Drežnica goat is the only Slovenian autochthonous goat breed. The breed is adapted to poor rearing conditions and is resistant to diseases. At the end of 1999, this breed was included in the Program of Biodiversity Conservation in Slovenia and classified as an endangered breed. In 2015, the population size was just 660 animals. The main breeding goals are to preserve the breed in the original type typical for the environment (dairy type in Bovec region, meat type in Drežnica region) as well as to prevent inbreeding. Parentage testing with the molecular genetic methods is used for identity verification or for the assignment of one or both parents. In this way, we could effectively reduce the inbreeding in the population due to the missing data in pedigree records. Consequently, we could ensure the effective implementation of the breeding goals. In the first part of the thesis, we performed parentage testing, identity verification using genotyping with microsatellite markers and the program ATLAS. Additionally, we determined that 44.4% (8 out of 18) of pedigrees contained incorrect parent data. In the second part, using the same set of microsatellite markers, we aimed to assign the unknown sire to the offspring. Sire was not recorded due to the traditional natural matings with multiple sires present in the mixed flocks on the pasture, without the control of the breeders. Sires of ten offspring out of 81 with unknown sire were successfully assigned based on the genotyping results. This study therefore identified and optimized reaction conditions for the basic set of six microsatellite markers, which are sufficiently informative for genetic tests in Drežnica goat and probably also in other breeds of goats, which are bred in Slovenia. This tool has a potential use in breeding programs of Drežnica goat for verification or correction of pedigree-recorded data and identification of unknown sires, which may contribute to more effective maintenance of genetic diversity, breed characteristics and achievement of other breeding goals.
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