Association of a mutation inactivating the myostatin gene with growth, testicular morphology and sperm quality traits measured in Marchigiana young bulls in performance test
Colombi, Daniele (Università di Perugia)
Perini, Francesco (Università di Padova)
Sbarra, Fiorella (Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Bovini Italiani da Carne)
Quaglia, Andrea (Università di Perugia)
Sylla, Lakamy (University of Perugia)
Luigi Sierra, Maria Gracia (Centre de Recerca en Agrigenòmica)
Amills i Eras, Marcel (Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona. Departament de Ciència Animal i dels Aliments.)
Lasagna, Emiliano (Università di Perugia)

Date:	2025
Description:	7 pàg.
Abstract:	Among the Italian autochthonous beef cattle breeds, Marchigiana is particularly important in terms of census and production. In this breed, a SNP inactivating the myostatin gene leads to muscular hypertrophy in the individuals homozygous for the mutated allele while heterozygous individuals have an increased muscle development. The impact of this mutation on growth rate and weight is still under debate. Moreover, there is evidence obtained in mouse that the inactivation of the myostatin gene impairs testicular development. The aim of this work was to investigate whether Marchigiana bulls carrying this mutation differ from the individuals homozygous for the wild allele in terms of production or reproduction traits recorded during the performance test. Eight of the most commercially important production traits, from a dataset of 1074 animals, alongside seven reproduction traits from 298 to 624 animals, were analysed. Statistical analysis showed that heterozygous bulls had increased muscularity compared to their normal counterparts (nominal P-value = 5. 42e-24), while average daily gain, live weight, and morphological score were not significantly different. Regarding reproduction phenotypes, scrotal circumference and right testicle length were significantly reduced in heterozygous animals (nominal P-values of 7. 87e-05 and 0. 0018), right testicle diameter was also significantly reduced, but only at the nominal level (nominal P-value = 0. 0354), while sperm volume was increased (nominal P-value = 0. 01). Our results highlight the positive effect of this mutation on muscularity, while it does not show an adverse impact on other traits. Thus, the selection of heterozygous bulls in mating plans could be highly beneficial.
Rights:	Aquest document està subjecte a una llicència d'ús Creative Commons. Es permet la reproducció total o parcial, la distribució, la comunicació pública de l'obra i la creació d'obres derivades, fins i tot amb finalitats comercials, sempre i quan es reconegui l'autoria de l'obra original.
Language:	Anglès
Document:	Article ; recerca ; Versió publicada
Subject:	MSTN ; Italian beef cattle breeds ; Hypertrophy ; Performances
Published in:	Italian journal of animal science, Vol. 24, Num. 1 (2025) , p. 61-67, ISSN 1828-051X

DOI: 10.1080/1828051X.2024.2441348

8 p, 1.2 MB

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Research literature > UAB research groups literature > Research Centres and Groups (research output) > Experimental sciences > CRAG (Centre for Research in Agricultural Genomics)
Articles > Research articles
Articles > Published articles