Plant & Animal Genome VI Conference

W56

IDENTIFICATION OF PUTATIVE QTL FOR REPRODUCTION IN SWINE

1. Dept. of Veterinary PathoBiology, University of Minnesota, 205 Vet. Sci., 1971 Commonwealth Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108
2. DeKalb Swine Breeders, Inc., 23179 #5 Rd., Liberal, KS 67869
3. Dept. Of Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana, IL 61801

As a part of our program for increasing swine production efficiency we performed a genomic scan for eight reproductive and farrowing traits. We used 119 informative microsatellite markers (average spacing was 24cM) from the USDA Meat Animal Research Center genetic linkage map to detect economically important quantitative trait loci (QTL) on the University of Illinois Meishan x Yorkshire reference population. F-ratios supporting QTL locations were calculated using the least squares regression method program developed by Knott and Haley, of the Roslin Institute. Reproductive traits examined were gestation length, number of corpora lutea, total fetuses and uterine length. Farrowing traits were total piglets born, number of piglets born live, number of stillborn piglets and number of piglets weaned. Putative QTLs for number of stillborn piglets, corpora lutea and gestation length were identified on chromosomes 4, 8 and 9, respectively, based on a genome-wide suggestive F-ratio threshold (F-ratio > 6.29). In order to further investigate these region associated with the putative QTL we are generating additional microsatellites from yeast artificial chromosomes. These new microsatellites will allow us to further refine the map position of the QTL and to extend these studies into other population and families.