Association of calpastatin (CAST/MspI) polymorphism with meat quality parameters of fatteners and its interaction with RYR1 genotypes.

The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of polymorphism of calpastatin (CAST) and RYR1 genes for some meat quality traits taking into consideration the group of meatiness and their mutual interactions. Investigations were carried out on a group of 201 fatteners which were crosses of four breeds. The results obtained show that CAST/MspI genotype has an effect close to the major effect for drip loss from LL muscle tissue at 48 h as well as at 96 h postmortem (0.92 and 0.96 SD respectively). Among the meat quality traits analysed and that were affected by CAST/MspI genotype, the animals with BB genotype at this locus were characterized by the most profitable values of all these traits. Significant interactions between CAST and RYR1 genotypes observed indicate that the quality of meat influenced by RYR1 genotype may be modified by the simultaneous influence of genotype as regards the CAST locus.