The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of non-genetic factors on the growth and development performance of Inner Mongolia white cashmere goats (Erlanghan type), such as birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (6 WT), 12-month weight (12 WT), body height (BH), and body length (BL), and wool production performance, such as cashmere fineness (CF), cashmere thickness (CT), and cashmere yield (CY). The research objects were 4654 kids produced by 45 buck goats and 2269 doe goats in the Erlang Mountain Ranch of Beiping Textile Co., Ltd., Inner Mongolia, from 2020 to 2023. Based on the generalized linear model, ANOVA was used to analyze the effects of non-genetic factors, such as birth year (Y), birth month (M), sex (S), birth type (T), birth herd (H), assay flock (F), age at measurement (MA), and the age of doe goats at lambing (DLA), on growth and development traits and cashmere traits. The results show that the birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (6 WT), 12-month weight (12 WT), body length (BL), body height (BH), chest depth (CD), chest width (CW), chest circumference (CC), cannon circumference (CNC), wool length (WL), and cashmere yield (CY) of buck goats were significantly higher than those of doe goats (p < 0.01), and the fineness of the cashmere produced by doe goats was significantly finer than that produced by buck goats (p < 0.01). The birth weight, weaning weight, and 6-month weight of single kids were significantly higher than those of multiple kids (p < 0.01), but the effect on the 12-month weight was not significant (p > 0.05). The age of doe goats at lambing had significant effects on birth weight, weaning weight, and 6-month weight (p < 0.01). Assay flock and age at measurement had significant effects on cashmere fineness, cashmere thickness, and cashmere yield (p < 0.01). This study will provide a basis for the scientific breeding and management of cashmere goats and lay a foundation for the setting of fixed effects in the genetic evaluation model of Inner Mongolia white cashmere goats (Erlangshan type).

In this study, genome-wide association analysis was performed on the growth traits (body height, body length, chest circumference, chest depth, chest width, tube circumference, and body weight) of Inner Mongolian cashmere goats (Erlangshan type) based on resequencing data. The population genetic parameters were estimated, haplotypes were constructed for the significant sites, and association analysis was conducted between the haplotypes and phenotypes. A total of two hundred and eighty-four SNPs and eight candidate genes were identified by genome-wide association analysis, gene annotation, and enrichment analysis. The phenotypes of 16 haplotype combinations were significantly different by haplotype analysis. Combined with the above results, the TGFB2, BAG3, ZEB2, KCNJ12, MIF, MAP2K3, HACD3, and MEGF11 functional candidate genes and the haplotype combinations A2A2, C2C2, E2E2, F2F2, I2I2, J2J2, K2K2, N2N2, O2O2, P2P2, R1R1, T1T1, W1W1, X1X1, Y1Y1, and Z1Z1 affected the growth traits of the cashmere goats and could be used as molecular markers to improve the accuracy of early selection and the economic benefits of breeding.

The Inner Mongolia cashmere goat is a local breed valued for both its cashmere and meat production. Early growth traits include birth weight and weaning weight. Generally, cashmere goats with higher birth and weaning weights tend to exhibit a higher carcass weight at slaughter. Consequently, exploring the genetic variation associated with these early growth traits is crucial in enhancing the meat production performance of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats. For this study, we performed genome-wide association analysis and haplotype analysis on the early growth traits of 212 Inner Mongolia cashmere goats (72 rams, 140 ewes) to identify molecular markers and haplotypes significantly associated with birth and weaning weights. Through genome-wide association analysis and gene annotation, we identified 21 SNPs and 117 candidate genes linked to early growth traits. Notably, genes such as RUNX1T1, ERBIN, MYO15B, NT5C, GRB2, ITGB4, and GALK emerged as significant factors influencing the early growth of Inner Mongolia cashmere goats. Additionally, nine haplotype blocks related to early growth traits were constructed, resulting in eight haplotype combinations. In conclusion, the haplotype combinations A1A1, C1C1, and D1D1 were found to be beneficial for the genetic improvement of early growth traits in Inner Mongolia cashmere goats.

