Genetic diversity and relationships of 10 Chinese goat breeds in the Middle and Western China

The genetic variability and relationships among 10 Chinese goat breeds (Shannan white goat, Shanbei white cashmere goat, Funiu goat, Huanghuai goat, Taihang goat, Guanzhong dairy goat, Xinong Saanen goat, Zhongwei goat, Tibetan goat and Inner Mongolia cashmere goat) were studied using 20 microsatellite markers. The mean heterozygosity and the mean polymorphism information content (PIC) for the 10 goat breeds varied from 0.7612 to 0.8390 and 0.7293 to 0.8181, respectively. Huanghuai goat demonstrated the highest genetic variability, and Tibetan goat showed the lowest. GST index was 0.052. A unweighted pair group method with arithmetic means (UPGMA) diagram obtained based on Nei standard genetic distance displayed some degree of consistency with their geographical locations and production.