Characterization of Diverse Cattle Breeds for a Mictrosatellite Genetic Marker of the Bovine Prolactin Gene

Abstract

Cattle (n = 456) were evaluated for a microsa tellite genetic marker associated with the bovine prolactin gene. Breeds represented were Simbrah (n = 278), Simmental (n = 29), Santa Gertrudis (n = 71), American Breed (n = 12), Salers (n = 12), Parthenais (n = 5), and Hotlander (n = 49). Three marker alleles (designated as A, B, and C) were detected with five observed marker genotypes; no AC genotypes were observed. Chi-square analysis illustrated differences in genotype distributions between breeds (P < .01). Overall, the frequencies for the marker alleles were .054, .923, and .023 for the A, B, and C alleles, respectively. Cattle of the American and Parthenais breeds appeared to have different allele frequencies compared to other types. Animals of the Simbrah, Simmental, Santa Gertrudis and Hotlander breeds did not differ from Hardy-Weinberg Equilibrium expectations for this genetic mark­ er. Molecular characterization of cattle such as this can provide insights into their phenotypic attributes.