Kazakh meat-wool sheep GDF9 gene sequencing (Ovis aries)

Kazakh meat-wool sheep are of great interest due to the intrabreed multifetal type having high productivity of 140-160%. Genes encoding growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF9) and bone morphogenetic protein 15 (BMP15) are promising candidates for studying the sheep productivity shown to affect fertility in mammals, including sheep. Thus, the study purpose of this work was to assess the fertility of the Kazakh meat-wool sheep breed on the basis of GDF9 and BMP15 candidate genes of fecundity for the selection of animals with valuable genotypes.