Domestication of sheep and goats as part of the Neolithic Revolution

See:
Florian J. Alberto et al
"Convergent genomic signatures of domestication in sheep and goats"


https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03206-y

Abstract

"The evolutionary basis of domestication has been a longstanding question and its genetic architecture is becoming more tractable as more domestic species become genome-enabled. Before becoming established worldwide, sheep and goats were domesticated in the fertile crescent 10,500 years before present (YBP) where their wild relatives remain. Here we sequence the genomes of wild Asiatic mouflon and Bezoar ibex in the sheep and goat domestication center and compare their genomes with that of domestics from local, traditional, and improved breeds. Among the genomic regions carrying selective sweeps differentiating domestic breeds from wild populations, which are associated among others to genes involved in nervous system, immunity and productivity traits, 20 are common to Capraand Ovis. The patterns of selection vary between species, suggesting that while common targets of selection related to domestication and improvement exist, different solutions have arisen to achieve similar phenotypic end-points within these closely related livestock species."

"The patterns of selection vary between species, suggesting that while common targets of selection related to domestication and improvement exist, different solutions have arisen to achieve similar phenotypic end-points within these closely related livestock species."

interesting point ?

it sounds like domestication was a scientific planned programm
I don't think so, it was the random result of improvisation
the planning came from natural selection

bicicleur said:

it sounds like domestication was a scientific planned programm
I don't think so, it was the random result of improvisation
the planning came from natural selection

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Sorry, I'm not getting your point. Long before anyone knew anything about genetics, farmers and owners of horses and dogs were selectively breeding animals for preferred traits. How do you think we wound up with tamer wolves as companions, or dogs that are good at one "job" versus another? Of course you'd eat the cow that didn't give as much milk, while you'd keep the good milker alive as long as possible. Farmers still did it back when I was a girl, with animals like chickens. The only animal that I think could be said to start the domestication process itself is perhaps the cat.

That's just the common knowledge angle. There are papers that discuss seeing the evidence of selective breeding in animal remains from Neolithic agricultural sites. I don't have time to look for them now but if you doubt it I can try to find them again.

I think bicicleur was saying domestication was accomplished without knowledge of genetics, yet the farmers weren't throwing dice either. I don't think he was implying it was all done by dumb luck.

Btw I would love my own pet goat; a smaller version I can keep inside like a dog or cat. I would name him "Buck".

davef said:

I think bicicleur was saying domestication was accomplished without knowledge of genetics, yet the farmers weren't throwing dice either. I don't think he was implying it was all done by dumb luck.

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Indeed, and I was referring to the early stage of domestication, 10.5 ka.
Both hunters/herders and animals followed their 'gut feeling'.
If that was right, the animals allowed the hunters/herders to domesticate them.
At that stage probably 'domesticates' still mated with wild animals.