Haemoglobin and albumin polymorphisms in Indian water buffaloes.

A total of 507 samples from the Murrah breed of Indian water buffalo were examined for haemoglobin and albumin polymorphism using starch gel electrophoresis. The majority of samples showed the same two band haemoglobin phenotype, AA, where the fastest band A was about 67 % of total haemoglobin. Two rare phenotypic haemoglobin variants were observed. The one, found in four animals, had three bands and is explained by mutation in the β chain. The other, found in two animals, showed another relationship between the A and A bands than the common type and is assumed to be caused through heterozygosity at a modulating locus. Three albumin phenotypes were observed. Family data were in agreement with these being controlled by two codominant alleles, called Al and Al. Frequency of Al was 0.09 and 0.29 in two different populations. Age and sex did not have any effect on distribution of albumin phenotypes.