Sheep and goats, among the earliest domesticated animals, hold significant historical importance in Chinese animal husbandry. The rapid advancement of modern biotechnology has rendered genome wide association studies (GWAS) and selection signature analyses have become indispensable tools in livestock genetic research. This review summarizes recent progress in the application of these methods to sheep and goat breeding in China, analyzes existing challenges in the research, and suggests potential research strategies. GWAS and selection signature analyses have identified key genomic regions associated with agronomically important traits. Genes such as LHX2, FGF12 and Notch3 are associated with hair follicle growth and development, while RBM11, SMARCA5 and GAB1 are linked to body size in sheep. Additionally, BMPRIB has been identified as a determinant of reproductive performance and growth rate in both sheep and goats. Despite progress, several challenges remain, including incomplete reference genomes, insufficient phenotypic data, inadequate algorithms, and a lack of functional validation and practical application of findings. Future work must prioritize genomic refinement, the integration of multi-omics, and the development of algorithm. Enhanced international collaboration is crucial to deciphering the genetic basis of key traits, thereby advancing global industry. These initiatives will enable highly precise breeding strategies. Through precise identification and selection of individuals with desirable genetic traits, breeders can significantly enhance the efficiency of genetic improvement. Using Hua sheep 50k chip as an example, it effectively identifies individuals with superior reproductive genes (such as BMPRIB) at an early stage, increases the lambing rate by 27.7%, accelerates the propagation of high-quality breeding groups, provides a large number of breeding sheep with excellent genetic traits for the global sheep industry, and improve the overall quality of germplasm. This will ultimately enhance the sustainable development of global sheep and goat production.

This study aimed to estimate the variance, heritability, and genetic correlation of growth traits in Inner Mongolia white cashmere goats (Erlangshan type) (IMWCG-ER). Data collected from the Erlang Mountain Ranch in 2022–2023 were analyzed. The traits studied included birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), pre-weaning daily gain (ADG), and the 12-month weight (12W). In animal models, single and multi-trait analyses were performed using the restricted maximum likelihood (REML) method to estimate genetic parameters, and six different models were fitted for each trait by ignoring or including maternal permanent environmental effects, maternal additive genetic effects, and the interaction with individual additive genetic effects. The accuracy and suitability of each model were tested using the likelihood ratio and AIC and BIC tests. The heritability estimates of birth weight, weaning weight, daily gain before weaning, and the 12-month weight were 0.3884, 0.2951, 0.2749, and 0.2192, respectively. The absolute value of the genetic correlation coefficient between traits ranged from −0.8700 to 0.5529. The highest genetic association was between birth weight and pre-weaning daily gain (−0.8700), followed by birth weight and the 12-month weight (−0.6256). The absolute value of phenotypic correlation coefficients ranged from −0.7906 to 0.3562. The highest phenotypic correlation was between birth weight and daily gain before weaning, and the correlation coefficient was −0.7906.

The development of secondary hair follicles in cashmere goats directly influences the yield and quality of cashmere, and hair follicle morphogenesis is a complex biological process involving multiple signaling pathways and regulatory factors. In recent years, the regulatory role of long non-coding RNAs in hair follicle development has gradually been uncovered. Based on a previously established transcriptome database of embryonic skin tissue from cashmere goats, this study ultimately identified lncRNA MRPS28, which exhibits significant differential expression during the morphogenesis of secondary hair follicles. Our results indicate that lncRNA MRPS28 is a non-coding RNA transcribed from the intron region of the MRPS28 gene. Additionally, it can inhibit the proliferation and migration of dermal fibroblasts while promoting their apoptosis. Further mechanistic studies have shown that lncRNA MRPS28 acts as a competing endogenous RNA, sponging chi-miR-145-5p, thereby relieving its inhibitory effect on the target gene NUAK1. This, in turn, inhibits the formation of dermal papilla structures and ultimately affects the morphogenesis of secondary hair follicles during the embryonic period. This study provides a novel perspective on dissecting the regulatory network of hair follicle development in cashmere goats and offers potential theoretical insights for breeding new strains of cashmere goats.