Allelic frequencies of polymorphisms in twelve genes in Kochi sub-breed of Japanese Brown cattle

Abstract

Japanese Brown is one of the“ Wagyu” breeds in Japan. Kochi sub-breed of Japanese Brown is reared chiefly in the Kochi prefecture. Although Kochi sub-breed of Japanese Brown cattle possesses several superior abilities in growth rate, feed utilization efficiency and grazing aptitude, the population size of Kochi sub-breed is very small. Thus, elucidating the genetic characteristics of Kochi sub-breed is necessary for the persistence and effective breeding of this sub-breed. In this study, the allelic frequencies of polymorphisms in twelve genes (SCD, FASN, SREBF1, LEP, NT5E, CAPN1, CAST, S1PR1, FABP4, SDR16C5, NCAPG and MC1R) associated with fatty acid composition, inosine 5’-monophosphate (IMP) content, meat tenderness, quality and yield grade, and coat color were investigated in Kochi sub-breed cattle. Frequencies of favorable alleles in SCD, FASN, SREBF1, LEP, NT5E, S1PR1, CAPN1 and CAST genes ranged from 0.28 to 0.80. This result suggests that these polymorphisms could be useful as markers for improving meat quality and economically important traits of Kochi-sub breed. Further study will be required to reveal the association between these polymorphisms and traits in Kochi sub-breed.