Comparison between Russian and South African Karakul sheep based on blood group markers.

Gene frequencies at 10 blood polymorphic loci have been used to compare Karakuls from Uzbekistan, Union of Soviet Socialist Republics with South African Karakuls and to evaluate the influence of local Blackhead Persian sheep on the genetic composition of South African Karakuls. The data clearly show that genetic difference between the 2 populations of Karakuls is significant. The proportion of Blackhead Persian genes in South African Karakuls is estimated to be 0.2745, to which a certain degree of gene flow from other fat-tailed sheep has possibly to be added.