Genetic Variants of ?-Lactoglobulin, ?s1-Casein and ?-Casein of Milk in East Anatolian Red Cattle Breed

Abstract

β-Lactoglobulin (β-Lg), α_s1-casein (α_s1-Cn) and β-casein (β-Cn) polymorphisms of East Anatolian Red breed cattle raised in Turkey were studied by applying starch urea gel electrophoresis. In addition, milk yield, fat content and rennet clotting time were determined. Electrophoretic analysis showed that milk samples taken from 34 East Anatolian Red cattle breed had AA, AB and BB genotypes of β-Lg, BB and BC genotypes of α_s1-Cn and AA and AB genotypes of β-Cn. No differences were found for milk yield and fat content related with the genetic variants of β-Lg, α_s1-Cn and β-Cn (p > 0.05). There were significant differences for rennet clotting time of milk related with the genetic variants of β-Lg and β-Cn (p < 0.05) whereas no differences were found with the genetic variants of α_s1-Cn (p > 0.05). Therefore, it was concluded that selection of individual East Anatolian Red cows for AB genotype of β-Lg and AA genotype of β-Cn would be more appropriate, due to the fact that milk from these cows are associated with lower rennet clotting time.