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 (HT, HS and GST) and F statistic (FIS, FIT and FST) were estimated. Undefined breed populations presented high homogeneity, as did imported breed populations. Naturalized breed populations showed high differentiation. The genetic distances separating these 14 goat populations were calculated from gene frequency data for eight blood genetic markers (esterase D, phosphoglucomutase 1, carbonic anhydrase II, peptidase B, amylase, haemoglobin, transferrin, and protein X). Working with the genetic distance matrix of Nei corrected for small samples (DA), we constructed a dendrogram using the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean. DA values ranged from 0.0027 to 0.1518. The dendrogram divided the populations into two groups, one consisting of three populations of naturalized breeds, and another including the other populations (imported breeds, undefined breeds and some other naturalized breeds).