Journal of Animal Breeding and Genomics (J Anim Breed Genom)
Indexed in KCI
OPEN ACCESS, PEER REVIEWED
pISSN 1226-5543
eISSN 2586-4297
Technical Protocol

Population genomic characterization and detection of selection signatures in livestock using SNP genotype data

1Division of Applied Life Science (BK21), Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea
2Institute of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Gyeongsang National University, Jinju, Republic of Korea

These authors contributed equally to this work.

Correspondence to Jaemin Kim, E-mail: jmkim85@gnu.ac.kr

Volume 10, Number 2, Pages 51–67, June 2026.
Journal of Animal Breeding and Genomics 2026, 10(2), 51–67. https://doi.org/10.12972/jabng.2026.10.2.3
Received on June 02, 2026, Revised on June 17, 2026, Accepted on June 19, 2026, Published on June 30, 2026.
Copyright © 2026 Korean Society of Animal Breeding and Genetics.
This is an Open Access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0).

ABSTRACT

Selective sweep approaches are widely used in livestock population genomics to identify genomic regions associated with positive selection, adaptation, and breed-specific evolutionary history. With the increasing availability of genome-wide SNP genotype data, various population genomic approaches have been applied to investigate genetic structure, genomic differentiation, haplotype diversity, and homozygosity patterns in domestic animals. However, integrated and reproducible workflows for selective sweep studies using livestock SNP genotype data remain limited. In this protocol, we introduce a step-by-step workflow for population genomic characterization and selective sweep studies using publicly available goat SNP genotype data. Representative goat breeds were used to demonstrate procedures for genotype quality control, linkage disequilibrium pruning, principal component analysis (PCA), ancestry estimation using ADMIXTURE, fixation index (FST), cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH), and runs of homozygosity (ROH). This workflow provides practical guidance for livestock population genomic studies using genome-wide SNP genotype data and can be applied to various livestock and companion animal populations.
KEYWORDS
Selective sweep, Population genomics, Livestock, SNP genotype data, Cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH), Fixation index (FST), Runs of homozygosity (ROH)

INTRODUCTION

under publication

Section