Detection of the Candidate Genes of Economically Important Traits in Dorper Sheep Through Whole-Genome Resequencing

Dorper sheep (DOR) are a commercially important mutton breed renowned for their high growth rate, favorable carcass composition, environmental adaptability, and natural wool shedding. In China, they are widely utilized as terminal sires to enhance growth and carcass yield in local breeds. To elucidate the genetic basis of these traits, we sequenced the genomes of 20 DOR and integrated the data with whole-genome sequences from 73 individuals representing four Chinese indigenous breeds. Analyses...