ASSESSMENT OF GENETIC DIVERSITY OF BUSA CATTLE FROM BOSNIA AND HERZEGOVINA USING MICROSATELLITE DNA MARKERS

The variability of 21 microsatellite loci was analyzed in order to estimate the genetic diversity of the Busa cattle breed. A total of 50 animals involved in the study were divided into two groups: Busa from eastern Herzegovina and Busa from western Herzegovina. The mean number of alleles per locus was 6.6. The average expected heterozygosities were 0.6885 and 0.6212 in the eastern and western populations, respectively. The observed heterozygosity values were 0.6579 and 0.6336, in eastern and western population, respectively. The degree of population differentiation (F(ST)) ranged from 0.008 (for ILSTS006 locus) to 0.242 (for BM1818 locus), with a mean of 0.112. Cluster analysis showed that the two populations were clearly clustered into two distinct clades. This report represents the first genetic characterization of pure Busa cattle from Bosnia and Herzegovina. The obtained results are important for the future development of conservation and management strategies for this cattle breed.