Mitochondrial DNA variation and genetic construction of indigenous cattle population in Bhutan

Abstract

To determine genetic diversity and relationship of Bhutanese indigenous cattle, we analyzed mtDNA D-loop sequence of cattle from three populations of Bhutanese native cattle (Thrabum) and two Bhutanese populations each of Tibetan (Goleng) and Indian (Jaba), and together with a Nepalese cattle population. Although Bhutanese native cattle morphologically reveal them as B.indicus with the prominent hump, the three Thrabum populations included both B.indicus and B.taurus types of mtDNA haplotypes. Almost all of Bhutanese indigenous populations included both haplotypes assigned to either I1 or I2 clade of B.indicus with adequate frequencies, while B.taurus type of haplogroups of T1, T3 and/or T4 clades were observed in all the five Bhutanese indigenous populations. The result indicated that indigenous cattle of Bhutan are admixture of B.taurus and B.indicus, and that ancient taurine had contributed in the formation of Bhutanese native cattle.