Work Package 9 - Product Quality
Rationale: Boar taint is an off-flavour in pig meat caused primarily by high levels of skatole and adrostenone in some entire males. In most countries, male pigs used for pork production are castrated early in life to prevent boar taint in the meat. However, the use of intact male pigs greatly improves the sustainability of pork production (better welfare, lesss pollution, and better quality meat). Numerous studies have reported a large genetic component influencing the level of boar taint and QTL for components of boar taint have been mapped by the partners in this work package, making marker assisted selective breeding a realistic alternative to castration. This work package will dissect the complex genetic mechanisms involved in the accumulation of skatole and androstenone by combining proteomics and microarray transcriptional analysis with QTL information from genome wide marker scans and SNP-association studies.
Objectives
· Perform genome wide scan to confirm known QTL and identify new QTL
· Identify new candidate genes for skatole and androstenone by comparative genome-wide expression analysis and comparative proteomic studies
· Integrate mapping, expression and proteomic data, target causative genes and identify predictive SNPs
· Confirm SNPs in experimental and commercial populations
WP Leader: Dr Barbara Harlizius (Institute for Pig Genetics BV (IPG))
Partners involved:
University of Aarhus Faculty of Agricultural Sciences
The Roslin Institute and R(D)SVS, University of Edinburgh
Institute National de la Recherche Agronomique
Institute de Recerca I Tecnologia Agroalimentaries
Institute for Pig Genetics