Genetics of Base Coat Colour Variations and Coat Colour-Patterns of the South African Nguni Cattle Investigated Using High-Density SNP Genotypes.

Nguni cattle are a Sanga type breed with mixed and ancestry and proven resistance to ticks, diseases and other harsh conditions of the African geographical landscape. The multi-coloured Nguni coats have found a niche market in the leather industry leading to breeding objectives towards the promotion of such diversity. However, there is limited studies on the genomic architecture underlying the coat colour and patterns hampering any potential breeding and improvement of such trait.