ABSTRACT Quantitative trait loci affecting milk yield and composition, health, and type traits were studied for seven large grandsire families of US Holstein using the granddaughter design. The families were genotyped at 20 microsatellite markers on 15 chromosomes, and the effects of the marker alleles were analyzed for 28 traits (21 type traits, 5 milk yield and composition traits, somatic cell score, and productive herd life). Markers BM415 on chromosome 6 and BM6425 on chromosome 14 were associated with effects on protein percentage in a single grandsire fam-ily. The latter marker had a lower probability of being associated with changes in milk yield and fat percent-age in the same family. Increases in productive herd life were associated with an allele at marker BM719 on chromosome 16 in one grandsire family.
Key Words: quantitative trait loci, microsatellite markers, milk yield traits, type traits
1998 J. Dairy Sci. 81:3309-3314
© 1998, by the American Dairy Science Association. All rights reserved.