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This Article Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: jas.2008-0922v1 87/1/24    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gutierrez-Gil, B. Articles by Wiener, P. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gutierrez-Gil, B. Articles by Wiener, P.

Search for QTL affecting growth and carcass traits in a cross population of beef and dairy cattle

B. Gutierrez-Gil^*, J. L. Williams, D. Homer, D. Burton^*, C. S. Haley^* and P. Wiener^*

^* The Roslin Institute and Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies. The University of Edinburgh. Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS, Scotland, UK , Parco Tecnologico Padano, via Einstein, Lodi 296900, Italy Meat and Livestock Commission, Milton Keynes, MK6 1AX. United Kingdom

pam.wiener{at}roslin.ed.ac.uk

Abstract

A genome scan to detect quantitative trait loci (QTL) influencing growth and carcass-related traits was conducted in a Charolais X Holstein cross-bred cattle population. Phenotypic measurements related to growth and carcass traits were made on the 235 second-generation cross-bred males of this herd (F2 and reciprocal backcrosses), which were born in four consecutive annual cohorts. Traits measured in vivo were related to birth dimensions, growth rates and ultrasound measurements of fat and muscle depth. The animals were slaughtered near a target weight of 550 kg, and a wide-range of post-mortem traits were measured: visual assessment of carcass conformation and carcass fatness, estimated subcutaneous fat percentage, weights of kidney knob and channel fat, and weights of carcass components following commercial and full-tissue dissections. The whole population, including grandparents, parents, and the cross-bred bulls, was genotyped initially for 139 genome-wide microsatellite markers. Twenty-six additional markers were subsequently analyzed to increase marker density on some of the chromosomes where QTL had been initially identified. The linear regression analyses based on the 165 markers revealed a total of 51 significant QTL at the suggestive level, 21 of which were highly significant (F-value 9; based on the genome-wide thresholds obtained in the initial scan). A large proportion of the highly significant associations were found on chromosomes 5 and 6. The most highly significant QTL was localized between markers DIK1054 and DIK082 on chromosome 6, and explained about 20% of the phenotypic variance for the total bone proportion estimated after the commercial dissection. In the adjacent marker interval on this chromosome, two other highly significant QTL were found that explain about 30% of the phenotypic variance for birth dimension traits (weight and body length at birth). On chromosome 5, the most significant association influenced the lean:bone ratio at the forerib joint, and was flanked by markers DIK4782 and BR2936. Other highly significant associations were detected on chromosomes 10 (estimated subcutaneous fat percentage), 11 (total saleable meat proportion), 16 (pre-housing growth rate) and 22 (bone proportion at the leg joint). These results provide a useful starting-point for the identification of the genes associated with traits of direct interest to the beef industry, using fine mapping or positional candidate gene approaches.

Key Words: cattle • growth traits • carcass composition • quantitative trait loci