Comparison of Four Italian Beef Cattle Breeds by Means of Functional Genes

Abstract

Piemontese, Chianina, Marchigiana and Romagnola are the main Italian beef breeds, and the quality of their products is largely recognised all over the world. Here, 18 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in 12 candidate genes involved on meat traits were investigated on 1055 candidates for selection in order to analyse the within-and betweenbreed variability with a functional marker approach. Three SNPs (GDF8-3, GH and NPY-3) were monomorphic and most of the polymorphic SNPs showed an allele distribution quite similar in the four breeds. High variability at LEP-2, LEP-3 and LEPR markers was detected across breeds and the analysis of the relationship between genetic differentiation and heterozygosity indicated significant deviation from a neutral-equilibrium model for LEP-2. The highest pairwise fixation index values (0.1189 to 0.1877) were obtained for the comparisons of Piemontese with the other breeds, while the lowest value (0.0296) was observed in Chianina and Marchigiana. The Piemontese differentiation from the other breeds could be due to its geographical isolation and selection targets. The results for breed assignment follows the genetic differentiation, in fact, Piemontese had the highest percentage of correct assignment (87.6), while Marchigiana had the lowest (47.5). These findings suggest that functional markers can be more suitable than neutral markers in discriminating breeds similar in morphology if selection plays some role in their differentiation.

Genome analysis in five Italian beef cattle breeds

“…Results of the F-statistics, H o and H e for each Italian beef cattle breed are shown in Table 2. The overall heterozygosity among breeds (H o = 0.367, H e = 0.368) was comparable to that reported for the same breeds in a previous study using few SNPs in candidate genes (Lasagna et al, 2015). The H o and H e were lower for the more highly improved CHI (0.360 and 0.356), MAR (0.350 and 0.350) and ROM (0.343 and 0.350) than for heritage POD (0.399 and 0.390) and MRM (0.383 and 0.390) breeds.…”

“…The H o and H e were lower for the more highly improved CHI (0.360 and 0.356), MAR (0.350 and 0.350) and ROM (0.343 and 0.350) than for heritage POD (0.399 and 0.390) and MRM (0.383 and 0.390) breeds. The average F IS value was relatively low for CHI, ROM, MRM and POD, indicating a positive effect of controlled genetic inbreeding in the breeds (Lasagna et al, 2015), whereas it was slightly positive for MAR (0.005). The low values of heterozygosity and the high inbreeding of MAR compared with other breeds, are attributable to the extensive use of small number of improved bulls (Maretto et al, 2012).…”

“…Therefore, they represent an historical and cultural heritage which exceeds their economic value. These breeds are the main specialized for beef production and the quality of their products is widely recognized all over the world (Lasagna et al, 2015). CHI beef is internationally recognized as a top-quality product, and the most famous cut is the Fiorentina steak (Bongiorni et al, 2016).…”

Oxidative Status of Marchigiana Beef Enriched in n-3 Fatty Acids and Vitamin E, Treated With a Blend of Oregano and Rosemary Essential Oils

“…In Italy, the first meat that received the Protected Geographical Indication from the European Community was the “white beef of the Central Apennines” ( 1 ), which includes fresh meat from the three cattle breeds in central Italy: Chianina, Marchigiana, and Romagnola, which are, together with Piemontese, the main specialized breeds for meat production in Italy, and the quality of their products is widely recognized all over the world ( 2 ). In particular, Marchigiana husbandry techniques involve pasture in the summer and a stalling period during winter.…”

Effect of Diet and Essential Oils on the Fatty Acid Composition, Oxidative Stability and Microbiological Profile of Marchigiana Burgers

“…The use of feed rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids represents an innovation and enhancement in the breeding methods of typical local breeds such as Marchigiana, Chianina and Romagnola, in Italy. The husbandry techniques for the Marchigiana breed plan a diet rich in cereal-based feed during the finishing period [14]. For this reason, it could be interesting to add feed that can enrich beef meat with PUFAs.…”