β-Globulin polymorphism and economic factors in dairy cattle

Abstract

1. The serum β-globulin phenotype of 141 bulls located at Cattle Breeding Centres in England and Wales was determined by starch-gel electrophoresis.2. The distribution of the contemporary comparison values of these bulls with respect to β-globulin type was investigated. The great majority of the bulls were βAA, βAD, or βDDwith very few βAEand βDEand no βEEtypes.3. The contemporary comparison values for 130 bulls of the three types βAA, βADand βDDeach fell into a normal distribution. The mean and its standard error and the standard deviation of the mean and its standard error were calculated for each of the three curves. The mean contemporary comparison value for the βAAbulls was + 12·2 ± 5·4 gal., for the βADbulls + 26·8 ± 5·4 gal., and for the βDD bulls + 38·2 ± 5·5 gal. The βAAand βDDmeans were significantly different (P< 0·01).4. The pooled contemporary comparison values of the βAA, βADand βDDbulls did not give a normal distribution curve, neither did the contemporary comparison values for a sample of 1028 bulls quoted by the Milk Marketing Board. However, when the contemporary comparison values of the βAA, βADand βDDgroups were superimposed around the same mean, the ensuing distribution was normal.5. It is concluded that the β-globulin locus is concerned in the genetic control of milk yield. The estimated mean genetic value of βDover βAis approximately + 50 gal. This is about one-sixth of the total genetic variation in milk yield in the major milk breeds.6. The distribution of butterfat percentages with respect to β-globulin phenotype in four Ayrshire and one Friesian herds was investigated. No difference between the mean first lactation butterfat percentage of the βAA, βAD, and βDDcows in each herd was found. There was an indication (not significant) that the mean butterfat percentage of the βAEand βDEcows in three of the four Ayrshire herds studied was higher than the mean of the other groups.