MYOSTATIN – A BUYER’S GUIDE 1. Introduction
Following consultation with members, in March 2019 Council took the decision to protect the Salers’ leading maternal traits, especially it’s unrivalled calving ease, by implementing a five-year program to eliminate from the breed the various mutations of the myostatin gene otherwise known as the Culard or double muscling gene. The aim of the Society is to explain and communicate the potential impact that myostatin would have on the maternal traits so sought after in the Salers. Some of the worst effects of the myostatin mutation on calving ease etc. occur when an animal inherits two copies, one from each parent. Suckler farmers can avoid this risk by keeping cows that are M0, whilst still being able to use a strongly muscled terminal sire to gain improved conformation. The sooner the myostatin mutations are eliminated, the sooner the Society will be able to capitalise on a unique status and an unprecedented marketing tool. There are opportunities to adopt a system, whereby herds are classified or accredited as Myostatin free. This would make the Salers stand out from any other breed and allow us to effectively market our maternal breed to maximum effect. From 1st January 2024, registrations will no longer be accepted into the main herd book of UK Salers of animals of unknown myostatin status or that are known to have any of the mutations of the myostatin gene. Please see myostatin definitions in section 2.1 Certificate of Pedigree. So far, since March 2019 all bulls submitted for registration have had their myostatin status established either by DNA testing or by parentage and this information has been publicised on the certificate of pedigree and on Breedplan. If a registration from a male animal was received with an unknown myostatin status, the registration was suspended, pending the myostatin result via DNA testing. The number of Salers animals registered on Breedplan wih a myostatin status of MO & MOP
In addition, from 1 November 2019 all pedigree males and females entered to Society sales have been DNA tested to establish their myostatin status and the result published in the catalogue and announced at the sale.
1500
1000
Oct-20
Sep-20
Jul-20
Aug-20
Jun-20
May-20
Apr-20
Feb-20
Mar-20
Jan-20
Dec-19
Oct-19
Nov-19
Sep-19
Aug-19
Jul-19
Jun-19
Apr-19
May-19
0
Mar-19
500
Feb-19
On 20 September 2020, the myostatin status of 2228 cattle were known or inferred and recorded on Breedplan. 96.2% of registered cattle had the desired myostatin status of M0 / M0P, with only 3.8% having the myostatin status of M1 / M2.
2000
NUMBER
Tremendous progress has been made and we are fortunate that we have found so few Salers with these myostatin genes, just four imported lines that were discovered at the outset. In March 2019, 261 cattle on the Breedplan database had a known myostatin result. Of that 261 cattle 237 (90.8%) were M0 or M0P however 9.2% had a known or inferred status of M1 or M2.
2500
DATE
2. Next Steps – Buyers
Pedigree breeders need to be especially vigilant on the myostatin status of animals they buy, as the costs and difficulties of getting their herd myostatin free by 2024 will be greatly increased if they inadvertently introduce these myostatin variants via bought in animals. The purchase of stock represents an investment in genetic material that will have a major impact on the financial performance of the herd, so it is important to invest wisely. As well as the normal purchasing criteria of maternal traits, appearance, registration status, structural soundness, health, cost, performance data and fertility it is also important to consider the myostatin status of females and the myostatin / DNA status for bulls. At Society sales, the myostatin / DNA status will be advertised in the catalogue and announced at sale. In the case of private sales, you could: • ask the owner / breeder to see a copy of the Certificate of Pedigree • contact the Salers Cattle Society • use the ear tag number to look up the animal’s details on Breedplan
Salers Cattle Society 78
