MX2007015806A

MX2007015806A - Polymorphisms in fatty acid binding protein 4(fabp4) gene and their associations with measures of marbling and subcutaneous fat depth in beef cattle

Info

Publication number: MX2007015806A
Application number: MXMX/A/2007/015806A
Authority: MX
Inventors: Jiang Zhihua; J Michal Jennifer
Original assignee: Jiang Zhihua; Kunej Tanja; Washington State University Research Foundation
Priority date: 2005-06-13
Filing date: 2007-12-12
Publication date: 2008-09-02

Abstract

The physiological regulation of intake, growth and energy partitioning in animals is under the control of multiple genes, which may be important candidates for unraveling the genetic variation in economically relevant traits in beef production. The present invention relates to the identification of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the bovine genes encoding fatty acid binding proteins and their associations with economically relevant traits in beef production. The invention further encompasses methods and systems, including network-based processes, to manage the SNP data and other data relating to specific animals and herds of animals, veterinarian care, diagnostic and quality control data and management of livestock which, based on genotyping, have predictable meat quality traits, husbandry conditions, animal welfare, food safety information, audit of existing processes and data from field locations.

Description

POLYMORPHISMS IN THE GENE PROTEIN 4 THAT LINKS FATTY ACID (FABP4) AND ITS ASSOCIATIONS WITH MARBLE AND DEPTH MEASURES OF SUBCUTANEOUS FAT IN VACCINAL CATTLE FOR MEAT FIELD OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the identification of individual nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the bovine genes that encode protein 4 that links fatty acid ("FABP4") and its associations with economically relevant attributes in the production of beef. The invention also relates to methods and systems, including network-based processes, for handling SNP data and other data that relate to specific animals and herds of animals, veterinary care, diagnostic data, and quality control and management. of cattle that, based on genotype detection, have predictable meat quality attributes, breeding conditions, animal welfare, feed safety information, audit of existing processes and field location data. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Significant improvements in animal performance, efficiency and quality of carcass and meat have been made over the years through the application of standard animal reproduction and selection techniques. However, such classical animal reproduction techniques require several years of genetic evaluation of performance records on individual animals and their congeners and are therefore very expensive. Other efforts have been made to improve productivity and quality through the application of such management practices as the use of food additives, animal hormonal implants and chemotherapies. However, there is significant political and regulatory resistance to the introduction and use of such methodologies. Such methodologies are also not inheritable and need to be applied differently in each production system. There is a need for methods that allow selection and. relatively easy and more efficient reproduction of farm animals with an advantage for a heritable attribute of circulating leptin levels, feed intake, feed proportion, body weight, channel excellence and channel composition. The economic significance of the use of genetic markers that are associated with specific economically important attributes (especially attributes with low heritability) in livestock through marker-assisted selection therefore can not be overemphasized. The physiological regulation of ingestion, growth and division of energy in animals is under the control of multiple genes, which may be important candidates for deciphering the genetic variation in economically relevant attributes (ERT) in the production of beef. Polymorphisms in these candidate genes that show association with specific ERTs are nucleotides of quantitative attributes useful for marker-assisted selection. In the present study, associations between individual nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the protein 4 gene that binds fatty acid ("FABP4") with marbling and depth of subcutaneous fat have been found. Fatty acid binding proteins are a family of highly conserved, small cytoplasmic proteins that link long chain fatty acids and other hydrophobic ligands (Kaikaus et al 1990. Experientia, 46: 617-630). Its major functions include the uptake of fatty acid, transport and metabolism. So far, nine distinct members have been identified in this gene family (Damcott et al. 2004. Metabolism, 53: 303-309), which includes protein that binds fatty acid in adipocyte or protein 4 that binds fatty acid ("FABP4") . FABP4 plays a major role in the regulation of lipid and glucose homeostasis through its interaction with activated perioxizoma proliferator receptors (PPARs), located in the cell nucleus. Specifically, the FABP4 / fatty acid complex activates the isoform of PPAR- ?, which, in turn, regulates the transcription of FABP4 (Damcott et al. 2004. Metabolism, 53: 303-309). In addition, FABP4 appears to be involved in the hydrolysis of lipids and trafficking intracellular fatty acid through direct interaction and binds to the hormone-sensitive lipose (Shen et al. 1999. Proc Nati Acad Sci USA, 96: 5528-5532 ), which is a primary enzyme involved in lipid metabolism (Tansey et al. 2003. J Biol Chem. 278: 8401-8406). Recently, FABP4 and FABP5 were proposed as potential candidate genes for obesity since they are located within a region of quantitative attribute sites (QTL) for serum leptin levels in mice (Ogino et al. 2003. Mamm Genome, 14 : 839-844). Leptin, a 16-kDa protein secreted from white adipocytes, is involved in the regulation of food intake, energy expenditure and complete blood energy balance (Jiang and Gibson 1999. Mamm Genome, 10: 191-193) . All these factors indicate that FABP4 can play an important role in lipid metabolism and homeostasis in adipocytes. It remains advantageous to provide additional SNPs that can more accurately predict the quality phenotype of an animal's meat and also a business method that provides increased production efficiencies in cattle, as well as providing access to various animal records and allows comparisons with expected or desired objectives with respect to the quality or quantity of animals produced. The citation or identification of any document in this application is not an admission that such document is available as a prior art to the present invention. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to the identification of individual nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the bovine genes that encode the fatty acid binding protein ("FABP4") and their associations with economically relevant attributes in production. of beef. The invention encompasses a method for subgrouping animals according to the genotype wherein the animals of each subgroup have a similar polymorphism in a FABP4 gene which may comprise determining the genotype of each animal to be subgrouped or determining the presence of a nucleotide polymorphism individual in the FABP 4 gene, and segregate the individual animals into the subgroups where each animal in a subgroup has a similar polymorphism in the FABP 4 gene. The invention also includes a method for sub-grouping animals according to the genotype wherein the animals of each subgroup have a similar genotype in a FABP4 gene which may comprise determining the genotype of each animal to be pooled or determining the presence of a ) individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest in the FABP4 gene, and segregate the individual animals into subgroups depending on whether the animals have, or do not have, the individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest in the FABP4 gene . The individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest can be selected from the group consisting of a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP