Breed Characterization for Identification and Conservation of Black Bengal Goats of Jharkhand

Objective: Summary of breed characteristics of Black Bengal goats of Jharkhand (called as Jharkhand Black for ease) based on physical, cytogenetic and molecular parameters have been presented in the current study in order to characterize and conserve this unique germplasm. Findings: The physical parameters helped reveal the unique physical characteristics of Jharkhand Black goats with body weight of 18.64 and 17.75 kg respectively for the males and females. Cytogenetic characterization gave the length of all the autosomes (58) and sex (2) chromosomes of the total 60 chromosomes along with the karyotyping pattern of all 60 chromosomes. The X chromosome was found to be acrocentric and longest while the Y-chromosome was found to be smallest, dot like structure and suspected to be sub-metacentric. Molecular characterization showed the Mean na (observed number of alleles) was 2 while mean ne (effective number of alleles) was found to be 1.6935. Polymorphism information content (PIC) scores varied from 0.219 to 0.486 with over all over all mean 0.413. Evan’s Watterson’s Test of Neutrality indicated that F value for not even a single locus deviated from the standardized normal range of U95 and L95. Conclusions: The study might be further continued to provide additional information and evidence regarding the same which could be beneficial for conservation of this extremely important germplasm of Jharkhand and for the MAS.