Myostatin Gene - Cattle Breeding

patsy_mccabe

I downloaded the Progressive Genetics Limousin 2019 Prestige catalogue last night. There was some info for breeders on Myostatin. Page 2 of the attached.
I says that if you genotype your females, Weatherbys can ascertain the Myostatin Status (at extra cost, I imagine).
Anyone know anything about this?

It seems that most Limousin bulls carry 2 copies of the F94L variant. Some then, the hard calving ones, carry one each of the Q204X & F94L type (Elite Ice Cream for example).
Lodge Hamlet then carries the nt821 & F94L type. Double nt821 seem to be carried by all Belgian Blue. Interesting as Lodge Hamlet does look a bit like a BB.

Bellview

Patsy correct weatherby will test for around 6 euro extra. I do it here for all animal genomic tested. My reason is that more and more myostatin coming into Angus and it's a hard calver especially for dairy herds so I don't want it.

patsy_mccabe

Can Wheatherbys only test at the time of Genomic testing or can you get it done at a later date? Do they need the physical ear tissue sample?

manjou

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Can Wheatherbys only test at the time of Genomic testing or can you get it done at a later date? Do they need the physical ear tissue sample?

they can using hair samples but will cost full price. got some done here a few years ago and threw up some interesting results. turns out limousines where mixed with other French breeds years ago. 94l is limousin and would be easier calves 204 is chaolais so would be bigger calves etc. knowing where muscle was comming from would let you know what you were getting.

Hard Knocks

When you apply for genetic evaluation with ICBF are you better off going with Weathersby?

Bellview

patsy_mccabe wrote:

Can Wheatherbys only test at the time of Genomic testing or can you get it done at a later date? Do they need the physical ear tissue sample?

They can do later. They will use the sample that you would have submitted earlier in the year so no extra work. If you drop them an email or give them a call they will sort quickly. All you need provide is the tag numbers. You will get results in a few weeks as they seem to do a batch at a time. This is a good time of the year to get test done as their crazy busy period due to genomic tags has eased

Bellview

Interesting piece in the journal last week from Alan Kelly in ucd on benefits and downsides to myostatin...depending on your business there is upside but down sides are Calving difficulty fertility and milk....so they don't fit well into Angus breed

charolais0153

Bellview wrote: »

They can do later. They will use the sample that you would have submitted earlier in the year so no extra work. If you drop them an email or give them a call they will sort quickly. All you need provide is the tag numbers. You will get results in a few weeks as they seem to do a batch at a time. This is a good time of the year to get test done as their crazy busy period due to genomic tags has eased

So if you sent in 10 samples earlier this year ypu can get the myostatin genes of them. Does it cost much extra?

Bellview

charolais0153 wrote:

So if you sent in 10 samples earlier this year ypu can get the myostatin genes of them. Does it cost much extra?

Yes if you had sent in 10. You can get those 10 done. The cost of each test is around 6.25 . You will have results in a few weeks..and this time of year is best

charolais0153

Bellview wrote: »

Yes if you had sent in 10. You can get those 10 done. The cost of each test is around 6.25 . You will have results in a few weeks..and this time of year is best

And wpuld it work for samples sent in a few years ago

patsy_mccabe

I don't see the benefit for me as a Limousin breeder who sticks to only easy calving limousins. If I had a cow throwing massive calves then it might be worth doing a test for her. Outside of that what will I learn?

Bellview

charolais0153 wrote:

And wpuld it work for samples sent in a few years ago

Yes as they will have them. All they need are tag numbers

Bellview

patsy_mccabe wrote:

I don't see the benefit for me as a Limousin breeder who sticks to only easy calving limousins. If I had a cow throwing massive calves then it might be worth doing a test for her. Outside of that what will I learn?

Agreed but only difference it makes for me is that I know the status of my herd and secondly at some point in the future dairy farmers will not like myostatin if they hear that there might be trouble calving....so my reasons are to be ready for that day so I can answer the question when I'm asked.
It's a bit like lads testing for johnes 5 years ago lads wondered why but now there are more folks asking about it

blue5000

Do you need myostatin on both sides or just one side for hard calving?

