The results from the analysis of 12 polymorphic microsatellite loci in Holstein cattle from a number of regions of Russia and other countries are presented. The mean number of alleles per locus was found to be 5.43 ± 0.19 with the range of 4–13 alleles and the mean number of effective alleles was 3.26 ± 0.11. A list of 29 most frequent alleles was compiled. Twenty-two private alleles were identified, and their frequencies were in the range of 0.004–0.033. It was demonstrated that the number of locally distributed alleles in Russian herds was higher than in the animals reared in other countries. The mean level of observed heterozygosity for all loci reached 0.681 ± 0.017 and varied in the range of 0.65–0.78 with the fixation index of –0.131 ± 0.005. The genetic distances between the herds reared in Russia were <0.074. The herds of cows were found to divide into two clusters. One cluster included the animals from three oblasts of Russia, along with the bulls from Germany and the Netherlands, and the other cluster included the animals from two regions that were close to the bulls from Canada, USA, and the United Kingdom. At the same time, the bulls from Denmark and Finland were found in a separate cluster. The objective of the present study was to assess the allele pool of Holstein cattle reared in Russia and determine genetic profile of the breed using STR markers.

Livestock specialized cattle breeds combining high energy for both growth and fattening performance are successfully used for high-quality beef production. The use of DNA markers as the additional criteria for sampling and mating the animals allows us to increase the efficiency of selection processes along with improving the meat characteristics of cattle. The objective of the survey was to estimate the effects of leptin gene polymorphism on the growth rates of youngstock and the product quality of beef cattle. The practical science experiment was carried out in 2014–2017. The fattening Hereford and Limousin bull calves (114 and 111 animals, respectively) were genotyped with the technique of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and subsequent PCR-restriction fragment-length polymorphism analysis (SNP LEP-A422B). A similar genotype distribution among the animals was revealed. Homozygous genotype LEP AA (47.34% and 52.25%, respectively) and allele LEP 4 (frequencies of occurrence are 0.68 and 0.71, respectively) are more frequent. The liveweight in both cattle breeds with genotype LEP AA tended to increase at the ages of 8, 12, 16, and 20 months. In addition, an insignificant predominance in body measurements used to assess the proportions of their body parts was ascertained. The analysis of the body conformation indices could indicate harmonious animal development and prove the well-expressed beef forms in the youngstock of all the genotypes for the leptin gene. The postslaughter assessment allowed us to reveal the tendency to increasing the values for the preslaughter liveweight, the hot carcass weight, and the slaughter weight. In addition, the increased carcass yield was recorded in the Hereford bull calves with genotype LEP AA . The surveys ascertained a significant relationship between the analyzed polymorphism and the increases in the internal crude fat weight and the fat yield in the carcasses of bull calves with genotypes LEP AB and LEP BB . The analysis of the morphological composition of Hereford bull calf carcasses revealed a significant relationship between genotype LEP BB and fat contents. Therefore, SNP LEP-A422B genotyping may be used in Hereford and Limousin cattle breeding to improve the meat quality parameters.

The paper presents the research results on carcass quality traits of beef cattle for different DGAT1 genotypes. The study aimed to detect the effect of SNP DGAT1-K232A on carcass and beef quality of Hereford and Limousine bull calves of different genotypes. The tasks were SNP genotyping of animals by DGAT1-K232A, detecting the impact of SNP on carcass quality and morphological composition, weight and yield of half carcasses, organoleptic properties of meat, as well as the chemical composition of beef. The method of a polymerase chain reaction with a subsequent restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis was used to genotype fattening bull calves of Hereford (91 heads) and Limousine (109 heads) breeds. The animals were raised until 20 months of age in conditions of a resource-saving indoor and pasture-based system. There was an apparent effect of SNP DGAT1-K232A (DGAT1KK>DGAT1AA, P◘0.05) on the interior raw fat weight and yield indicators, subcutaneous fat tissue thickness, fat content in the rib eye and a sample of minced meat. Thus, genotyping by SNP DGAT1-K232A can be used as an additional criterion to improve the quality traits of meat in beef cattle breeding.

