Use of Cattle Microsatellite Markers to Assess Genetic Diversity of Thai Swamp Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

In this study, cattle microsatellite markers recommended for diversity studies of cattle by the EU AIRE 2066 Concerted Action Group were used to study the genetic diversity of 105 Thai swamp buffalo which were randomly selected from eight different research stations of the Department of Livestock Development, Thailand. Of 34 primer pairs, 16 were successfully amplified while the rest showed non-specific amplification. The lowest number of alleles was two while the highest was nine, with an average of 4.7 alleles per locus. The average unbiased heterozygosity for all eight populations was 0.5233, with a low of 0.4772 (Samui) and a high of 0.5616 (Burirum). The genetic distance ranged from 0.0574 to 0.2575. Populations from Lopburi and Burirum showed the closest relationship, whereas Srisagat and Samui were the most divergent. The results generated with the primers recommended by the EU AIRE 2066 Concerted Action Group are at a slight variance from our previous study, possibly as a result of the number of specific amplification products obtained, suggesting that cattle markers may not be optimal for studies of the genetic diversity of the Thai swamp buffalo.