Mapping quantitative trait loci controlling milk production in dairy cattle by exploiting progeny testing.

• DOI: 10.1093/genetics/139.2.907
• Publication Date: 2021-01-13T21:12:06Z
• Authors: M Georges; D Nielsen; M Mackinnon; A Mishra; R Okimoto; A T Pasquino; L S Sargeant; A Sorensen; M R Steele; X Zhao
• Keywords: Centimorgan; Linkage Disequilibrium; Trait

Abstract We have exploited "progeny testing" to map quantitative trait loci (QTL) underlying the genetic variation of milk production in a selected dairy cattle population. A total 1,518 sires, with progeny tests based on milking performances > 150,000 daughters jointly, was genotyped for 159 autosomal microsatellites bracketing 1645 centimorgan or approximately two thirds bovine genome. Using maximum likelihood multilocus linkage analysis accounting variance heterogeneity phenotypes, we identified five chromosomes giving very strong evidence (LOD score = 3) presence QTL controlling production: 1, 6, 9, 10 and 20. These findings demonstrate that considerable effects are still segregating highly populations pave way toward marker-assisted selection breeding.