Bellview

blue5000 wrote: »

Do you need myostatin on both sides or just one side for hard calving?

only one...but it you have it on both ie if you crossed goulding man o man (angus) with a BB then you will need be get ready for a side door exit.


i will dig up some links from US (angus society) where they did a study on 300 calvings split 3 x 100 groups. the 3 groups were no myostatin, single carrier and double carrier.


generally the myostatin calves are lighter boned but are heavier calves.


my personal opinion is for angus there should be zero myostatin for calving but saying that for suckler farmers might want some double muscling...which my view is that all angus should be sold with their status known so that the farmer can make up his/her mind on what works for them and have all facts in their hands...as unfortunately there are a lot of bulls off myostatin bulls and no one knows if their sons are carroers are not.


bulls to watch are westfellan diego (Bova), goulding man o man, treebridge bulls in munster ( there are 2) anything with abberton dazzle in it...there is a rumour that there is a new angus bull gone into munster has the gene so will need to see new catalogue. there are 2 very well known angus herds that have sons of him, one in particular would be vocal on facebook etc...i'm sure there are a lot more around than list above

http://www.redpoll.org/knowledge-base/article/myostatin-article-autumn-2012/

blue5000

So it's unlikely to be in a dairy cow? Unless someone got a BB in calf, milked her and had descendants from her.

I reckon we have a few double muscled calves here out of blonde cows and by the aubrac bull.

Bellview

blue5000 wrote: »

So it's unlikely to be in a dairy cow? Unless someone got a BB in calf, milked her and had descendants from her.

I reckon we have a few double muscled calves here out of blonde cows and by the aubrac bull.

unlikely but if you look at even the single variant bulls ie Goulding man o man. he started out as a sub 2% calving difficulty and he is now closer to 5% calving difficulty (high for angus) he was used in a teagasc test recently so the calving increase from last spring is based on dairy cows/heifers...so eventhough the dairy cow did not have the gene the gene has made the bull a harder calver


in angus circles at the minute there is a lot of 'noise' around the gene with some well know show herds using it extensively as it helps gain a few red rossettes .. and one or to of these lads are quiet vocal in that they feel it is not a hard calving gene....(but Goulding bull is proving otherwise) but longer term it may damage the easy calving side which drives over 80% of what the breed is used for in dairy herds.


my view has always been know the status of the bull and then lets farmers decide...and if the gene adds uncertainty to calving then the farmer is best placed to decide if he/she wants that risk ... for probably an extra 20/30 a calf

Mooooo

How does it tie in with geststion length?, having the gene and a short gestation would help calving I assume for bulls with the gene. On the dairy side I use dbz BB every year, only 10 or so calves a year so low numbers but have never had trouble calving him, as between the dairy gestation shortening and him they have never gone over time. He's around 8% calving difficulty I think.
I would agree it would be something to know for heifers as stockbulls in particular used to clean up may be more risky.

Bellview

Mooooo wrote: »

How does it tie in with geststion length?, having the gene and a short gestation would help calving I assume for bulls with the gene. On the dairy side I use dbz BB every year, only 10 or so calves a year so low numbers but have never had trouble calving him, as between the dairy gestation shortening and him they have never gone over time. He's around 8% calving difficulty I think.
I would agree it would be something to know for heifers as stockbulls in particular used to clean up may be more risky.

Not sure if gene impacts gestation length...but you are correct the shorter the gestation the easier they will come out. The goulding bull was used in a trial with a mix of cows and heifers and the results show him to be a hard calver by Angus standards...whether Angus breeders want to admit it or not the market for the bull is dairy heifers and some mopping...as the dairy farmers wants the calf out fast and easy...so hard calving genes in the bulls won't help Angus in future

patsy_mccabe

Fron here;

https://www.irishlimousin.com/2019/08/11/limousin-factsheet-myostatin-double-muscling-limousin-cattle-2/