Haemoglobin polimorphism in sheep (“Ovis aries”, L.): evaluation of genotype and frequency of animals breeder in Bahia State, Brazil

Abstract

The distribution of hemoglobin types was investigated in 296 blood samples of health sheep, included adult and young animal, breeder in Bahia State. In this study were included sheep of the Brazilian Native breed (BNB) as Santa Inês (SI), Morada Nova (MN), Rabo Largo (RL) and crossbred of Suffolk x Dorper and BNB x Dorper. Blood samples were collected by venipuncture of the jugular in tubes containing E.D.T.A. and the hemoglobin typing was performed by starch gel electrophoresis using Tris-EDTA-Borate (pH 9,5) as buffer solution. Two migrations bands associated to allele HbA and HbB were found, corresponding to the three genotypes: Hb-AA, Hb-AB and Hb-BB and the frequencies if the type observed were: Hb-AA 49,0% (145/296), Hb-AB 39,18% (116/296) e Hb-BB 11,82% (35/296). The sheep of the NBB (SI, RL and MN) were found all Hb types identifield; in the Dorper breed only Hb-AA was observed and in the crossbreed wasn’t detected the Hb-BB. The gene frequency of the allelic HbA and HbB were, respectively 0,69 and 0,31. The fetal haemoglobin was no longer detectable in any sheep. The hemoglobin polymorphism occurred among the sheep being the homozygous genotypes Hb-AA predominant.