Microsatellite analysis of the Rousse de Maradi (Red Sokoto) goat of Burkina Faso

A total of 33 reproductive individuals of the Rousse de Maradi (Red Sokoto) goat breed of Burkina Faso were genotyped for 19 microsatellites and compared with 154 samples from four different populations of Burkinabé Sahelian and Djallonké goat. The between-populations molecular coancestry for the Rousse de Maradi-pairs varied from 0.420 (with the Northern Sahelian population) to 0.459 (with the Eastern Djallonké population). The between-populations genetic differentiation assessed using FST varied from 0.018 for the pair formed by the two Sahelian populations to 0.050 for the pairs formed between the Rousse de Maradi population and each of the Djallonké populations. Both correspondence and STRUCTURE analyses showed that the Rousse de Maradi breed: (a) has a particular genetic background; and (b) it is genetically nearer to the Sahelian goat. Overall, the present analysis characterise the Rousse de Maradi breed as a part the goat metapopulation exploited in the Sahel area rather than a population derived from the West African Dwarf goat. Implementation of strategies to further characterise production and reproduction performance of the Burkinabé Rousse de Maradi goat breed can be advised.