Cytogenetic characterization of macherla brown sheep of Andhra Pradesh

Cytogenetic investigation on 80 Macherla Brown sheep maintained in four districts (Prakasam, Guntur, Krishna and Nalgonda) of Andhra Pradesh were undertaken to study the chromosomal profile and their morphometric measurements aim to study. The modal diploid chromosome (XY) number was found to be 54. The first three pairs of the autosomes were submetacentric while the remaining 23 pairs of autosomes were acrocentric. The X-chromosome was the longest acrocentric, while the Y-chromosome was the smallest biarmed chromosome in the karyotype. The mean relative length of autosomes of Macherla Brown sheep varied from 1.78 to 9.85% in males and 1.82 to 9.67% in females. The mean relative length of X and Y chromosomes were 5.05 and 1.57%, respectively.