Assessment of Hair and Cashmere Properties and Their Genetic Background of Several Goat Breeds in Southwest China
July 2022
in “
Scientific reports
”
hair properties cashmere properties Dazu black goats Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats FGF-5 gene KIT gene fiber samples hair length hair diameter cashmere fibers elasticity strength genetic analysis coat color variations crossbreeding hair traits cashmere traits DBG IMCG fibers hair thickness cashmere quality genetic factors breeding strategies
TLDR Crossbreeding improves goat fiber quality, and specific genes affect hair traits and color.
The study analyzed hair and cashmere fiber properties from 203 Dazu black goats (DBG), 65 Inner Mongolia Cashmere goats (IMCG), and 79 of their first cross (F₁) in Southwest China, totaling 10,330 fiber samples. IMCG and F₁ breeds had longer hair lengths with IMCG having the finest hair diameter and longest cashmere fibers. F₁ crossbreeds showed good cashmere quality with high elasticity and strength. Genetic analysis identified the FGF-5 gene as influential in hair and cashmere traits in IMCG, and the KIT gene was linked to coat color variations. The findings suggest that crossbreeding can improve fiber properties and that genetic factors play a significant role in hair and cashmere characteristics, which could inform better breeding strategies for fiber production.
