Association between PrP genotypes and selected growth traits of Hungarian Merino and German Mutton Merino rams (Short Communication)

Abstract. In sheep, susceptibility to scrapie is associated with the prion protein (PrP) gene polymorphism. In this study the association between selected growth traits (daily weight gain from birth to weaning and in farm fattening performance test, as well as body weight at one and two years) and PrP genotypes ARR/ARR, ARR/XXX and XXX/XXX (XXX representing AHQ, ARQ, ARH or VRQ) has been investigated in Hungarian Merino (n=286) and German Mutton Merino (n=215) rams. No significant association was found among the studied growth traits and the PrP genotypes in the Hungarian Merino breed. In case of a group of German Mutton Merino rams lamb daily gain was significantly (P≤0.05) – but in a small extent – associated with PrP genotype, which influenced the daily gain values by 9.6 %.