Effects of polymorphism in TG5 and LEP genes on meat productivity of Hereford and Limousin bull calves

Abstract

The effects of polymorphism in the TG5 and LEP genes on meat productivity of Hereford and Limousin bull calves have been studied under the environmental conditions in the pre-Ural steppe zone. A significant dominance of the TG5^C and Lep^A alleles is determined in the animals of both breeds; the distributions of frequencies of the genotypes for the TG5 gene are similar in character. The most common genotypes are TG5^CC and TG5^CT. The genotype frequency analysis indicates the considerable genetic potential of the animals for palatability and the nutritional values of meat, which is specified by the relatively high proportions of the TG5^T allele and the desirableTG5^TT genotype. The breed differences in the frequencies of genotypes for the LEP gene were ascertained as follows: the LEP^AA genotype is predominant in the Hereford bull calves, while the relatively useful LEP^AB genotype prevails in the Limousin bull calves. No significant relationship between the target TG5 and LEP SNP-genes and the animal growth rates was revealed.