Genetic Analysis of DGAT1 Loci Related to Milk Production Traits in Native Sahiwal Cattle

Abstract

A dinucleotide substitution in exon-8 of DGAT1 has been identified to be responsible for variation in milk parameters in many cattle breeds of the world. Therefore, the present study was conducted in Sahiwal cows to investigate the genetic variation in DGAT1 gene through RFLP marker and to observe their association with milk performance parameters. Genomic DNA was extracted whole blood of 70 unrelated milking Sahiwal cows through spin column method. The 411bp fragment of DGAT1 was amplified and digested overnight with Eae I restriction enzyme to explore the genetic variability in DGAT1 gene. The lactation records of selected Sahiwal cows were tested for significance of association with genetic marker information. All the analyzed samples showed only ‘KK’ genotype and the gene and genotype frequency was observed fixed. The study concluded that exon 8 of DGAT1 gene was monomorphic in Sahiwal cattle and no association could be established in Sahiwal cows between DGAT1 gene and milk parameters.