title: Genetic characterization of the Blonde d'Aquitaine cattle breed using microsatellite markers and relationship with three other French cattle populations.
abstract: This study was conducted to evaluate the genetic diversity of Blonde d'Aquitaine, a well-muscled native French beef breed, and to understand the relationships between Blonde d'Aquitaine, Limousin and Salers. We also compared these three beef breeds to the Holstein dairy breed. For this purpose, a set of 16 microsatellite markers were investigated. The obtained results show that Blonde d'Aquitaine has a high level of genetic diversity. Our study shows also that the French beef breeds have genetic differentiation among them, with approximately 9% of the total variation owing to breed differences. Our results show also that Blonde d'Aquitaine and Salers populations are genetically more similar to each other than to the Limousin.
authors.affiliation: LABOGENA, Domaine de Vilbert, F-78352 Jouy-en-Josas, France.  
authors.forename: Yves
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Amigues
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Boitard
authors.forename: Christine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bertrand
authors.forename: Magali
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sancristobal
authors.forename: Dominique
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rocha
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics*; D005602:France; D014644:Genetic Variation; D008460:Meat; D018895:Microsatellite Repeats / Q000235:genetics*; D012641:Selection, Genetic