The genetic variability of various local chicken populations derived from Bolivia, India, Nigeria and Tanzania was evaluated with 22 microsatellites. Between two and 11 alleles per locus were detected. All populations showed high levels of heterozygosity with the lowest value of 45% for the population named Aseel from India and the highest value of 67% for Arusha from Tanzania. A dendrogram was constructed based on CHORD distance by upgMa analysis. Within this tree the populations were assorted according to their geographical origin. Bootstrapping values within the dendrogram were between 37 and 99%. The contribution of the determination of genetic variability with genetic markers to the decision on conservation and/or further use of the populations in crossbreeding programs designed to create genetic stocks with improved adaptability and productivity in tropical countries is discussed.

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Background: The proportion of muscle fibre types and their size affect muscularity as well as functional properties of the musculature and meat quality. We aimed to identify QTL for microstructural muscle properties including muscle fibre size, their numbers and fibre type proportions as well as biophysical parameters of meat quality and traits related to body composition, i.e. pH, conductivity, area of M. longissimus dorsi and lean meat content. A QTL scan was conducted in a porcine experimental population that is based on Duroc and Berlin Miniature Pig.

Abstract. In order to demonstrate the potential power of maternal effects on litter size and growth in pigs a reciprocal cross of Berlin Miniature Pigs and Durocs was carried out. The average body weight of the Duroc dams (151 kg) was more than three times higher than the weight of the Miniature Pig dams (48 kg). A considerable maternal effect on fertility, estimated from reciprocal crossbred differences in the litter size of 3.5 piglets was found. The least Squares means of birth weight were 1.18 kg and 0.75 kg for Fl animals bom from Duroc dams and Miniature Pig dams, respectively. This maternal caused disadvantage in body weight of crossbred offspring from Miniature Pig dams is compensated in the interval from weaning to the 13th week of age. The end weight estimated by means of Gompertz and Bertalanffy growth functions showed only minor differences between the reciprocal crossed groups in favour of Fl born from Duroc dams. Our data suggest that the uterine capacity of the dam could play an important role in the fertility of extreme breed crosses. Concerning growth performance the milk yield of the sow and the influence of the birthweight of the piglets were discussed.