| Research Abstract |
1) BREED IDENTIFICATION; By using DNA markers (SNPs) developed by AFLP fingerprinting, we tried to identify Japanese Black, Holstein and their F1. More than 2000 primer sets were tested between two breeds and found 45 effective breed identifiable AFLP fragments were obtained. By testing 100 animals of each breeds using these 45 AFLP fragments, we could clearly discriminated these animals from each other. This method could prevent or reduce false or miss labeled beef in markets.
2) APPLICATION OF AFLP METHOD TO CATTLE BREEDING; By selecting 48 extreme animals from about 5,000 reproductive cows, 25 were the highest breeding value of beef marbling standard (BMS) and 23 were the lowest breeding value of BMS, a kind of association study was done. By AFLP fingerprinting, DNA from those extreme animals were compared about 500 primer sets, which is equivalent to mapping of more than 2,000 markers on a cattle linkage map and finally get 16 effective AFLP fragments which discriminate two extremes, high and low. Quite higher correlation coefficient, r=0.92 were obtained between breeding value of BMS and general genetic value (GGV) estimated using those 16 fragments. This GGV value was applied to additional 121 animals if the GGV is useful or not. Again higher correlation coefficient between BMS breeding value and GGV, r=0.70, was obtained another animals from the herd with an additional higher correlation coefficient, r=0.63, between rib eye muscle area (REA) breeding value and GGV. In generally, higher correlation between BMS and REA is well known, so that this result is reasonable from the data of statistical genetics. This result offers an epoch-making strategy in animal breeding.
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