The Genetic Influence on Sheep Meat Quality, Growth and Body Weight: A Review

Abstract

Background: Presently, the demand for sheep meat is directed mainly towards high quality products. Meat production improvement and meat quality are very important in sheep industry. The aim of this paper is focusing to review the papers to studies regarding the influence of genes to production and quality of meat. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays are a molecular genetic method in searching the markers associated with meat production and meat quality traits in animal breeding. Conclusion: Previous study had shown that genes like myostatin, leptin, calpastatin had influenced the meat production and meat quality traits. The meat production traits and meat quality traits have a moderate heritability and can be included in meat sheep breeding objectives.