Beef production is an important development area in animal breeding with meat quality being determined by both paratypic and genetic factors. In this regard evaluating genetic material for the presence of desirable allele combinations of genes associated with growth and development indicators, as well as meat qualities of animals have a certain scientific and practical significance. The aim of the study was to determine the influence of growth hormone gene polymorphism on the growth rate of bull calves of different breeds kept in the Bashkortostan Republic. The method of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by the analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (PFLP) (SNP GH-L127V) was used to genotype Hereford (115 heads), Limousine (114 heads), Black-and-White (200 heads), Bestuzhev (200 heads) bull calves being fattened. The conducted research showed that there is a similar distribution of genotypes among bull calves of meat breeds with GH(LL) homozygous genotype being more common (47.83% and 52.63%). Black-and-White and Bestuzhev bull calves have a higher frequency of GH(LV) heterozygous genotype (62.50% and 59.0%). Hereford, Limousine and black-and-white bulls have a greater frequency of GH(L) allele (0.69; 0.71; 0.51), Bestuzhev animals have a higher rate of GH(V) allele (0.62). The paper presents the influence of somatotropin hormone gene polymorphism on some meat productivity and growth rate indicators of young animals. Thus, GHLL-genotyped Hereford, Limousine, and Black-and-White bull calves had significantly higher live weight (pre-slaughter live weight) as well as absolute and average daily live weight gains at the end of rearing. According to the results GH(LV)-genotyped animals were in the second place and GH(VV)-genotyped bulls ranked the last. As a result of the one-way analysis of variance, there has been found a high proportion of the studied polymorphism factor in developing meat productivity and growth rate indicators for Limousine, Black-and-White and Hereford bull calves. Genotyping by the GH gene as an additional criterion can be used in the selection of animals to improve cattle meat quality.

Abstract —Meat productivity and meat quality are determined by both paratypical and genetic factors. In this regard, investigating the genetic material for the presence of desirable allele combinations of genes associated with growth and development traits, as well as meat qualities of animals, has scientific and practical significance. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between growth hormone gene polymorphism and beef cattle carcass quality. A scientific-economic experiment was carried out in the period from 2014 to 2017. Fattening bull-calves of the Hereford (115 animals) and Limousin (114 animals) breeds were genotyped using a polymerase chain reaction followed by subsequent analysis of restriction fragment length polymorphism (SNP GH-L127V ). It was revealed that the studied bull-calves have a similar distribution of genotypes; the homozygous genotype GH LL (47.83 and 52.63%) and allele GH L (0.69 and 0.71%) were the most common. It was found that, compared to GH VV bull-calves, GH LL bull-calves had statistically significantly higher indicators of preslaughter live weight, carcass meat weight, slaughter weight, and loin-eye area; in Hereford cattle, slaughter yield was also higher. The results of examining the morphological composition of half-carcasses proved the high impact of SNP GH-L127V on the chilled carcass weight and the meat content. These figures were statistically significantly higher for half-carcasses of GH LL and GH LV bull-calves compared to GH VV animals. Analysis of the weight and yield of natural anatomical parts of half-carcasses obtained from Hereford and Limousin bull-calves with different genotypes did not reveal a significant difference between the indicators. However, for both breeds, animals with genotype GH LL had higher chilled half-carcass weight and weight of their natural anatomical parts than animals with genotype GH VV . Thus, SNP GH-L127V genotyping can be used as an additional criterion in breeding and selection of animals to improve meat qualities of cattle.

The article discusses the results of breeding Hereford cattle imported from Australia and their several progeny generations in conditions of the Southern Urals. Within three years there was a comprehensive study of clinical medical, hematological, exterior, productive and reproductive indicators of the imported animals in terms of their naturalization to the sharp continental climate. The body temperature, respiratory frequency and heart rate were found to be within reference limits of the physiological standards. An adaptation index was lower. Coefficient and rate of animal adaptability to high and low temperatures demonstrated no sharp stress reactions of animals to the changing living conditions. The received results of morphological and biochemical blood composition of the imported cattle were within the physiological standards. Reproduction quality indicators of the female cattle increased by the third year of acclimatization that proves certain livestock adaptation flexibility. Young cattle of the the first, second and third Russian generation growth and development indicates common adaptation processes of the cattle imported from Australia.

