Gene polymorphisms influencing yield, composition and technological properties of milk from Czech Simmental and Holstein cows

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to evaluate the influence of polymorphic loci and other factors on milk performance and the technological properties of milk. METHODS: The analysis was performed on Simmental and Holstein cows in field conditions (n = 748). Milk yield in kg, fat and protein percentage and yield were evaluated. Technological properties were evaluated by milk fermentation ability, renneting, and an alcohol test. Polymorphisms in the acyl-CoA diacylgycerol transferase 1 (DGAT1), leptin (LEP), fatty acid synthase (FASN), stearoyl CoA desaturase 1 (SCD1), casein beta (CSN2), casein kappa (CSN3), and lactoglobulin beta genes were genotyped, and association analysis was performed. RESULTS: The DGAT1 AA genotype was associated with higher milk, protein and fat yields (p<0.05). The MM genotype in the LEP gene was associated with a lower protein percentage and the W allele with a higher protein percentage (p<0.05). In cows with the FASN GG genotype, the protein percentage was higher, but the A allele was associated with higher milk, protein and fat yields than the G allele. The TT genotype in SCD1 was associated with the lowest milk, protein and fat yields and with the highest milk protein percentage (p<0.01). The T allele had higher values than the C allele (p<0.05) except for fat percentage. The genotype CSN3 AA was associated with a significantly heightened milk yield; BB was associated with a high protein percentage. The effect of the alleles on the technological properties was not significant. The CSN2 BB genotype was associated with the best alcohol test (p<0.01), and the renneting order was inverse. Milk from cows with the CSN2 A(1)A(1) genotype was best in the milk fermentation ability. CSN3 significantly affected the technological properties. CONCLUSION: The findings revealed the potential of some polymorphic loci for use in dairy cattle breeding and for the management of milk quality. In field research, the pivotal role of farms in milk yield, composition and technological properties was confirmed.