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DNA markers

DNA markers - Beef CRC - Beef Genetic Technologies

Professor Mike Goddard
Beef CRC Chief Scientist
(03) 9479 5438 or Mike.Goddard@dpi.vic.gov.au



The CRC for Beef Genetic Technologies is heavily focussed on gene discovery.

This has come about as a result of the 'Bovine Genome Project' which identified the DNA sequence of every gene in the bovine chromosome.

However, the problem we now face is understanding which particular trait or productive process each genetic sequence controls.

The priority of the Beef CRC is to link all this new genetic information to the traits of interest to beef businesses -





Scientists at the Beef CRC are discovering the gene markers or Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) associations to the traits of economic importance.

The CRC envisages these SNP’s will explain up to 50 per cent of the genetic variation between animals.

Following extensive consultation with the beef industry, we realised there was a real need for producers to have a set of specific tools which help them identify cattle with high phenotypic and/or genetic merit for a wide range of commercially important traits.

As a result, the Beef CRC will use the research to develop a low cost assay for a panel of SNP’s covering many of these traits.

Cattle producers will be able to take a blood, hair or tissue sample from their cattle and have it tested to see which genes it carries.

These genotypes, along with the phenotypes, will then be used to develop marker-assisted Estimated Breeding Values (EBVm) for specific traits.

A trial tenderness EBVm has already been developed as a result of the 'SmartGene for Beef' project.