Correlation of Vaginal Cytology with Estrous Behavior and Genetic Markers (GDF9 and BMP15) in indigenous Goat Breeds
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.55627/agrivet.004.03.01748Keywords:
Estrus Cycle, Goat Breeds, Genes, Molecular Markers, ProestrusAbstract
This study aimed to investigate the cytological, behavioral, and molecular aspects of the estrous cycle in three indigenous goat breeds; Gulabi, Pateri, and Tapri of Sindh, Pakistan. A total of 45 healthy does were monitored under uniform semi-intensive management and grouped to ensure diversity in reproductive history. The estrous cycle was tracked over 21 days using behavioral observations and vaginal cytology, identifying distinct cellular patterns between proestrus and estrus phases. Proestrus was characterized by a mixed population of epithelial cells and moderate leukocytes, while estrus showed over 85% superficial cornified cells, minimal leukocytes, and clinical signs of receptivity. Concurrently, genomic DNA was extracted from blood, and exon–intron regions of two key fecundity genes, GDF9(799 bp) and BMP15 (503 bp), were amplified using PCR. Gel electrophoresis confirmed successful amplification with high primer specificity, yielding clean, expected-size bands without non-specific products. These genes were then sequenced for further analysis. The combined cytological, behavioral, and genetic data provided a robust framework for reproductive monitoring in goats. This study supports the utility of vaginal cytology as a non-invasive, reliable method to detect estrous phases and highlights the molecular profiling of GDF9 and BMP15 as potential tools for improving reproductive efficiency in indigenous goat breeds.
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Copyright (c) 2025 Faiza Rubab, Pershotam Khatri, Shahid Hussain Abro, Hira Sajjad Talpur
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