gene, a substitution of G to C at position 7713 of the FABP gene Four . The invention furthermore relates to a method for subgrouping animals according to the genotype wherein the animals of each subgroup have a similar genotype in the FABP4 gene which may comprise determining the genotype of each animal to be grouped by determining the presence of any of the Previous SNPs, and segregate individual animals into subgroups depending on whether the animals have, or do not have, any of the previous SNPs in the FABP4 gene. The invention relates to the method for identifying an animal that has a desirable phenotype as compared to the general population of animals of those species, which may comprise determining the presence of an individual nucleotide polymorphism in the FABP gene of the animal, wherein the presence of the SNP is indicative of a desirable phenotype. In an advantageous embodiment, the animal can be a bovine. In another advantageous embodiment, the FABP4 gene can be a bovine FABP gene. The invention also includes computer-assisted methods and systems for improving production efficiency for cattle that have marketable tender meat using multiple data, and in particular the genotype of the animals as it relates to the FABP4 SNPs. Methods of the invention include obtaining a genetic sample from each animal in a herd of cattle, determining the genotype of each animal with respect to specific quality attributes as defined by a panel of at least two individual polynucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) , group animals with similar genotypes, and optionally, subagrugate animals based on similar genotypes. Methods of the invention may also include obtaining and maintaining data relating to the animals or herds, their breeding conditions, health and veterinary care and condition, history or genetic kinship, and providing this data to others through systems that are based on the network, contained in a database, or linked to the animal itself, such as through an implanted chip. An advantageous aspect of the present invention, therefore, is directed to a computer system and computer-assisted methods for tracking quality attributes for livestock possessing specific genetic predispositions. The present invention advantageously includes computer assisted methods and systems for acquiring genetic data, particularly genetic data as defined by the absence or presence of a SNP within the FABP4 gene related to the quality attributes of the progeny of the animal and associated that data with other data about the animal or herd, and keep these data on routes that are accessible. One aspect of the invention encompasses a computer-assisted method for predicting that livestock animals have a biological difference and the quality of the meat, and which may include the steps of using a computer system, for example, a programmed computer comprising a computer. processor, a data storage system, an input device and an output device, the steps of: (a) entering the programmed computer through the input device data that includes a genotype of an animal as it relates to to any one of the FABP4 SNPs described herein, (b) correlating the quality of the meat predicted by the FABP4 genotype using the processor and the data storage system and (c) outputting the quality device of meat correlated to the FABP4 genotype, in this way predicting that livestock animals have a particular meat quality. Yet another aspect of the invention relates to a method for doing business for livestock management which comprises providing a user computer system for livestock management comprising physical characteristics and genotypes corresponding to one or more animals or a readable medium. by computer for the management of livestock that includes physical characteristics and genotypes that comprise one or more animals or physical characteristics and genotypes that correspond to one or more animals, where a physical characteristic ingestion, growth or channel excellence in cattle for meat and the genotype is a FABP4 genotype. It is noted that in this description particularly in the claims and / or paragraphs, terms such as "comprises", "understood", "comprising" and the like can have the meaning contributed of the US Patent Law.; for example, they may mean "includes", "included", "including", and the like; and those terms such as "consisting essentially of" and "consists essentially of" have the meaning ascribed to the subject in the American patent law, for example, allow elements not explicitly cited, but exclude elements that are in the prior art or which affect a basic or novel feature of the invention. These and other modalities are disclosed or are obvious from and included by, the following Detailed Description. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The following detailed description, given by way of example, but not proposed to limit the invention only to the specific embodiments described, can be better understood in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: FIG. 1 represents the sequence alignment between the cDNA and the genomic DNA to determine the genomic organization of the bovine FABP4 gene. FIG. 2 represents two G / C substitutions detected at positions 7516 and 7713 in the bovine FABP4 gene. FIG. 3 represents the PCR-RFLP genotype detection of the C / G substitution at position 7516 of the bovine FABP4 gene. Line 1: 100 bp ladder. Lines 2-7: a 452 bp amplicon was digested with the restriction enzyme MspAlI. Lines 2-4, CG animals show 3 bands after complete digestion, 452, 352 and 100 bp; Line 5, CC animals do not have an MspAlI site and the 452 bp amplicon was not digested; Lines 6 and 7, GG animals have an MspAlI site and reveal after complete digestion two bands: 352 bp and 100 bp. FIG. 4 represents in GenBank access number: No. AAFC01136716, Bos taurus' Contl36721, the complete genome shotgun sequence. FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of data entry and the output of the results of the analysis and correlation of the data pertaining to breeding, veterinary histories and performance requirement of a group of animals such as a herd of cows and the interactive flow of data from the computer-aided device to a body of students learning the use of the method of the invention. FIG. 6 illustrates the potential relationships between the data elements to be entered into the system. Non-directional arrows indicate, for example, that a barn is typically owned by only one farm, while a farm may have several barns.

Similarly, a transcript may include veterinary products. FIG. 7A illustrates the flow of events in the use of the laptop-based system for the input of data on the reproduction and breeding of a herd of cows Figure 7B illustrates the flow of events through the subroutines related to the input of data concerning the management of the farm Figure 7C illustrates the flow of events through the subroutine related to the input of data concerning the company-specific data, Figure 8 illustrates a flow chart of the input of data and the output of the results of the analysis and the correlation of the data pertaining to the breeding, veterinary histories and group performance requirements of a group of animals DETAILED DESCRIPTION The practice of the present invention will employ a unless otherwise indicated, conventional techniques of molecular biology, microbiology, recombinant DNA technology, and immunology, which are within the ability of the technique, such techniques are fully explained in the literature. See, for example, Sambrook et al. (2001) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press; DNA Cloning, Vols. I and II (D. N. Glover ed., 1985); Oligonucleotide Synthesis (M. J. Gait ed., 1984); Nucleic Acid Hybridization (B. D. Hames &S. J. Higgins eds, 1984); Animal Cell Culture (R. K. Freshney ed. 1986); Immobilized Cells and Enzymes (IRL press, 1986); Perbal, B., A Practical Guide to Molecular Cloning (1984); the series, Methods In 'Enzymology (S. Colowick and N. Kaplan eds., Academic Press, Inc.); and Handbook of Experimental Immunology, Vols. I-IV (D. M. Weir and C. C. Blackwell eds., 1986, Blackwell Scientific Publications).

