Investigation of the Genetic Diversity of Dagestan Mountain Cattle Using STR-Markers

The Dagestan Mountain (DM) cattle breed was established to provide cheese and milk products to mountain dwellers in the specific conditions of the Republic of Dagestan in Southern Russia. Only 650 head of DM cattle were registered in 2020, and their "breed purity" is questionable. We aimed to assess the genetic diversity and population structure of modern DM cattle using short tandem repeat (STR) markers. The sample included 150 animals collected from private owners in Dagestan during a scientific expedition (n = 32) and provided by a gene pool farm (n = 118). An additional 166 samples from other cattle breeds distributed in the breeding zone of DM cattle were used as the comparison groups. The genotypes for the 11 STR loci recommended by ISAG were obtained using a genetic analyzer. We identified a high level of genetic diversity as revealed by allelic richness calculations (Ar = 6.82 vs. 4.38-5.82 in other cattle breeds) and observed heterozygosity indices (uHe = 0.76 vs. 0.65-0.72). Based on the STRUCTURE results, animals with low levels of admixture with other breeds were found within the DM cattle, which can be considered as candidates for use in germplasm conservation programs.