Associations of GH gene variants with performance traits in F-2 generations of European wild boar, Pietrain and Meishan pigs

The role of the porcine GH gene was investigated in 292 F-2 animals of mating Wild Boar x Pietrain and in 310 F-2 animals of mating Meishan x Pietrain. Forty-three traits of fattening, carcass composition, meat quality and stress resistance were recorded. For the analysis of associations between GH gene variants and quantitative traits, two restriction fragment length polymorphisms were examined. In the Meishan x Pietrain family eight traits related to fatness were significantly associated with GK genotypes, while in the Wild Boar x Pietrain family no significant associations were found. In the Meishan x Pietrain cross, the GK locus explained 11.7% to 17.7% of the total phenotypic variance in the F-2 population. The possibility of multiple alleles at the GH locus is discussed. Based on these results, we conclude that the GH locus should be further investigated in commercial breeds to determine its suitability for use in marker-assisted selection programmes.