be significantly differentiated into different groups, and showed fairly high level of outbreeding (f = −0.16 ± 0.44) and excess heterozygosity.