Before describing the present invention in detail, it will be understood that this invention is not limited to particular DNA, polypeptide sequences or process parameters as such may, of course, vary. It is also to be understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments of the invention only, and is not intended to be limiting. Unless otherwise defined all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the invention pertains. Although a number of similar methods and materials equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice of the present invention, preferred materials and methods are described herein. In describing the present invention, the following terms will be employed and it is proposed that they be defined as indicated below. The term "cow" or "cattle" is generally used to refer to an animal of bovine origin of any age. Interchangeable terms include "bovine," "calf," "bull," "bull," "heifer," and the like. They also include an individual animal at all stages of development, including embryonic and fetal stages. Animals as referred to herein may also include individuals or groups of individuals that breed for different from food production such as, but is not limited to, transgenic animals for the production of biopharmaceuticals including antibodies and other proteins or protein products. By the term "complementarity" or "complementary", for the purposes of the specification or claims, a sufficient number is proposed in the oligonucleotide of base pairs complementary in their sequence to specifically interact (hybridize) with an objective nucleic acid sequence of the gene polymorphism when amplified or detected. As is known to those skilled in the art, a very high degree of complementarity is needed for the specificity and sensitivity involved in hybridization, although it need not be 100%. Thus, for example, an oligonucleotide that is identical in nucleotide sequence to an oligonucleotide disclosed herein, accepted for a base change or substitution, can. work equivalently to the disclosed oligonucleotides. A "complementary DNA" or "cDNA" gene includes recombinant genes synthesized by reverse transcription of messenger RNA ("mRNA"). A "cyclic polymerase mediated reaction" refers to a biochemical reaction in which a template molecule or a population of template molecules are copied periodically and repeatedly to create a complementary template molecule or complementary template molecules, thereby increasing the number of template molecules over time. By the term "detectable portion" we propose, for the purposes of the specification or claims, a marker molecule (isotopic or non-isotopic) that is incorporated indirectly or directly into an oligonucleotide, wherein the marker molecule facilitates detection of the oligonucleotide in the which is incorporated, for example when the oligonucleotide hybridizes to the polymorphic sequences of the amplified gene. Thus, "detectable portion" is used synonymously with the "marker molecule". Syntheses of the oligonucleotides can be achieved by any of the various methods known to those skilled in the art. Marker molecules, known to those skilled in the art as being useful for detection, include chemiluminescent, fluorescent or luminescent molecules. Several fluorescent molecules are known in the art which are suitable for use to label a nucleic acid for the method of the present invention. The protocol for such incorporation may vary depending on the fluorescent molecule used. Such protocols are known in the art for the respective fluorescent molecule. "DNA amplification" as used herein refers to any process that increases the number of copies of a specific DNA sequence by enzymatically amplifying the nucleic acid sequences.A variety of processes are known, one of the most commonly used is the process of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of Mullis as described in the Patents North American Nos. 4,683,195 and 4,683,202. Methods, devices and reagents as described in the Patents North American Nos. 6,951,726; 6,927,024; 6,924,127; 6,893,863; 6,887,664; 6,881,559; 6,855,522; 6,855,521; 6,849,430; 6,849,404; 6,846,631; 6,844,158; 6,844,155; 6,818,437; 6,818,402; 6,794,177; 6,794,133; 6,790,952; 6,783,940; 6,773,901; 6,770,440; 6,767,724; 6,750,022; 6,744,789; 6,733,999; 6,733,972; 6,703,236; 6,699,713; 6,696,277; 6,664,080; 6,664,064; 6,664,044; RE38,352; 6,650,719; 6,645,758; 6,645,720; 6,642,000; 6,638,716; 6,632,653; 6,617,107; 6,613,560; 6,610,487; 6,596,492; 6,586,250; 6,586,233; 6,569,678; 6,569,627; 6,566,103; 6,566,067; 6,566,052; 6,558,929; 6,558,909; 6,551,783; 6,544,782; 6,537,752; 6,524,830; 6,518,020; 6,514,750; 6,514,706; 6,503,750; 6,503,705; 6,493,640; 6,492,114; 6,485,907; 6,485,903; 6,482,588; 6,475,729; 6,468,743; 6,465,638; 6,465,637; 6,465,171; 6,448,014; 6,432,646; 6,428, 987; 6,426,215; 6,423,499; 6, 410, 223; 6,403,341; 6,399,320; 6,395,518; 6,391,559; 6,383,755; 6.379, 932; 6,372,484; 6,368,834; 6,365,375; 6,358, 680; 6,355,422; 6,348,336; 6,346,384; 6,319, 673; 6.316, 195; 6.316, 192; 6,312,930; 6,309,840; 6,309,837; 6,303,343; 6,300,073; 6,300, 072; 6,287,781; 6,284,455; 6.277, 605; 6,270, 977; 6,270, 966; 6.268, 153; 6.268, 143; D445, 907; 6.261, 431; 6,258,570; 6,258,567; 6,258,537; 6.258, 529; 6,251, 607; 6,248,567; 6,235,468; 6,232,079; 6.225, 093; 6,221,595; D441,091; 6.218, 153; 6,207,425; 6, 183, 999; 6, 183, 963; 6, 180, 372; 6, 180, 349; 6, 174, 670; 6, 153,412; 6, 146,834; 6, 143.496; 6, 140, 613; 6, 140, 110; 6, 103.468; 6,087,097; 6,072,369; 6, 068, 974; 6,063, 563; 6,048, 688; 6, 046, 039; 6.037, 129; 6, 033, 854; 6,031, 960; 6, 017, 699; 6.015, 664; 6,015,534; 6,004,747; 6,001, 612; 6, 001, 572; 5, 985, 619; ,976,842; 5, 972, 602; 5,968,730; 5, 958, 686; 5,955,274; ,952,200; 5, 936, 968; 5, 909, 468; 5, 905,732; 5,888,740; ,883, 924; 5,876, 978; 5,876, 977; 5,874,221; 5,869,318; ,863,772; 5, 863,731; 5,861,251; 5,861,245; 5, 858,725; 5,858,718; 5,856,086; 5,853, 991; 5, 849, 497; 5,837,468; , 830, 663; 5,827, 695; 5, 827, 661; 5, 827, 657; 5,824,516; ,824,479; 5, 817,797; 5,814,489; 5,814,453; 5,811,296; ,804,383; 5,800,997; 5,780,271; 5,780,222; 5,776, 686; ,774,497; 5,766,889; 5,759,822; 5, 750.347; 5,747,251; 5,741,656; 5,716,784; 5,712, 125; 5, 712, 090; 5,710,381; ,705,627; 5,702,884; 