QTL for live weight traits in Pere David's x red deer interspecies hybrids

Interspecies hybrids between Pere David's deer (Elaphurus davidianus) and r ed deer (Cervus elaphus) have proved to be a powerful resource in the searc h for quantitative trait loci (QTL) in deer. Several regions of the genome with significant effects on live weight and growth rates in backcross hybri ds were detected. These include putative QTL for 6-month live weight (LOD 3 .90) on linkage group 12, for 14-month live weight (LOD 3.19) on linkage gr oup 1, three putative QTL for growth rate from 3 to 6 months (LOD 4.19 on l inkage group 12, LOD 3.92 on linkage group 12, and LOD 3.34 on linkage grou p 5), In addition, linkage groups 20 and 1 appear to be associated with liv e weight traits between 9 and 16 months. The variance in traits explained b y these QTL ranged between 5.3% and 11.2%. Allele substitution with Pere Da vid's alleles at different loci had both positive and negative effects on l ive weights and growth rates.