A survey of hemoglobins, transferrins and certain red cell antigens in nine breeds of sheep.

A L T H O U G H numerous red cell antigens, two electrophoretic forms of hemoglobin and at least 13 electrophoi*etic forms of transferrin have been described in domestic sheep (see RASMUSEN 1962; OGDEN 1961 ; and ASHTON and F E R G U ~ O N 1963), there have been no reports in which these three kinds of markers have been used conjointly in breed comparisons. Furthermore, there have been no reports on the Irequencies of hemoglobin ( H b ) and transferrin (Tf) alleles in any breeds of sheep in the United States. We, therefore, undertook such a survey with the primary objeciive of obtaining data on the frequencies of H b and Tf alleles in various breeds of sheep in the western United States. We also recorded blood types using antibodies for blood factors in the A, D, R-0 and X-Z systems. This report presents the results of that survey. A similar survey, concerned with three new phenotypic systems (A esterase, carbonic anhydrase and X protein) is published elsewhere (TUCKER, SUZUKI and STORMONT 1967).