5,693,467; 5,691,146; 5,681,741; ,674,717; 5,665,572; 5,665,539; 5,656,493; 5,656,461; ,654,144; 5,652,102; 5,650,268; 5,643,765; 5,639,871; ,639,611; 5,639,606; 5,631,128; 5,629,178; 5,627,054; 5,618,703; 5,618,702; 5,614,388; 5,610,017; 5,602,756; ,599,674; 5,589,333; 5,585,238; 5,576,197; 5,565,340; ,565,339; 5,556,774; 5,556,773; 5,538,871; 5,527,898; ,527,510; 5,514,568; 5,512,463; 5,512,462; 5,501,947; ,494,795; 5,491,225; 5,487,993; 5,487,985; 5,484,699; 5,476,774; 5,475,610; 5,447,839; 5,437,975; 5,436,144; ,426,026; 5,420,009; 5,411,876; 5,393,657; 5,389,512; ,364,790; 5,364,758; 5,340,728; 5,283,171; 5,279,952; ,254,469; 5,241,363; 5,232,829; 5,231,015; 5,229,297; ,224,778; 5,219,727; 5,213,961; 5,198,337; 5,187,060; 5,142,033; 5,091,310; 5,082,780; 5,066,584; 5,023,171 and ,008,182 can also be employed in the practice of the present invention. PCR involves the use of a thermostable DNA polymerase, sequences known as primers, and heating cycles, which separate the strands, of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), of replication and exponentially amplify a gene of interest. Any type of PCR can be used, such as quantitative PCR, RT-PCR, heat initiation PCR, LAPCR, multiple PCR, endpoint PCR, etc. Advantageously, real-time PCR is used. In general, the PCR amplification process involves a cyclic enzymatic chain reaction for exponential amounts of a specific nucleic acid sequence. This requires a small amount of a sequence to initiate the chain reaction and the oligonucleotide primers that will hybridize to the sequence. In PCR the primers are annealed to denatured nucleic acid followed by extension with an induction agent (enzyme) and nucleotides. This results in newly synthesized extension products. Since this newly synthesized sequence becomes templates for the primers, repeated cycles of denaturation, primer annealing, and extension result in the exponential accumulation of the specific sequence that is amplified. The extension product of the chain reaction will be a discrete nucleic acid duplex with terminals corresponding to the ends of specific primers employed. By the terms "enzymatically amplified" or "amplifies", for the purposes of the specification or claims, DNA amplification is proposed, ie, a process by which the nucleic acid sequences are amplified in number. There are several means for enzymatically amplifying the nucleic acid sequences. Currently the method much more commonly used is the reaction in each of the polymerase (PCR). Other methods of amplification include LCR (ligase chain reaction) using DNA ligase, and a probe consisting of two halves of a DNA segment that is complementary to the DNA sequence to be amplified, a QB replicase enzyme and a ribonucleic acid (RNA) sequence template attached to a probe complementary to the DNA to be copied that is used to be a DNA template for the exponential production of complementary RNA; strand displacement amplification (SDA); amplification of Qβ replicase (QßRA); self-sustained replication (3SR); and NASBA (amplification based on nucleic acid sequence), which can be performed on RNA or DNA as the nucleic acid sequence to be amplified. A "fragment" of a molecule such as a protein or nucleic acid is intended to refer to any portion of the amino acid or nucleotide genetic sequence. As used herein, the term "genome" refers to all genetic material in the chromosomes of a particular organism. Its size is usually given as its total number of base pairs. Within the genome, the term "gene" refers to an ordered sequence of nucleotides located at a particular position on a particular chromosome that encodes a specific functional product (e.g., a protein or RNA molecule). In general, the genetic characteristics of the animal, as defined by the nucleotide sequence of its genome, are known as its "genotype", while the physical attributes of the animal are described as its "phenotype". By "heterozygous" or "heterozygous polymorphism" it is proposed that two alleles of a diploid cell or organism at a given site be different, that is, that they have a different nucleotide exchanged for the same nucleotide at the same place in their sequences. By "homozygous" or "heterozygous polymorphism" it is proposed that the two alleles of a diploid cell or organism at a given site have been identical, that is, they have the same nucleotide for the nucleotide exchange in the same place in their sequences. By "hybridization" or "hybrid", as used herein, it is proposed that the formation of base pairs AT and CG between the nucleotide sequence of a fragment of a segment of a polynucleotide and a nucleotide sequence complementary to an oligonucleotide. Complementary it is proposed that the site of each A, C, G or T (or U in a ribonucleotide) in the fragment sequence, the sequenced oligonucleotide has a T, G, C or A, respectively. The hybridized fragment / oligonucleotide is called a "duplex". A "hybridization complex", such as in an intercalation assay means a complex of nucleic acid molecules that includes at least the target nucleic acid and a detection probe. An anchor probe may also be included. As used herein, the term "site" or "sites" refers to the site of a gene on a chromosome. Pairs of genes, known as "alleles" control the hereditary attribute produced by a gene site. Each particular allele combination of the animal is referred to as its "genotype". Where both alleles are identical the individual is to say base ho óciga for the attribute controlled by that pair of genes; where the alleles are different, the individual will be heterozygous for the attribute. A "melting temperature" is proposed to the temperature at which the hybridized duplexes are uninhibited and return to their single-stranded state. Likewise, hybridization will not occur in the first place between two oligonucleotides, or, in the present, an oligonucleotide and a fragment, at temperatures above the melting temperature of the resulting duplex. It is presently advantageous that the difference in melting point temperatures of the oligonucleotide fragment duplexes of this invention have been from about 1 ° C to about 10 ° C to be easily detectable. As used herein, the term "nucleic acid molecule" is intended to include DNA molecules (e.g., cDNA or genomic DNA), RNA molecules (e.g., mRNA), analogs