ARS | Publication request: AN OVERVIEW OF QTL RESEARCH FOR GROWTH AND BODY COMPOSITION IN A MEISHAN CROSS POPULATION AT THE U.S. MEAT ANIMAL RESEARCH CENTER

Submitted to: Swine Improvement Federation Proceedings
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: October 30, 2003
Publication Date: December 3, 2003
Citation: Rohrer, G. A. 2003. An overview of QTL research for growth and body composition in a Meishan cross population at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center. In: Proceedings of the XXVIII Annual Meeting of the National Swine Improvement Federation,(NSIF), Des Moines, IA, p. 129-133.

Interpretive Summary: The Meishan cross population has been extremely useful for identifying genomic regions affecting body composition and growth rate. The effects of the 3 QTL for backfat could reduce average backfat in a composite Meishan population by 1.8 cm based on the estimated effects from the QTL analyses. Since there were no QTL affecting reproduction rate associated with these genomic regions, marker-assisted selection in a composite population could easily reduce the amount of backfat while maintaining superior litter size performance.

Technical Abstract: The Meishan cross population has been extremely useful for identifying genomic regions affecting body composition and growth rate. To date, no causative polymorphisms have been found but the results could still be used in a marker-assisted selection program. The effects of the 3 QTL for backfat could reduce average backfat in a composite Meishan population by 1.8 cm based on the estimated effects from the QTL analyses. Since there were no QTL affecting reproduction rate associated with these genomic regions, marker-assisted selection in a composite population could easily reduce the amount of backfat while maintaining superior litter size performance.