Carrying the FecB (Booroola) mutation is associated with lower birth weight and slower post-weaning growth rate for lambs, as well as a lighter mature bodyweight for ewes

Abstract

The present study was conducted in an Assaf flock in which the FecB (Booroola) mutation was segregated to determine whether the FecB mutation affects birthweight and the pre- and post-weaning growth rate of ewe lambs, as well as the mature bodyweight of ewes. Significant differences (P = 0.01) in birthweight (mean +/- s.e.m.) were found between BB ewe lambs (4.03 +/- 0.08 kg) and B+ and ++ ewe lambs (4.16 +/- 0.04 and 4.32 +/- 0.07 kg, respectively), which themselves did not differ significantly (P > 0.05). An FecB-associated maternal effect on the birthweight of ewe lambs was also detected, with the birthweight of lambs born to BB mothers (3.93 +/- 0.08 kg) being significantly (P < 0.0001) different from the birthweight of lambs born to B+ and ++ mothers (4.26 +/- 0.04 and 4.33 +/- 0.07 kg, respectively), which did not differ significantly. The genotypes of the lambs did not affect their preweaning growth rate. However, the post-weaning growth rate of ewe BB lambs (274 +/- 5 g day(-1)) was significantly (P = 0.05) different from the similar (P > 0.05) post-weaning growth rates of B+ and ++ lambs (284 +/- 3 and 290 +/- 4 g day(-1), respectively). The genotype at the FecB locus also affected the mature bodyweight of ewes, with that of BB ewes (67.3 +/- 1.4 kg) being significantly (P < 0.001) different from the similar mature bodyweight of B+ and ++ ewes (70.8 +/- 1.1 and 70.1 +/- 1.7 kg, respectively).