of the DNA or RNA generated using analogs of nucleotide, and derivatives, fragments and homologs thereof. The nucleic acid molecule can be single strand, or two strands, but advantageously it is two strand DNA. "DNA" refers to the polymeric form of deoxyribonucleotides (adenine, guanine, thymine, or cytosine) in its any form of a single strand, or a helix of two strands. This term refers only to the primary and secondary structure of the molecule, and does not limit any of the particular tertiary forms. Thus, this term includes two-strand DNA found, and interalia, in linear DNA molecules (eg, restriction fragments), viruses, plasmids, and chromosomes. In discussing the structure of the particular two-stranded DNA molecules, the sequences can be described herein according to the normal convention to only give the sequence in the 5 'to 3' direction along the non-transcribed strand of DNA (ie, the strand that has a sequence homologue to mRNA). An "isolated" nucleic acid molecule is one that is separated from other nucleic acid molecules that are present in the natural source of the nucleic acid. A "nucleoside" refers to a base linked to a sugar. The base can be adenine (A), guanine (G) (or its substitute, inosine (I)), cytosine (C), or thymine (T) (or its substitute, uracil (U)). Sugar can be ribose (the sugar of a natural nucleotide in RNA) or 2-deoxyribose (the sugar of a natural nucleotide in DNA). A "nucleotide" refers to a nucleoside linked to. a single phosphate group. As used herein, the term "oligonucleotide" refers to a series of nucleotide residues in layered, the oligonucleotide having a sufficient number of nucleotide bases to be used in a PCR reaction. A short oligonucleotide sequence can be based on, or designed from, a genomic or cDNA sequence and is used to amplify, confirm, or reveal the presence of a DNA or RNA similar or complementary, identical in a particular cell or tissue. The oligonucleotides can be synthesized chemically and can be used as primers or probes. Oligonucleotide means any nucleotide more than 3 times in length used to facilitate the detection or identification of a target nucleic acid, which includes probes and primers. A "polymerase" is an enzyme that catalyzes the sequential addition of the numerical units to a polymer chain, or links two or more monomer units to start a polymer chain. The "polymerase" will work by adding monomer units whose identity is determined by and that is complementary to a template molecule of a specific sequence. For example, DNA polymerases such as DNA pol 1 and Taq polymerase add deoxyribonucleotides to the 3 'end of a polynucleotide chain in a template dependent manner, thereby synthesizing a nucleic acid that is complementary to the template molecule. The polymerases can be used either to extend a primer once repetitively or to amplify a polynucleotide by repetitive priming of two complementary strands using two primers. A "thermostable polymerase" refers to a DNA or RNA polymerase enzyme that can withstand extremely high temperatures, such as those approaching 100 ° C. Frequently, thermostable polymerases are derived from organisms that live in extreme temperatures, such as Thermus aquaticus. Examples of thermostable polymerases include Taq, Tth, Pfu, Vent, deep, UITma, and variations and derivatives thereof. A "polynucleotide" refers to a linear chain of nucleotides connected by a phosphodiester linkage between the 3'-hydroxyl group of a nucleoside and the 5'-hydroxyl group of a second nucleoside which in turn is bonded through its 3 '-hydroxyl group to the 5' -hydroxyl group of a third nucleoside and so on to form a polymer comprised of nucleosides linked by a phosphodiester backbone. A "modified polynucleotide" refers to a polynucleotide in which one or more natural nucleotides have been partially, substantially ', or completely replaced with modified nucleotides. A "primer" is an oligonucleotide, the sequence of at least the portion of which is complementary to a segment of template DNA that is to be amplified or replicated. Typical primers are used in performing the polymerase chain reaction (PCR). A primed hybrid with (or "recose" a) the template DNA and is used for the uses of the polymerase enzyme as the starting point for the replication / amplification process. The primers herein are selected to be "substantially" complementary to different strands of a particular target DNA sequence. This means that the primers must be sufficiently complementary to hybridize with their respective strands. Therefore, the sequence of the primer does not need to reflect the exact sequence of the template. For example, a non-complementary nucleotide fragment can be attached to the 5 'end of the primer, with the remainder of the primer sequence being complementary to the strand. Alternatively, non-complementary times or longer sequences may be interspersed in the primer, provided that the primer sequence has sufficient complementarity with the sequence of the strand to hybridize thereto and thus form the template for the synthesis of the extension product. "Probes" refers to nucleic acid sequences of variable length oligonucleotides, used in the detection of identical, similar or complementary nucleic acid sequences by hybridization. An oligonucleotide sequence used as a detection probe can be labeled with a detectable portion. The following are non-limiting examples of polynucleotides: a gene or gene fragment, exons, introns, mRNA, tRNA, rRNA, ribosomes, cDNA, recombinant polynucleotides, branched polynucleotides, plasmids, vectors, DNA isolated from any sequence, RNA isolated from any sequence, probes and nucleic acid primers. A polynucleotide may comprise modified nucleotides, giving as methylated nucleotides and nucleotide analogs, uracil, other sugars and linking groups such as fluororibose and thiolate, and nucleotide branches. The nucleotide sequence can be further modified after the polymerization such as by conjugation, with a labeling compound. Other types of modifications included in this definition are terminations, substitution of one or more of the naturally occurring nucleotides with an analogue, and introduction of means for binding the polynucleotide to proteins, metal ions, labeling components, other polynucleotides or solid support .

