Technical note: Direct genotyping of the double-muscling locus (mh) in piedmontese and Belgian Blue cattle by fluorescent PCR

A simple PCR-based allele detection system has been developed to assist in the management of the two most prevalent double-muscled (mh) breeds in the U.S. Application of this assay will permit the implementation of structured mating systems dependent on precise genotypes at the mh locus. The genetic assay uses standard fluorescent genotyping technology and relies on the un ique nucleotide composition of wild-type and mutant alleles of myostatin, t he gene underlying the double-muscled phenotype. We present data demonstrat ing the efficacy of this fluorescent primer-based PCR assay in genotyping a nimal populations carrying normal and(or) mutant alleles of the myostatin g ene.