Myostatin mutation (g+6723G > A) introgression: comparative analysis of growth, slaughter, and carcass traits in Texel, Pırlak, and their crosses (F1 and BC1)

Abstract

Abstract. This study was carried out to examine the effect of myostatin mutation on growth, body measurements, Musculus longissimus dorsi (MLD) values, and carcass characteristics in crossbred generations as well as introgression from Texel to Pırlak. This research was conducted on 105 F1, 94 myostatin-carrying BC1, 53 non-carrying BC1 lambs, and pure Pırlak and Texel lambs born during the same period. It was determined that the effects of factors such as genotype, sex, birth type, birth month, and dam age were significant (P< 0.05) for the growth characteristics of lambs. The birth weights, daily live weight gains and weaning weights in F1, myostatin-carrying BC1, and non-carrying BC1 lambs were 4.10, 4.45, and 4.39, 0.21252, 0.22176, and 0.20964, as well as 35.51, 33.18, and 33.47 kg, respectively. It was detected that Texel and myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were significantly (P< 0.05) higher than Pırlak and non-carrying BC1 lambs for the MLD area at weaning. Additionally, the rump width, chest circumference, and MLD depth of lambs carrying myostatin mutation were significantly greater than Pırlak lambs. Six-month live weight means of Pırlak, Texel, and myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were found as 39.45, 37.22, and 39.06 kg, respectively. Myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs had a superiority to Pırlak lambs in terms of muscle conformation and fatness of the hind leg. As a result, myostatin-carrying BC1 lambs were significantly found to have a better MLD area than non-carrying BC1 lambs, indicating a myostatin mutation (g+6723G > A) effect. It was concluded that the growth and carcass characteristics of Pırlak lambs may be improved by introgression of myostatin mutation.