The genetic history of Mayotte and Madagascar cattle breeds mirrors the complex pattern of human exchanges in Western Indian Ocean.

ABSTRACT: Despite their central economic and cultural role, the origin of cattle populations living in Indian Ocean islands still remains poorly documented. Here, we unravel the demographic and adaptive histories of the extant Zebus from the Mayotte and Madagascar islands using high-density SNP genotyping data. We found that these populations are very closely related and both display a predominant indicine ancestry. They diverged in the 16th century at the arrival of European people who transformed the trade network in the area. Their common ancestral cattle population originates from an admixture between an admixed African zebu population and an Indian zebu that occurred around the 12th century at the time of the earliest contacts between human African populations of the Swahili corridor and Austro

SUBMITTER: Magnier J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8982424 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature