Abstract
Abstract. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) at six candidate genes (LEP, CAST, CAPN1, GHR, FABP4 and DGAT1) on fattening performance and carcass traits of Simmental bulls in Turkey. The analysis covered a total of 81 Simmental bulls grown on a private farm that were randomly selected for their fattening period for use in this study. Genotyping was performed using the PCR-RFLP method. The S20T polymorphism at the CAST gene and the G316A polymorphism at the CAPN1 gene were associated with variation in final weight, fattening period, weight gain and average daily gain (P < 0.05). In addition, LEP A80V had a significant effect on hot and chilled carcass weight and dressing percentage (P < 0.05). There was no association between GHR S555G, FABP4 V110M and DGAT1 K232A markers with the traits analysed. These results suggested that focusing on the novel effects of LEP, CAST and CAPN1 gene polymorphisms on meat production traits might be useful for marker-assisted selection in Simmental cattle.
Highlights
Fattening performance and carcass traits, which are under the control of polygenic inheritance, play a very important role in beef industry
Results show that the population was determined to be compatible with either genotype in the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE), except for CAST S20T and GH receptor (GHR) S555G polymorphisms
The polymorphism information content (PIC) values found for leptin gene (LEP) A80V, CAST S20T and GHR S555G indicated that the markers were mildly informative, whereas those for Calpain 1 (CAPN1) G316A, fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) V110M and diacylglycerol O-acyltransferase 1 (DGAT1) K232A were not informative
Summary
Fattening performance and carcass traits, which are under the control of polygenic inheritance, play a very important role in beef industry. Selection of animals with better performance and higher meat yield is one of the main objectives for breeders and beef farms. The majority of meat yield has a genetic as well as environmental component with varying heritability. Fattening performance and profitability are quite complex and are affected by housing type, season, initial weight, concentrate level, sex, and pen cattle population (Koknaroglu et al, 2005). The optimal slaughter ages and final weights vary widely among cattle breed types (Alberti et al, 2008). Determining the expected yield and quality of meat that emerge in the later stages of life can be facilitated increasingly by the use of molecular studies
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