Methods for assessing the beef characteristics of live cattle

摘要

Methods for identifying cattle and beef carcasses that have markers of beef tenderness are provided The methods comprise extracting DNA from a sample obtained from a bovine animal or beef carcass, amplifying the extracted DNA using a primer referred to hereinafter as the “CSTN” primer and low stringency polymerase chain reaction (PCR) conditions to provide a pool of PCR products, and then assaying the pool for the presence or absence of a PCR product of approximately 350 base pairs, a PCR product of approximately 625 base pairs, a PCR product of approximately 675 base pairs, a PCR product of approximately 1450 base pairs, or combinations thereof. The CSTN primer is a single stranded oligonucleotide of from 8 to 12 nucleotides and having the sequence 5′ CGGGCAGG-3′, SEQ ID NO:1. Methods for identifying cattle and carcasses that have markers of beef marbling are also provided. The method comprise extracting DNA from a tissue sample from a bovine animal or beef carcass, amplifying the extracted DNA using a primer referred to hereinafter as the “CPN” primer and low stringency PCR conditions to provide a pool of PCR products, and then assaying the pool for the presence or absence of a PCR product of approximately 175 base pairs, or a PCR product of approximately 600 base pairs, or both PCR products. The CPN primer is a single stranded oligonucleotide comprising from 9 to 12 nucleotides and having the sequence 5′GCGCGAACG-3′, SEQ ID NO:3.