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Chinese Livestock and Poultry Breeding ›› 2026, Vol. 22 ›› Issue (5): 108-115.doi: 10.19543/j.cnki.1673-4556.20260427.001cstr: 32418.14.j.cnki.1673-4556.20260427.001

• Animal Genetics and Breeding • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Research progress on genetic diversity of coat color in livestock genetic breeding

Tiantian Wang1(), Jiahao Shao1, Wenmiao Duan1, Jianing Lu1, Jianhua Zeng2, Xiaohong Liu3,4, Xiaolong Yuan1,4()   

  1. 1. National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, Guangdong Provincial Key Lab of Agro-animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, College of Animal Science, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou, 510642, Guangdong
    2. Guangdong Yihao Indigenous Pig Research Institute Co. Ltd, Zhanjiang, 524000, Guangdong
    3. School of Life Sciences, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510275, Guangdong
    4. National Pig Technology Innovation Center, Chongqing, 402460
  • Received:2025-11-27 Online:2026-03-26 Published:2026-06-17
  • Contact: Xiaolong Yuan E-mail:wtt661018@163.com;yxl@scau.edu.cn

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Abstract:

With the development of gene editing and molecular breeding technology, the application value of coat color genetic diversity in livestock genetic breeding has become increasingly prominent. It is not only a significant apparent feature of the variety, but also an intuitive genetic marker for judging the purity of the variety. In view of the different genes and genetic rules of coat color control in major livestock such as pigs, cattle and sheep, this paper reviewed the research progress of coat color inheritance in major livestock such as pigs, cattle and sheep, clarified the function and interaction regulation mechanism of key coat color genes, and sorted out the genetic rules of different coat color phenotypes. Studies have shown that the color of pigs, cattle and sheep is regulated by key genes such as MC1R, KIT, ASIP and TYR. Through dominant epistasis, recessive homozygosity, gene interaction and signal pathway differences, the synthesis of true melanin and brown melanin, the proliferation and differentiation of melanocytes and the spatial and temporal distribution of pigments are regulated, and finally a variety of hair color phenotypes such as white, black, red, spotted, brown and gray are formed. At the same time, the breeding examples of Jishen black pig, Chuanxiang black pig, Tianfu black pig, Liaodan black pig, Huaxi cattle, Ashdan yak, Tianhua mutton sheep, Dumeng sheep and Chubao black sheep are combined. The application path and practical effect of coat color in variety purification were analyzed in order to provide theoretical support and practical guidance for livestock genetic breeding.

Key words: Coat color, Traits, Livestock, Genotype, Genetic breeding

CLC Number: 

  • S81

Fig. 1

Schematic diagram of genes related to coat color in pigs Note: Pictures are drawn using BioRender. The following picture is the same."

Fig. 2

Schematic diagram of genes related to coat color in cattle"

Fig. 3

Schematic diagram of genes related to coat color in sheep"

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