An "isolated" polynucleotide or polypeptide is one that is substantially pure from the materials with which it associates in its native environment. 0 substantially free, it is proposed at least 50%, at least 55%, at least 60%, at least 65%, advantageously at least 70%, at least 75%, more advantageously at least 80% %, at least 85%, to a more advantageously at least 90%, at least 91%, at least 92%, at least 93%, at least 94%, at least 95%, so minus 96%, at least 97%, much more advantageously at least 98%, at least 99%, at least 99.5%, at least 99.9% free of these materials. An "isolated" nucleic acid molecule is a discrete and discrete nucleic acid molecule of an entire organism whereby the molecule is found in nature; or a nucleic acid molecule provided in its entirety or part of sequences normally associated therewith in nature; or a sequence, as excited in nature but having heterologous sequences (as defined below) in association with them. The term "polynucleotide encoding a protein" as used herein refers to an isolated DNA fragment or DNA molecule that encodes a protein, or the complementary strand thereof; but, RNA is not excluded, since it is understood in the art that thymidine (T) in a DNA sequence is considered equal to uracil (U) in an RNA sequence. Thus, the RNA sequences for use in the invention, for example, for use in RNA vectors, can be derived from the DNA sequences, by thymidine (T) in the DNA sequence considered equal to uracil (U) in the RNA sequences. A "sequence encoding" a DNA or a "nucleotide sequence encoding" a particular protein is a DNA sequence that is transcribed and translated into a m vitro or in vivo polypeptide when placed under the control of regulatory elements. appropriate. The limits of the coding sequence are determined by a start codon that at the 5 'end (amino) and a stop codon of translation at the 3' end (carboxy). A coding sequence may include, but is not limited to, prokaryotic sequences, eukaryotic mRNA cDNA, genomic DNA sequences of eukaryotic (e.g., mammalian) DNA and even synthetic DNA sequences. A transcription determination sequence will usually be located 3 'to the coding sequence. "Homology" refers to the percent identity between two polynucleotides or two portions of polypeptides. Two DNA, or two polypeptide sequences are "substantially homologous" to each other when the sequences exhibit at least about 80%, 81%, 82%, 83%, 84%, 85%, 86%, 87%, 88%, 89%, - preferably at least about 90%, 91%, 92%, 93%, 94% and much more preferably at least about 95%, 96%, 97%, 98%, 99%, 99.5%, 99.9 % identity of sequences over a defined length of the molecules. As used herein, substantially homologous also refers to sequences that exhibit complete identity (100% sequence identity) to the specified DNA or polypeptide sequence. Homology can be determined by hybridizing polynucleotides under conditions that form stable duplexes between the homologous regions followed by digestion with specific single-stranded nuclease (s), and size determination of the digested fragments. DNA sequences that are substantially homologous can be identified in a low southern hybridization experiment, for example, severe conditions, as defined by that particular system. The definition of appropriate hybridization conditions is within the skill of the technique. See, for example, Sambrook et al., Supra; DNA Cloning, supra; Nucleic Acid Hybridization, supra. Two fragments of nucleic acid are considered to be "selectively hybridizable" to a polynucleotide if they are capable of specifically hybridizing to a nucleic acid or a variant thereof or specifically priming a polymerase chain reaction: (i) under typical hybridization and conditions wash, as described, for example, in Sambrook et al., supra and Nucleic Acid Hybridization, supra, (ii) using wash conditions of reduced stringency that allows the sumo approximately 25-30% of base pairing failures, for example : 2x SSC, 0.1% SDS, twice at room temperature, 30 minutes each; then 2x SSC, 0.1% SDS, 37 ° C once, 30 minutes; then 2 x SSC at room temperature twice, 10 minutes each, or (iii) selecting the primers for use in typical polymerase chain reactions (PCR) under standard conditions (described for example, in Saiki et al. (1988) Science 239: 487-491). The term "capable of hybridizing under severe conditions" - as used herein refers to annealing a first nucleic acid to a second nucleic acid under severe conditions as defined below. Severe hybridization conditions typically allow the hybridization of nucleic acid molecules having at least 70% nucleic acid sequence identity to the nucleic acid molecule that is used as a probe in the hybridization reaction. For example, the first nucleic acid may be a test sample or probe, and the second nucleic acid may be the sense or antisense strand of a nucleic acid or a fragment thereof. Hybridization of the first and second nucleic acids can be conducted under severe conditions, for example, high temperature and / or low salt content which tends to disfavor hybridization of the different nucleotide sequences. Alternatively, the hybridization of the first and second nucleic acids can be conducted under conditions of reduced stringency, for example low temperature and / or high salt content which tends to favor hybridization of the different nucleotide sequences. Hybridization conditions of low severity can be followed by high severity conditions or medium intermediate severity conditions to increase the selectivity of the first and second nucleic acid linkage. Hybridization conditions may additionally include reagents such as, but not limited to, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) or formamide to further disadvantage the hybridization of different nucleotide sequences. A suitable hybridization protocol, for example, can involve hybridization in 6 x SSC (where 1 x SSC comprises 0.015 M sodium citrate, 0.15 M sodium chloride), at 65 ° Celsius in an aqueous solution, followed by washing 1 x SSC at 65 ° C. Formulas for calculating appropriate hybridization and washing conditions to achieve hybridization that allow 30% or less mismatch between two nucleic acid molecules are disclosed, for example in Meinkoth et al. (1984) Anal. Biochem. 138: 267-284; the content of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. Protocols for hybridization techniques are well known to those of skill in the art and standard molecular biology manuals can be consulted to select a suitable hybridization protocol without undue experimentation. See, for example, Sambrook et al. (2001) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press, the contents of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. Typically, severe conditions will be those in which the salt concentration is less than about 1.5 M sodium ion, typically approximately Na 0.01 to 1.0 M (or other salts) ion concentration from about pH 7.0 to about pH 8.3 and the temperature is at least about 30 ° Celsius for short probes (e.g., 10 to 50 nucleotides) and at least about 60 ° C for long probes (e.g., greater than 50 nucleotides). Severe conditions can also be achieved with the addition of destabilizing agents such as formamide. Exemplary low severity conditions include hybridization with a buffer solution of 30 to 35% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS (sodium dodecyl sulfate) at 37 ° Celsius, and a wash in 1-2 x SSC at 50 a 55 ° Celsius. Exemplary moderate severity conditions include hybridization in 40 to 45% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37 ° Celsius, and washed in 0.5-1 x SSC at 55 to 60 ° Celsius. Exemplary high severity conditions include hybridization in 50% formamide, 1 M NaCl, 1% SDS at 37 ° Celsius, and washing in 0.1 x SSC at 60 to 65 ° Celsius. Methods and materials of the invention can be used more generally to evaluate a DNA sample from an animal, genetically type of an individual animal, and detect genetic differences in the animals. In particular, a sample of genomic DNA from an animal can be evaluated by reference to one or more controls to determine whether a SNP, or a group of SNPs, in a gene are present. Any method for determining the genotype can be used to determine the genotype in the present invention. Such methods include, but are not limited to, amplimer sequencing, DNA sequencing, fluorescence spectroscopy, hybridization analysis based on fluorescence resonance energy transfer (or "FRET"), high throughput classification, mass spectroscopy, microsatellite analysis, nucleic acid hybridization, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), RFLP analysis and size chromatography (for example, capillary or gel chromatography), all of which are well known to one of skill in the art.

