Six native Spanish cattle breeds have been characterized by using 30 micros
atellite markers. The studied populations can be divided into three groups:
Brown orthoid (Asturian Mountain, Asturian Lowland and the Nordwest Brown
Group), Red convex (Pyrenean and Menorquina) and the Iberian bovine (Fighti
ng bull). Allele frequencies were calculated and used for the characterizat
ion of the breeds and the study of their genetic relationships. Different g
enetic distance measures were calculated and used for dendogram constructio
n. The closest populations were those representing Asturian breeds, the mos
t divergent being Menorquina and Fighting Bull. The latter also showed the
lowest diversity values (mean number of alleles per locus and heterozygosit
y). Genetic distances obtained between the other populations under analysis
were similar to those reported for different European cattle breeds. This
work analyzes the recent origin of these populations and contributes to the
knowledge and genetic characterization of European native breeds.