Kymi Skopelos Demographic and genetic trends of rare sheep breeds in Greece Kalarritiko Anogeiano Piliou Christina Ligda 1 and Andreas Georgoudis 2 Kefallinias 1 National Agricultural Research Foundation 2 Aristotle University of Thessaloniki
What is a breed? A breed is a genetic isolate within a domestic species in which the reproduction is controlled by men in order to maintain a desired and distinct phenotype How is this reflected on the DNA level? Can we indicate conservation priorities on the basis of DNA markers? Of course, eventually. But the answer is not yet simple.
What s in a breed? A series of microsatellite alleles? A list of microsatellite allele frequencies?? + Microsatellites are sensitive indicators of genetic drift, selection, migration and introgression + Allele frequencies correlate with geography -Few, if any breed-specific alleles -Breeds have overlapping allele frequencies
Consortium 12 Partners 12 Subcontractors 15 different Countries Genetics Socio-Economics GIS analysis Econogene consortium
7.0 CHU CHU GDP KAM MLS MPO MRS POK RME UME ZEL ALT BER Model-based clustering: 3 reproducible clusters Allelic richness: decrease SE > NW 6.6 MRS WMT 6.9 5.2 EXH 6.3 5.9 SBF RBM CLM 5.7 6.1 MCG Churra Braganzana Gentile di Puglia Kanieniec German Merino Poish Merino Spanish Merino Pomorska Transylvanian Merino Hungarina Merino Zelazna Altamurana Bergamasca 7.0 5.5 SDL SGR CIK CLM EXH GGH GMS LAN LAT MCG RBM RHO SBF SDL 6.0 THM 5.2 Cikta Colmenareña Exmoor Horn German Grey Heath German Brown/White Mountain Delle Langhe Laticauda Manchega Rubia del Molar Rhön Scottish Black Face Swaledale GGH 5.0 RHO 5.4 LAN MLS 6.1 SGR THM WMT WRZ ANO BAR GOR KAL KAR KEF KYM LES WBS 5.4 6.2 BER Segureña Thone et Martod Welsh Mountain Polish Heath Anogeiano Bardhoka Polish Mountain Kalarritiko Karagouniko Kefalleneas Kymi Lesvos POM 6.5 LAT 6.1 6.7 5.6 ALT GDP ORI PIL RAC RTS RUD SFA SHK SKO TSI TUR AKK AWA MPO 5.7 Orino Pilioritiko Racka CIK 5.7 GOR 7.0 6.7 6.4 TSI UME Romanian Merino Ruda Sfakia Shokodrane Skopelos Tsigaia Turcana Akkamaran Awassi 6.4 KAM 6.0 WRZ 5.4 ZEL RAC 6.0 RME 6.7 7.1 TUR SHK 6.8 RUD 7.1 7.3 KAL BAR PIL ORI 7.1 6.9 6.7 7.2 KEF 6.8 KAR CFT DAG HER KKL KRY MOR NAE NAJ RTS 7.5 5.4 6.9 SKO KYM SFA 6.6 6.8 ANO KKL 6.2 LES 6.9 Cypriote Fat-Tailed Daglic Heri Karakul Karayaka Morkaraman Naemi Najdi Sheep microsatellites location of clusters 7.2 DAG 5.8 CFT 6.9 KRY 7.0 AWA 6.9 HER 7.3 NAE 6.2 AKK 7.1 NAJ 6.9 MOR
Phylogenetic tree of Greek sheep breeds Karagouniko Kymi Lesvos Skopelos Piliou Anogeia Kalarritino Orino Kefallinias Sfakia
Oreino Kalarritiko Karagouniko Piliou Skopelos Kymi Lesvos Kefallinias Sfakia Anogeiano
Breeding region Population size Population trend ANOGEIANO Anogeia, other regions in Crete island 4500 increase KALARRITIKO Tzoumerka mountains Plains of Thessaly (winter) 5350 stable KEFALLINIAS Kefallonia island 2680 stable KYMI Around Kymi (Euboia island) 559 decreasing PILIORITIKO In Magnisia, Pilio mountains 2462 stable SKOPELOS Islands of Skopelos and Skiathos and in Magnisia 1824 stable
Characteristics of Skopelos breed Rams Ewes Wither height Live weight Prolificacy (born lambs per lambing) Average age at maturity Milk yield Daily gain 66 cm 64 kg 1.6 8.5 months 170 kg. 310 g 61 cm 51 kg
Characteristics of Kymi breed Rams Ewes Wither height Adult weight 69 cm 73 kg 65 cm 69 kg Prolificacy (born lambs per lambing) Average age at maturity Milk yield 1.6 8.5 months 150 kg.
Characteristics of Anogeiano breed Adult Wither height Live weight Prolificacy (born lambs per lambing) Average age at maturity Milk yield 57 cm 30 kg 1.2 8.5 months 100 kg.
Characteristics of Pilioritiko breed Rams Ewes Wither height Adult weight Prolificacy (born lambs per lambing) Milk yield 63 cm 60 kg 1.1 80 kg. 58 cm 43 kg
Characteristics of Kefallinias breed Rams Ewes Wither height 65 cm 60 cm Kefallinias Adult weight 58 kg 44 kg Prolificacy (born lambs per lambing) 1.1-1.2 Average age at maturity 8 months Milk yield 175 kg.
Kalarritiko
ANOGEIANO 100 90 80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0 KALARRITIKO KEFALLENEAS KYMI PILIORITIKO Age of the farmer <40 years 40-60 years >60 years SKOPELOS
Trends of the flock size 12 10 8 6 4 2 0 ANOGEIANO KALARRITIKO KEFALLINIAS KYMI PILIORITIKO SKOPELOS declining stable growing
ANOGEIANO KALARRITIKO KEFALLENEAS KYMI PILIORITIKO SKOPELOS Contribution of subsidies in the total income 90.0 80.0 70.0 60.0 50.0 40.0 30.0 20.0 10.0 0.0 0-25% 25-50% 50-75%
Special qualities of the breeds 100% 80% 60% 40% 20% 0% ANOGEIANO KALARRITIKO KEFALLINIAS KYMI PILIORITIKO SKOPELOS quality of the product for human consumption adaptation to bio-physical conditions resistance against disease pathogens high degree of productivity
Scrapie susceptibility 100.00 80.00 60.00 40.00 NSP5 NSP4 NSP3 NSP2 NSP1 20.00 0.00 Anogeiano Kalarritiko Kefalinias Kymi Piliou Skopelos NSP classification system of genetical resistance or susceptibility to scrapie used in the United Kingdom: NSP1: ARR/ARR (most resistant); NSP2: ARR/---, not VRQ (resistant); NSP3: not ARR, not VRQ (little resistance); NSP4: ARR/VRQ (susceptible); NSP5: VRQ/VRQ, ---/VRQ (highly susceptible)
Implications for conservation 1. Genetic markers reveal genetic history of breeds: migration, genetic isolation, introgression, upgrading. This is often relevant for conservation. 2. Genetic isolation does not necessarily make a breed valuable 3. Crossbreeding does not diminish the value of a breed 4. The conservation value of a breed mostly depends on breed-specific phenotypes its role in the local tradition and agriculture
Noe s dillema Conservation of the diversity of animal resources with limited resources. Main restriction was the available place Resources (economic) are limited Define the priorities and take decisions regarding the optimal exploitation of the resources