Abstract

Blood samples were collected from a total 816 sheep of both sexes in three Iranian fat-tailed breeds (Sangsari, Makoei, indigenous sheep on firoozkouh mountain) serum, plasma and erythrocyte were separated and were frozen at -20°C. Variation in their blood proteins, albumin, haemoglobin and transferrin were examined to characterize the breeds and to obtain genetic relationship among them. Only transferrin was polymorphic in all breeds investigated; while albumin was monomorphic for S allele and haemoglobin was fixed for the B allele in three breeds.

Keywords: Sangsari, makoei, firoozkouhi, fat-tailed, albumin, transferrin, haemoglobin.