Identification of genetic markers and QTL for carcass quality traits within the American Simmental Association Carcass Merit Program

摘要

With the first matings at the Sheek Ranch in Cabool, MO, in the spring of 1997, the American Simmental Association ( ) launched a program that eventually changed the direction and collective futures of all producers and users of Simmental genetics. Then, simply known as the Carcass Merit Project ( ), the top sires of the Simmental and Simbrah breeds were randomly mated to commercial females with the plan to collect difficult-to-get progeny sire group carcass information and sometimes tenderness data. In addition to information about carcass traits, this program contributes well over 1,000 birth, weaning, and yearling weights, and calving ease scores each year and nearly 4,000 shear force records have been collected. Chute scores have been collected on a portion of the cows in the CMP as well as fertility data. Another more recent addition to the CMP has been the inclusion of intake and feed conversion data on a portion of the calves.