PREDICTION OF INFORMATIVENESS FOR MICROSATELLITE MARKERS AMONG PROGENY OF SIRES USED FOR DETECTION OF ECONOMIC TRAIT LOCI IN DAIRY-CATTLE

Individual loci affecting economic traits can be located using genetic linkage. Application of either daughter or granddaughter designs requ ires determination of allele origin in the progeny. If only the sires and their progeny are genotyped, the paternal allele origin of progeny having the same genotype as the sire cannot be determined. The expect ed frequency of informative sons can be predicted for each sire and ge netic marker from the allele frequencies in the population. The accura cy of a predictor of the frequency of informative progeny was tested o n 103 grandsire x microsatellite combinations. Number of sons per gran dsire varied from 24 to 129. Allele frequencies in the population were estimated by genotyping seven sires. The regression of the frequency of informative sons on the predicted frequency was 1.04 with a zero in tercept model. Thus, considering the large number of genetic markers a vailable for analysis, predicted informative frequency is a useful cri terion for selection of genetic markers.