# Evaluation of potential genetic marker for growth and carcass traits in Sumba Ongole (Bos indicus) cattle

## TL;DR

This study identifies genetic markers in Sumba Ongole cattle that are associated with higher carcass dressing percentage but not with growth traits.

## Contribution

The study proposes GHR and STAT5A genes as potential genetic markers for carcass dressing percentage in Sumba Ongole cattle.

## Key findings

- The STAT5A gene showed the highest polymorphism information content.
- The CC genotype of STAT5A and AA genotype of GHR were associated with the highest carcass dressing percentage.
- No significant associations were found between the genes and growth performance traits.

## Abstract

This study was conducted to investigate the variants of the growth hormone receptor (GHR), growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH), pituitary-specific transcription factor-1 (PIT1), and signal transducer and activator of transcription 5A (STAT5) genes and their effect on growth performance and dressing percentage (DP) parameters.

A total of 401 DNA samples from Sumba Ongole (SO) cattle were utilized for the polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism method, of which 200 samples were used for the study of DP association and 74 samples were used to investigate growth performance. The SO cattle growth performance includes the following: birth weight, weaning weight at 205 days of age, weaning average daily gain (ADG), yearling weight at 365 days of age, and post-weaning ADG.

The GHR, GHRH, PIT1, and STAT5A genes showed polymorphism. The highest polymorphism information content value was shown in the STAT5A gene. The highest DP value was found in the SO cattle population with the CC genotype (STAT5A), and the lowest DP value was found in the SO cattle population with the GG genotype (GHR). The GHR and STAT5A genotypes were highly associated (p < 0.05) with the DP parameter. Based on locus combination analysis, the highest DP value was found in the SO cattle population with AG|CC genotype (GHR|STAT5A) (57.85%), AG|BB|CC genotype (GHR|GHRH|STAT5A) (57.85%), and AA|BB|BB|CC genotype 18 (GHR|GHRH|PIT1|STAT5A) (56.02%).

All investigated genes in this study were polymorphic but were not associated with several growth parameters. The GHR and STAT5A genes can be proposed as genetic markers for the high DP trait in SO cattle in Indonesia, especially the AA genotype (GHR) and CC genotype (STAT5A).