Associations between gene polymorphisms and selected meat traits in cattle: a review

Zalewska, Magdalena; Sakowski, Tomasz

doi:.0..0

Anim Biosci > Accepted Articles

Review paper

DOI: https://doi.org/10.5713/ab.20.0672 [Accepted] Published online January 4, 2021.

Associations between gene polymorphisms and selected meat traits in cattle: a review

Magdalena Zalewska¹

, Tomasz Sakowski^2,*

¹Department of Bacterial Physiology, Institute of Microbiology, Faculty of Biology, University of Warsaw, Miecznikowa St. 1, 02-096 Warsaw, Poland
²Department of Biotechnology and Nutrigenomics, Institute of Genetics and Animal Biotechnology, Polish Academy of Sciences (PAS), Postepu St. 36A, Jastrzebiec, 05-552 Magdalenka, Poland

Correspondence: Tomasz Sakowski,Email: t.sakowski@igbzpan.pl

Received: 25 September 2020 • Revised: 17 November 2020 • Accepted: 25 September 2020

Abstract

Maintaining a high level of beef consumption requires paying attention not only to quantitative traits but also to the quality and dietary properties of meat. Growing consumer demands do not leave producers many options for how animals are selected for breeding and animal keeping. Meat and carcass fatness quality traits, which are influenced by multiple genes, are economically important in beef cattle breeding programs. The recent availability of genome sequencing methods and a large number of previously identified molecular markers offer new opportunities for animal breeding, including the use of molecular information in selection programs. Many gene polymorphisms have thus far been analyzed and evaluated as potential candidates for molecular markers of meat quality traits. Knowledge of these markers can be further applied to breeding programs through marker-assisted selection. In this literature review, we discuss the most promising and well-described candidates and their associations with selected beef production traits.

Keywords: Beef; Cattle; Single Nucleotide Polymorphism; Marker Assisted Selection; Meat Trait; Carcass Quality