Ir. H.J. van Wijk: "The Genetics of Pork Quality"

The aim of this thesis was the identification and fine-mapping of QTL for carcass composition and pork quality traits within commercial lines. A large finisher population was extensively phenotyped for growth, carcass composition and meat quality traits. Genetic parameters were estimated and a QTL mapping was carried out. The QTL analysis covered 50 percent of the genome and the regions covered, were selected based on published QTL information obtained from divergent experimental crosses. Evidence for a number of significant QTL was obtained. In general the size of the QTL effects that are segregating in this commercial line appeared to be moderate to small. A variance component (VC) analysis method, using both linkage and linkage disequilibrium information, was applied to further characterize and refine the map position of the QTL. The results of this analysis revealed a considerable contribution of the dam haplotypes to the variance of meat quality traits.