The aim of this paper is to study effects of GH and DGAT1 gene polymorphisms on feeding qualities of Hereford and Limousin bull calves bred in conditions of the Cis-Ural steppe zone. SNPs of genes GH and DGAT1 are investigated by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and DNA restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP). The studied population of animals was assessed by defining the allele frequency and animal genotype occurrence for the studied gene SNPs, indicators of the actual and expected heterozygosity, and Pearson’s test. A study of polymorphism C214G of gene GH revealed that genotype LL prevails in Hereford and Limousin animals, 47.37 and 57.7%, respectively, while frequency of allele L is higher in Limousin bull calves (0.731). A study of polymorphism K232A of gene DGAT1 gene in both the populations showed absence of genotypes AA , which can be related to the low number of the studied animals. Expected heterozygosity indicators of gene GH are higher than the observed ones, and the observed heterozygosity is higher for DGAT1 . The number of efficient alleles for the studied genes is higher for Hereford bull calves. In general, according to Pearson’s test, both the studied populations are in equilibrium. There is a significant effect of GH gene polymorphism on live weight gain rates at the end of sagination and total and average daily weight gains during animal raising.

The purpose of the given study was to identify interrelation between GH and DGAT1 gene polymorphism and beef production traits of Hereford and Limousine bull calves in conditions of the Cis-Ural steppe zone. The study deals with one-month-old Hereford bull calves, offspring of animals brought to private company Sava-Argo-Usen from southeast states of Australia and Tasmania Island and Limousine bull calves, offspring of cross-bred animals of Simmental cows and French servicing bulls bred in private farm SAVA-agro-Yapryk. Life-animal beef production estimate of bull calves of different genotypes in the studied gene polymorphism was carried out on liveweight gain indexes, after slaughter chemical composition of the rib eye was investigated according to hot carcass, raw visceral fat and slaughter weight and output. It is proved that the studied SNP in GH gene of Limousine bull calves is for certain associated with intramuscular fat content in the rib eye. When K232A polymorphism in DGAT1 gene was studied no AA genotypes were found in both populations that perhaps is due to the low number of animals. We find it necessary to continue the investigation by increasing the amount of the livestock as well as studying other beef cattle bred in the region. The received results are recommended to be used to improve genetic potential of the beef cattle kept in the Cis-Ural steppe zone.

The effects of polymorphism in the TG5 and LEP genes on meat productivity of Hereford and Limousin bull calves have been studied under the environmental conditions in the pre-Ural steppe zone. A significant dominance of the TG5C and LepA alleles is determined in the animals of both breeds; the distributions of frequencies of the genotypes for the TG5 gene are similar in character. The most common genotypes are TG5CC and TG5CT. The genotype frequency analysis indicates the considerable genetic potential of the animals for palatability and the nutritional values of meat, which is specified by the relatively high proportions of the TG5T allele and the desirableTG5TT genotype. The breed differences in the frequencies of genotypes for the LEP gene were ascertained as follows: the LEPAA genotype is predominant in the Hereford bull calves, while the relatively useful LEPAB genotype prevails in the Limousin bull calves. No significant relationship between the target TG5 and LEP SNP-genes and the animal growth rates was revealed.

The authors investigated the influence of TG5 and LEP gene polymorphism on quantitative and qualitative meat composition of 20 month old bull calves of the Hereford (n=38) and Limousine (n=26) breeds, which were bred in the climate of Cis-Ural steppe zone from 2013 to 2015. The Hereford calves were the offspring of the cattle from the southeastern states of Australia and Tasmania (3rd descent of the main lines: Baz-Gol-Sol 2U 6827, Domino 325676, Ardmors-Domino 56, Silverlend 31432); the Limousine calves were the descendants of the offspring resulting from the accumulation cross breeding of Simmental cattle with the French Reproductive Recognized bulls (4th descent of the Reper 433 and other lines). The analysis of TG5 genotype frequency in the examined populations reveals that the animals have significant (P<0.01 or P<0.05) potential for increased taste and nutritional qualities of beef associated with a high proportion of desirable TT genotype, probably related to the foreign origin of the cattle. There were no carriers of the BB genotype of LEP genes in the examined populations. Significant (P<0.01 or P<0.05) dependence between the studied SNP in TG5 and the rates of total body fat, the proportion of adipose tissue in the morphological carcass composition (or meat composition), and the content of intramuscular fat in the longissimus, as well as the correlation between the studied SNP in LEP and the rates of raw visceral fat, and fat outcome, were established. LEP polymorphism was significantly (P<0.01 or P<0.05) associated with the proportion of adipose tissue in the morphological carcass composition in Hereford calves, and with the content of intramuscular fat in the longissimus in Limousine calves. The results of our study of TG5 and LEP polymorphism demonstrate considerable genetic potential of the given populations of the Hereford and Limousine breeds in relation to the quantitative and qualitative composition of their meat; they are to be used in improvement of genetic potential of meat cattle in the Cis-Ural steppe zone.

