The leptin arg25cys affects performance, carcass traits and serum leptin concentrations in beef cattle

Abstract

A single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) in the bovine leptin gene has been associated with carcass traits and elevated gene expression. To examine the relationship between leptin genotype with serum leptin concentration and carcass traits, blood samples were collected 24 h prior to slaughter in 89 head of cattle. Cattle were predominantly of Angus (n = 26), Hereford (n = 31) and Charolais (n = 32) breed types with approximately half homozygous for the T allele or the C allele. Cattle were limit fed to achieve 1 kg d-1 liveweight gain for a 70-d background period while during finishing, animals were fed ad libitum such that half the animals within each breed type were slaughtered at 8 or 12 mm back fat determined by ultrasound. Preslaughter serum leptin and insulin were determined using radioimmunoassays (RIA) specific for cattle and sheep. Animals homozygous for the T allele had greater (P < 0.05) backfat depth at the beginning (2.4 ± 0.49 vs. 1.8 ± 0.49 mm) and end (3.1 ± 0.42 vs. 2.4 ± 0.42 mm) of the backgrounding period and reached target finishing back fat depths at lighter (P < 0.01) weights (548.2 ± 20 vs. 588.0 ± 20 kg) and in fewer (P < 0.05) total days on feed (179.3 ± 13 vs. 195.2 ± 13 d) than homozygous C animals. Leptin genotype effects on serum leptin concentration were confined to a three-way interaction such that TT Charolais fattened to 12 mm had significantly higher serum leptin levels than CC animals. Leptin concentration was correlated positively with measurements of fat (e.g., average ultrasound fat depth at end of test r = 0.45, P < 0.01). Results are consistent with an increased rate of fat deposition associated with the T allele in leptin. Key words: Beef cattle, leptin, carcass, yield