Admixture analysis of South Asian cattle.

We present population genetic analysis of microsatellite variation in seven Bos indicus cattle breeds from a variety of locations in South Asia. This is the first such study focusing within this area, which is one of the postulated centres of origin of domestic cattle. An estimate of the influence of Bos taurus ancestry was carried out using three approaches: by the systematic selection of population-associated alleles for B. taurus and examination of their frequency; by examining the truncation of genetic distances from European populations; and by a model-based Bayesian admixture analysis. These analyses revealed a B. taurus influence in the Indian subcontinent; part of a gradation which stretches from Europe through the Near East towards Indian and which may be of ancient origin.