Ovine HOXB13: expanding the gene repertoire of sheep tail patterning and implications in genetic improvement

Understanding the genetic basis of sheep tails is of great importance to improve sheep production and welfare. In this Comment, we discussed recent findings showing that homeobox B13 (HOXB13) is a regulator of the tail length in sheep. The revelation of the HOXB13 gene adds novel insights into the genetic determinism of the sheep tail phenotype. This new genetic highlight will lead to further advances in sheep breeding using selection-based strategies and molecular genetics-based tools.

Automated summary

Understanding the genetic basis of sheep tails is crucial for improving sheep production and welfare. Recent findings reveal that the HOXB13 gene regulates tail length in sheep, providing new insights into the genetic determination of this phenotype.