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ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Livestock Bio-Systems » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #222610
Title: Association analysis of candidate SNPs on reproductive traits in swine

Author
item Rempel, Lea
item Holl, Justin
item Rohrer, Gary

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 2/10/2008
Publication Date: 7/7/2008
Citation: Rempel, L.A., Holl, J.W., Rohrer, G.A. 2008. Association analysis of candidate SNPs on reproductive traits in swine. Journal of Animal Science 86(E-Suppl. 2):209. (Abstract W51)

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Being able to identify young females with superior reproduction traits would have a large financial impact on commercial swine producers. Previous studies have discovered SNPs associated with economically important traits such as litter size, growth rate, fat deposition, and feed intake. The objective of this study was to test candidate SNPs for sow prolificacy production traits, including: age at puberty (AGEP, n = 963), ovulation rate (OR, n = 1,122), weaning to estrus interval (WEI, n = 744), total pigs born (TB, n = 1,924), number born alive (NBA, n = 1,924), number born dead (NBD, n = 1,924), and number mummified (MUM, n = 1,924) and determine association of these traits in gilts and sows of a Landrace-Duroc-Yorkshire composite population. Candidate SNPs included estrogen receptors (ESR) 1 and 2; prolactin receptor (PRLR); alpha-D-mannosidase (MAN); leptin (LEP); and melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R). Genotypes were verified using GenoProb. Association analyses regressed additive (A), dominant (D), and imprinting (I) SNP effects on each trait. ESR2 A949G was associated with AGEP (A = 2.18 d; P < 0.025). PRLR T1528A was associated with AGEP (I = 3.62 d; P < 0.001). PRLR C1217T was associated with TB (A = -0.31 piglets; P < 0.017). An association was identified between MUM and PRLR G1439A (A = -0.09 piglets; P < 0.003). Age of puberty was also associated with MAN A1426G (A = -2.47 d; P < 0.008 and I = 1.99 d; P < 0.06). MC4R A1426G was associated with WEI (A = 0.86 d; P < 0.003) as well as MUM (D = -0.130 piglets; P < 0.001 and I = -0.06 piglets; P < 0.046). No significant associations were detected for ESR1 or LEP SNPs. These results indicate that SNPs previously linked to more traditional production and growth traits may also serve in the capacity to assist with selection of young females for superior reproductive performance.