title: The MC4R c.893G>A mutation: a marker for growth and leanness associated with boar taint odour in Belgian pig breeds.
abstract: Since surgical castration of male piglets without anaesthesia is under heavy societal pressure, finding a sustainable solution to reduce boar taint has become urgent. One way to circumvent this animal welfare violation is raising entire male pigs whilst selecting against the tainted phenotype through marker-assisted selection. Since slaughtering at a lower weight is often suggested to reduce boar taint, selection using a marker for that trait could be a promising strategy. Therefore, in this study a melanocortin 4 receptor (MC4R) mutation, frequently described in different pig breeds as marker for fat content, weight gain and feed intake, was examined in relation to boar taint in pig breeds used in Belgian pig farms. Although results suggest an association between this mutation and a boar taint odour score assigned by experts, no association was found between the mutation and the concentration of the individual chemical boar taint components androstenone, skatole and indole.
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Schroyen
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Janssens
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Stinckens
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Brebels
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bertolini
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lamberigts
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bekaert
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Chemical Analysis, Department of Veterinary Public Health and Food Safety, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Ghent University, Salisburylaan 133, B-9820 Merelbeke, Belgium.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Vanhaecke
authors.affiliation: Animal Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, B-9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Aluwé
authors.affiliation: Animal Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, B-9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: F A M
authors.initials: FA
authors.lastname: Tuyttens
authors.affiliation: Animal Sciences Unit, Institute for Agricultural and Fisheries Research (ILVO), Scheldeweg 68, B-9090 Melle, Belgium.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Millet
authors.affiliation: Livestock Genetics, Department Biosystems, Faculty of Bioscience Engineering, KU Leuven, Kasteelpark Arenberg 30, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium. Electronic address: Nadine.Buys@biw.kuleuven.be.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Buys
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue; D000736:Androstenes; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight / Q000235:genetics*; D001947:Breeding; D002369:Castration; D002149:Energy Intake / Q000235:genetics; D006128:Growth / Q000235:genetics; D007211:Indoles; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D009154:Mutation; D009812:Odorants / Q000032:analysis*; D010641:Phenotype; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4 / Q000235:genetics*; D012862:Skatole; D013552:Swine / Q000235:genetics / Q000254:growth & development; D013851:Thinness
chemical_list: D000736:Androstenes; D007211:Indoles; D044105:Receptor, Melanocortin, Type 4; D012862:Skatole
keywords: Boar taint; Entire male pig; MC4R c.893G>A; Marker assisted selection