MHC IMMUNOGENETICS INFLUENCES THE REPRODUCTION IN SHEEP

Abstract

Experiment was conducted in four consecutive lambings to establish feta-maternal immune response in a
sheep flock of 639 animals. A total of 16 DRB1 microsatellite alleles3 , ranging between 353 and 857 bp were
detected which were associated with variable reproductive performances among males and females. Ewes carrying
411 bp allele exhibited higher values for all recorded fertility traits (p<0.001 ), followed by 386 bp allele whereas 389
bp allele had negative values in all fertility traits. The associations of different alleles with variable reproductive
traits in sheep could be individual variability to humoral immune response, cell recognition or tissue differentiation
between carriers of various MHC genotypes. The observed associations within DRB1 microsatellite locus of Ovine
MHC in German Merino sheep may be used as a molecular marker for identifying QTL in genetic improvement of
the sheep and also quantifying the MHC lmmunogenetic influences in the reproduction in sheep.