Plant & Animal Genome IX Conference Plant & Animal Genome IX Conference
Poster: Cattle
P5j_08.html
Phenotypic studies of several Belted Galloway purebred and crossbred half-sib families were conducted. The following conclusions were reached. Inheritance of some type of belt pattern follows a simple dominant pattern, however linearity of belts is not inherited in a simple manner. Although undesirable, white feet may or may not accompany belts. Sex does not influence linearity of belt or other white markings. Homozygosity at the belt locus does not seem to guarantee a more perfect belt than does heterozygosity. Spotting patterns in Hereford (J. Heredity 90:233-236) and Holstein (J. Heredity 90:629-634) cattle have recently been linked to KIT on cattle chromosome 6. The belt pattern of Hampshire pigs has also been attributed to KIT (Mamm. Genome 10:1132-1136). Inheritance of a belt was studied in a half-sib family of 13 calves sired by a bull heterozygous for belt. Segregation with microsatellites linked to KIT suggested this pattern is not linked to KIT. Another gene, White Nose, has been reported to cause a belt pattern in mice (Mamm Genome 10:750), often accompanied by white on nose and feet. Comparative mapping suggest White Nose would map to cattle chromosome 5. A linked microsatellite, BL37, did not segregate convincingly with the belt pattern (9:4) either.