In particular, methods for determining nucleotide polymorphisms, particularly individual nucleotide polymorphisms, are described in U.S. Patent Nos. 6,514,700; 6,503,710; 6,468,742; 6,448,407; 6,410,231; 6,383,756; 6,358,679; 6,322,980; 6,316,230; and 6,287,766 and reviewed by Chen and Sullivan, Pharmacogenomics J 2003; 3 (2): 77-96, the descriptions of which are incorporated by reference in their totalities. The genotypic data useful in the methods of the invention and methods for the identification and selection of the attributes of the animal are based on the presence of SNPs. A "restriction fragment" refers to a polynucleotide fragment generated by a restriction endonuclease (an enzyme that cleaves phosphodiester bonds within a polynucleotide chain) that cleaves DNA in response to a recognition site on the DNA. The recognition site (restriction site) consists of a specific sequence of nucleotides typically about 4-8 nucleotides long. An "individual nucleotide polymorphism" or "SNP" refers to a variation in the nucleotide sequence of a polynucleotide that differs from another polynucleotide by a single nucleotide difference. For example, without limitation, the exchange of an A for a C, G or T in the entire polynucleotide sequence constitutes a SNP. It is possible to have more than one SNP in a particular polynucleotide. For example, in a position in a polynucleotide, a C can be exchanged for a T, in another position a G can be exchanged for an A, and so on. When referring to SNPs, the polynucleotide is much more frequent DNA. As used herein, a "template" refers to a strand of target polynucleotide, for example, without limitation, a strand of DNA that occurs naturally unmodified, which a polymerase uses as a means to recognize that the nucleotide should immediately Incorporate into a strand of growth to polymerize the complement of the strand that occurs naturally. Such a strand of DNA can be of one strand or can be part of a double-stranded DNA template. In applications of the present invention that require repeated cycles of polymerization, for example, polymerase chain reaction (PCR), the template strand itself can be modified by the incorporation of modified nucleotides, which still serves as a template for a polymerase to synthesize additional polynucleotides. A "thermocyclic reaction" is a multistage reaction in which at least two stages are achieved by changing the temperature of the reaction. A "variation" is a difference in the nucleotide sequence between the related polynucleotides. The difference may be the deletion of one or more nucleotides from the sequence of a polynucleotide compared to the sequence of a related polynucleotide, the addition of one or more nucleotides or the substitution of one nucleotide for another. The terms "mutation," "polymorphism," and "variation" are used interchangeably herein As used herein, the term "variation" in the singular will be compared to include multiple variations, ie two or more additions of nucleotides, deletions and / or substitutions in the same polynucleotide A "point mutation" refers to a single substitution of one nucleotide for another, as used herein, the terms "attributes", "quality attributes" or "physical characteristics" or "phenotypes" refer to advantageous properties of the animal resulting from the genetics. Quality attributes include, but are not limited to, the animal's genetic ability to metabolize enough energy, produce meat or milk, increase intramuscular fat. Physical characteristics include, but are not limited to, tender or fat-free meats, marbled. The terms can be used interchangeably. A "computer system" refers to the hardware means, software means and data storage medium used to compile the data of the present invention, the minimum hardware means of computer-based systems of the invention can or comprise a unit of central processing (CPU), input means, output means, and data storage means. Desirably, a monitor is provided to display the structure data. The data storage medium may be RAM or other means for accessing the computer readable media of the invention. Examples of such systems are microcomputer workstations available from Silicon Graphics Incorporated and Sun Microsystems running Unix based, Linux, Windows NT, XP or IBM OS / 2 operating systems. "Computer readable medium" refers to any medium that can be read and accessed directly by a computer, and includes, but is not limited to: magnetic storage media such as soft disks, hard storage media and magnetic tape; optical storage media such as optical discs or CD-ROM; electrical storage media such as RAM and ROM; and hybrids of these categories, such as magnetic / optical media. By providing such a computer-readable medium, data collected on a particular animal can be routinely accessed by a user, for example, a feeder operator. The term "data analysis module" is defined herein to include any person or machine, individually or jointly, that analyzes the sample and determines the genetic information contained therein. The term may include a person or machine within a laboratory arrangement. As used herein, the term "data collection module" refers to any person, object or system that obtains a tissue sample from an animal or embryo. For example and without limitation, the term may define, individually or collectively, the person or machine in physical contact with the animal as the sample is taken, the containers containing the tissue samples, the packaging used to transport the samples and the samples. Similar. Advantageously, the data collector is a person. More advantageously, the data collector is a cattle farmer, a breeder or a veterinarian. The term "network interface" is defined herein to include any person or computer system capable of accessing data, depositing data, combining data, analyzing data, searching for data, transmitting data or storing data. The term is broadly defined to be a person who analyzes the data, the electronic hardware and software systems used in the analyzes, the databases that store the data analyzes, and any storage medium capable of storing the data. Non-limiting examples of network interfaces include people, automated laboratory equipment, computers and computer networks, data storage devices, such as, but not limited to, disks, hard drives or memory chips. The term "reproduction history" as used herein refers to a record of the life of an animal or group of animals that includes, but is not limited to, the location, reproduction, period of accommodation, as well as a history genetics of animals, which include kinship and offspring of the same, genotype, phenotype, transgenic history if relevant and the like. The term "breeding conditions" as used herein refers to parameters that relate to the maintenance of animals that include, but are not limited to, shed or housing temperature, weekly mortality of a herd, water consumption, food consumption, proportion and quality of ventilation, condition of the bait and the like. The term "veterinary history" as used herein, refers to vaccination data of an animal or group of animals, including, but not limited to, vaccine type (s), number (s) serial of vaccine lot, administered dose, target antigen, method of administering the vaccine to the animal (s) recipient (s), numbers of animals vaccinated, age of the animals and vaccinators. Data that relate to a serological or immunological response induced by the vaccine may also be included, "veterinary history" as used herein is also proposed to include the medication histories of the target animal (s) which includes, but is not limited to, drug and / or antibiotic administered to animals that include type of medication administered, amount and proportion of dose, by whom and when administered, by which route, for example, orally, subcutaneously and the like, and the response to medication that include desired and undesirable effects of the medication. The term "diagnostic data" as used herein refers to data that relate to the health of the animal (s) other than data detailing the history of vaccination or medication of the animal (s). For example, the diagnostic data may be a record of the infections experienced by the animal (s) and the response thereof to medications provided