Structure and genetic relationship among Brazilian naturalized and imported goat breeds

Fourteen goat populations were studied regarding their genetic relationship and structure. Parameters of genetic diversity (H-T, H-S and G(ST)) and F statistic (F-IS, F-IT and F-ST) were estimated. Undefined breed populations presented high homogeneity, as did imported breed populations. Naturalized breed populations showed high differentiation. The genetic distances separ ating these 14 goat populations were calculated from gene frequency data fo r eight blood genetic markers (esterase D, phosphoglucomutase 1, carbonic a nhydrase II, peptidase B, amylase, haemoglobin, transferrin, and protein X) . Working with the genetic distance matrix of Nei corrected for small sampl es (D-A), we constructed a dendrogram using the unweighted pair group metho d with arithmetic mean. D-A values ranged from 0.0027 to 0.1518. The dendro gram divided the populations into two groups, one consisting of three popul ations of naturalized breeds, and another including the other populations ( imported breeds, undefined breeds and some other naturalized breeds).