of the development of multiplex panel of STR markers and of its to assign the and to study biodiversity of popu- lations. biological used tissue samples (part of ear’s lobes) of reindeer of Even (EVN, n = 44), Evenk (EVK, n = 44), Nenets ( n = 45) breeds and Tyva population (TUV, n = 35). DNA extraction was performed using Nexttec columns (Germany) according to the manu-facturer’s instructions. Polymorphism of nine STR markers (NVHRT76, RT9, NVHRT24, RT30, RT1, RT6, RT27, NVHRT21 and RT7) was determined by own procedures using ABI 3130xl DNA Statistical analysis was performed in MS Excel 2007 with the plugin GenAIEx v. 6.5, software MSA 4.05, PHYLIP, v. 3.5c, Treev32 and Structure, v. 2.3.4. The studied populations of reindeer were characterized by relatively high levels of genetic diversity. The average number of alleles per locus was 6.11±0.56 in TUV, 6.67±0.50 in NEN, 8.00±0.76 in EVN and 8.89±0.65 in EVK. The smallest effective number of alleles per locus was detected in TUV (3.37±0.47), the maximal value was in EVK (4.89±0.46 alleles per locus), and EVN and NEN occu-pied an intermediate position (4.42±0.53 and 3.90±0.38, respectively). The number of alleles in sin- gle loci ranged from four in NVHRT21 and NVHRT24 for TUV to twelve in RT7 for EVK and RT1 for EVN. The probability of matching genotypes (PI) for the nine loci ranged from 1.84½10 -9 in NEN to 5.9½10 -11 in EVK, showing the high power of the proposed marker panel for parentage identification. The calculation of the mean values of similarity coefficient Q in the i th cluster with the most probable number of clusters such as k = 3 and k = 4 (Q i/k ) revealed high heterogeneity of genetic structure of studied populations. The highest degree of genetic differentiation was shown for TUV (Q 2/3 = 0.899±0.034, Q 3/4 = 0.883±0.035) and for NEN (Q 3/3 = 0.885±0.031, Q 4/4 = 0.813±0.038). The EVN and EVK population were close to each other, and a clear clustering between them was not observed. An estimation of R st (AMOVA) showed that 11.4 % of the total molecular variability was caused by differences between populations, and 88.6 % was due to individual differences between animals (p < 0.01). Evaluation of degree of genetic differentiation of studied populations, using as criteria the values of Nei’ genetic distances and pairwise comparisons of F st showed similar trends. TUV population was the most distinct comparing to other populations (D Nei = 0,283-0,502, F st = 0,299-0,452), while it was the most differ from NEN and the closest to EVN. The minimal genetic differences were observed between EVN and EVK (D Nei = 0,068, F st = 0,032). The results show high functional power of the de- veloped STR panel to identify the parentage and to study biodiversity in Russian reindeer populations.

There cheese making trials were arranged to investigation the effect of k-casein genotypes on milk renneting properties fresh cheese yield and composition. K-casein BB milk had significantly superior rennet coagulation properties than that of the AA and AB milks. Results showed the k-cascin BB in significantly higher fat and protein recoveries into cheese yields, cheese produced from k-casein BB variant milk had higher concentrations of protein and lower fat levels than that produced from the AA variant. This study showed that k-casein BB milk resulted in significantly higher fat and protein recoveries into cheese. K-casein variant had significant effect on proteolysis or on the acceptability score awarded to the cheese.