Marker-Assisted Selection Potential in Kedah-Kelantan Cattle: DGAT1 Gene Linked to Improvement in Growth Performance Traits

Abstract

Kedah-Kelantan (KK) cattle, an indigenous Bos indicus breed from Malaysia, are valued for their high fertility and adaptability to local environments but their slow growth rates hinder their contribution to Malaysia’s beef industry. Identifying single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the DGAT1 gene that are associated with growth traits (heart girth, body length) and fertility traits (calving interval, age at first calving) is critical for enabling marker-assisted selection (MAS). SNPs enhance MAS for economically important traits in cattle, but their efficacy requires breed-specific validation. This study aimed to identify SNPs in the DGAT1 gene associated with growth and fertility traits in KK cattle to enhance MAS. Genotyping of blood samples from 30 mature KK cattle was conducted using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), yielding a 411 bp DGAT1 fragment in all samples. Phenotypic data comprised heart girth (HG) and body length (BL) for growth, as well as calving interval and age-at-first calving for fertility assessment. Association analyses revealed significant relationships between DGAT1 SNPs and HG (p = 0.036) and BL (p = 0.024), while no associations were found for fertility traits. These findings elucidate the genetic architecture of growth in KK cattle, address a knowledge gap in indigenous breed genomics, and support targeted breeding strategies aimed at enhancing Malaysia’s beef industry sustainability.