Design and application of a method for targeted sampling of tissue for QTL-mapping and marker assisted selection (MAS) for beef quality and carcass yield traits in Bavarian Fleckvieh cattle breed

The logistic for target tissue sampling of young bulls in commercial slaughterhouses was developed. It was embedded in regular beef recording scheme in Bavaria. Therefore, the developed procedure presents an important step towards the application of genomics in the future improvement of beef quality and carcass yield in the dual purpose cattle breed Fleckvieh (Simmental). To minimize the work load and maximize the accuracy of sampling, storage and genetic analyses of the samples we combined the usage of bar-code technique and database application in the slaughterhouse and in genetic laboratory. After comprehensive testing we applied this procedure for sampling and storage of 3.423 young bulls’ tissue samples from eleven half-sib families. The samples were stored in 43 boxes, each with 96 samples, and the tissue lysates were prepared parallel in 96-well microtiter plates for molecular genetic analyses. All samples were genotyped for 16 highly informative microsatellite markers. The produced genotypes were used for different quality checks of established logistic. The paternity test of 3.170 sons confirms correct allocation of individual samples and lysates to their pedigree and yield recording information. Using 16 highly informative markers and a large number of genotyped sons (3.170), we estimated a relatively low paternity error rate (3.72 to 5.08%) in the Fleckvieh cattle breed. This  emonstrates the high quality of the entire herdbook and yield recording scheme as well as embedded tissue sampling and storage procedure. Due to the high quality of samples, pedigree and phenotypes as well as the presence of large half-sib families we established a powerful design for mapping of QTL affecting beef quality and carcass yield in dual purpose cattle breed Fleckvieh.

Vollversion deutsch