A genome scan to detect QTL affecting dairy traits in a dairy sheep backcross Sarda x Lacaune population

Abstract

Recently in Mediterranean countries as France, Italy and Spain, dairy sheep selection has been efficiently oriented towards milk yield and milk composition. More attention has been now paid to traits related to the reduction of production costs (milkability, functional traits, longevity), health (resistance to mastitis or parasitic diseases), safety of food (reduction in contaminants) and quality (milk fatty acids composition). Therefore, research combining classical quantitative approach and QTL detection is needed, either on-farm by implementing experimental recording schemes......