Premium
Associations between the 11‐bp deletion in the myostatin gene and carcass quality in Angus‐sired cattle
Author(s) -
Gill J. L.,
Bishop S. C.,
McCorquodale C.,
Williams J. L.,
Wiener P.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
animal genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.756
H-Index - 81
eISSN - 1365-2052
pISSN - 0268-9146
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2052.2008.01790.x
Subject(s) - biology , myostatin , beef cattle , genetics , zoology , gene
Summary An 11‐bp deletion in the bovine myostatin ( MSTN ) gene was identified as the causative mutation for the double‐muscling phenotype in Belgian Blue and Asturiana cattle. More recently, this mutation was also identified in the South Devon breed of cattle, in which it has been found to be associated with a general increase in muscle mass. The present study found that the mutant allele was also segregating in a commercial population of Scottish Aberdeen Angus beef cattle. The mutation was found at a low frequency (0.04) with no animals homozygous for the mutation in the sample population (536 animals). The effects of this mutation on various carcass traits of economic interest were then tested. We found that the mutation significantly increased carcass weight, sirloin weight, hindquarter weight, muscle conformation score and eye muscle area, but had no effect on the fat traits.