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<p>Identification of undocumented or unrecognized indigenous livestock populations is essential for accurate inventory of animal genetic resources and effective conservation planning. However, nomenclature-based taxonomy in developing countries often conflates genuinely distinct populations with casual phenotypic variants, potentially obscuring true genetic diversity. This study systematically explored and identified undocumented goat genetic resources in Tamil Nadu, India, and verified their distinctiveness using standardized breed identification criteria. An integrated survey-verification methodology was employed combining an online questionnaire of 3,876 practicing veterinarians (272 responses, 198 containing population information) and systematic phenotypic observations at 22 livestock markets across five agro-climatic zones. Survey respondents and market observations identified 10 unique putative goat populations. Targeted field visits to 83 villages across 21 districts and verification using FAO and NBAGR breed identification criteria revealed that only three populations (30%) met operational criteria for breed distinctiveness: Pallai Adu, Molai Adu, and Thanjavur Black. The remaining populations comprised casual phenotypic variants (60%) or crossbred animals (10%). Verified distinct populations showed concentrated geographic distributions and farmer recognition, whereas non-distinct populations were distributed sporadically. Substantial synonymy was identified, with multiple local names referring to the same population. These findings demonstrate that 70% of field-reported livestock populations do not meet objective breed distinctiveness criteria, highlighting the critical importance of systematic verification for accurate breed identification. The integrated survey-verification framework provides a practical, cost-effective model for genetic resource discovery in resource-constrained settings. Adoption of this approach in national breed registries and FAO documentation guidelines would enhance accuracy of global livestock genetic resource inventories and improve conservation prioritization.</p>

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A novel survey-verification framework for breed discovery: identifying indigenous goat populations in Tamil Nadu, India

  • 期刊论文

  • 发表日期：

    2026年4月3日

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  • M. Seevagan,
  • R. Rajendran,
  • T. Ravimurugan,
  • S. M. K. Karthickeyan,
  • T. Thamil Vanan,
  • T. Anna

摘要

Identification of undocumented or unrecognized indigenous livestock populations is essential for accurate inventory of animal genetic resources and effective conservation planning. However, nomenclature-based taxonomy in developing countries often conflates genuinely distinct populations with casual phenotypic variants, potentially obscuring true genetic diversity. This study systematically explored and identified undocumented goat genetic resources in Tamil Nadu, India, and verified their distinctiveness using standardized breed identification criteria. An integrated survey-verification methodology was employed combining an online questionnaire of 3,876 practicing veterinarians (272 responses, 198 containing population information) and systematic phenotypic observations at 22 livestock markets across five agro-climatic zones. Survey respondents and market observations identified 10 unique putative goat populations. Targeted field visits to 83 villages across 21 districts and verification using FAO and NBAGR breed identification criteria revealed that only three populations (30%) met operational criteria for breed distinctiveness: Pallai Adu, Molai Adu, and Thanjavur Black. The remaining populations comprised casual phenotypic variants (60%) or crossbred animals (10%). Verified distinct populations showed concentrated geographic distributions and farmer recognition, whereas non-distinct populations were distributed sporadically. Substantial synonymy was identified, with multiple local names referring to the same population. These findings demonstrate that 70% of field-reported livestock populations do not meet objective breed distinctiveness criteria, highlighting the critical importance of systematic verification for accurate breed identification. The integrated survey-verification framework provides a practical, cost-effective model for genetic resource discovery in resource-constrained settings. Adoption of this approach in national breed registries and FAO documentation guidelines would enhance accuracy of global livestock genetic resource inventories and improve conservation prioritization.