Use of genetic markers of meat productivity in breeding of Hereford breed bulls

Abstract

The aim of the study was to assess the genetic potential in Canadian Hereford sires using DNA markers, identify complex genotypes and assess their impact on the growth, development and meat productivity of its offspring. Groups of sons were formed taking into account the complex genotypes of sires: group 1 (n = 28) – sons of bulls carrying in their genome a complex of genotypes with desired alleles; group 2 (n = 30) – sons of bulls with a complex of genotypes that lack the desired alleles. The offspring from bulls-carriers of the “desirable” alleles in complex CAPN1, GH, Lep, TG5 genes that meet the exterior requirements exceeded their peers in live weight (P < 0.05), carcass weight (P < 0.05) and muscle tissue (P < 0.05). The maximum conversion rate of feed protein into product protein was also established in the group of sons from selected bulls. Thus, animal selection for body conformation type is advisable to combine with the herd genotyping for a complex of genotypes associated with different economically useful traits when creating highly efficient population of beef cattle.