to treat such mediations. Serological data that include antibody or serum protein composition or other biofluids can also be useful diagnostic data for entry into the methods of the invention. Surgical data that relate to the animal (s) may be included, such as the type of surgical manipulation resulting from surgery and complications arising from the surgical procedure, "diagnostic data" may also include measurements of such parameters such as weight, morbidity, and other characteristics noted for a veterinary service such as the condition of the skin, feeding, etc. The term "welfare data" as used herein refers to the collective accumulation of data pertaining to an animal or group of animals that includes, but is not limited to, a breeding history, a veterinary history, a profile of well-being, diagnostic data, quality control data or any combination thereof. The term "welfare profile" as used herein refers to parameters such as weight, meat density, levels of agglomeration in production or breeding enclosures, physiological behavior of the animal, proportion and quality of growth and the like. The term "quality control" as used herein refers to the desired characteristics of the animal (s). For non-poultry animals such as cattle or sheep for example, such parameters include quality and muscle density, fat content, meat softness, milk yield and quality, breeding capacity and the like. The term "performance parameters" as used herein refers to such factors as meat yield, breeding performance, milk form, meat quality and yield, productive life and the like which may be the desired objectives of the reproduction and breeding of the animal (s). Performance parameters can be either generated from animals by themselves, or those parameters desired by a customer or the market. The term "nutritional data" as used herein refers to the composition, amount and frequency of food supply, including water, provided to the animal (s). The term "food safety" as used herein refers to the quality of the meat of a livestock animal, which includes, but is not limited to, preparation time, placement and manner, storage of the food product, route of transportation, inspection records, texture, color, taste, smell, bacterial content, parasitic content and the like. It will be apparent to those of skill in the art that the data relating to the health and maintenance of the animals can be variously grouped depending on the source or intent of the data collector and any grouping in the present that is not proposed therefore. to be limitative.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as is commonly understood as one of ordinary skill in the art of molecular biology. Although methods and materials similar or equivalent to those described herein may be used in the practice or testing of the present invention, suitable methods and materials are described herein. In a modality wherein the gene of interest is bovine FABP, the nucleotide sequence of bovine FABP can be selected from, but not limited to, the sequence corresponding to GenBank accession numbers AAFC01136716 (FIG 4, SEQ ID NO: 1) or a fragment thereof or a region of the bovine genome comprising this sequence. The present invention, therefore, provides isolated nucleic acids that can hybridize specifically to the nucleotide sequence corresponding to accession number GenBank AAFC01136716 (FIG. 4, SEQ ID NO: 1), or the complement thereof, and which comprises the polymorphic site corresponding to the position of nucleotides a G to C substitution at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a G to C substitution at the position of nucleotides 7713 of the FABP4 gene. The advantageous SNP in the present invention is associated with certain economically valuable and heritable attributes that are related to the quality of meat in bovines. Therefore, it is an objective of the present invention to determine the genotype of a given animal of interest as defined by the SNP of the FABP4 site according to the present invention. It is also contemplated that the genotype of the animal (s) may be defined by additional SNPs within the FABP4 gene or within other genes identified with desirable attributes or other characteristics, and in particular by a panel panel of SNPs. There are many methods known in the art for determining the DNA sequence in a sample, and for identifying whether a given DNA sample contains a particular SNP. Any technique known in the art can be used in the performance of the methods of the present invention. The methods of the present invention allow animals with certain economically valuable heritable attributes to be identified based on the presence of SNPs in their genomes and particularly with a SNP located within the FABP gene. The methods also allow, by means of computer-assisted methods of the invention, to correlate the attributes associated with SNP with other data pertinent to the welfare and productive capacity of the animals, or group of animals. To determine the genotype of a given animal according to the methods of the present invention, it is necessary to obtain a genomic DNA sample from that animal. Typically, that genomic DNA sample will be obtained from a tissue sample or cells taken from that animal. A tissue or cell sample can be taken from an animal at any time in the life of an animal but before the identity of the channel is lost. The tissue sample may comprise hair, including roots, skin, bone, buccal swabs, blood, saliva, milk, semen, embryos, muscle or any of the internal organs. In the methods of the present invention, the source of the tissue sample, and thus also the source of the test nucleic acid sample, is not critical. For example, the test nucleic acid can be obtained from cells within a body fluid of the animal, or from cells that constitute a body tissue of the animal. The body fluid of the animal from which the cells are obtained is also not critical to the present invention. For example, the body fluid can be selected from the group consisting of blood, ascites, pleural fluid and spinal fluid. In addition, the particular body tissue from which the cells are obtained is also not critical to the present invention, for example, the body tissue may be selected from the group consisting of skin, endometrium, uterine and cervical tissue. Both normal and tumoral tissues can be used.

Typically, the tissue sample is marked with an identification number or other indications that relate to the sample to the individual animal from which the sample was taken. The identity of the sample remains advantageously constant for all the methods and systems of the invention in this way guaranteeing the integrity and continuity of the sample during extraction and analysis. Alternatively, the clues can be changed in a regular manner that ensures that the data, and any other associated data, can be related back to the animal from which the data was obtained. The amount / size of the sample required is known to those skilled in the art and for example, can be determined by the subsequent steps used in the method and system of the invention and the specific methods and analyzes used. Ideally, the size / volume of the recovered tissue sample should be as consistent as possible within the sample type and animal species. For example, for cattle, non-limiting examples of sample size / methods include non-greasy meat: 0.0002 gm-10.0 gm; skin: 0.0004 gm-10.0 gm; hair roots: at least one and advantageously greater than five; buccal swabs: 15 to 20 seconds of rubbing with moderate pressure in the area between the outer lip and the gum using, for example, a cytology brush; 0. 0002 gm-10.0 gm; blood: 30 μl to 50 ml. Generally, the tissue sample is placed in a container that is marked using a numbering system that carries a code corresponding to the animal, for example, to the label of the animal's ear. Therefore, the genotype of a particular animal is easily traceable at all times. The sampling device and / or container can be supplied to the farmer, a slaughterhouse or a vendor. The sampling device advantageously takes a consistent and reproducible sample of individual animals while simultaneously avoiding any cross-contamination of tissue. Therefore, the size and volume of the sample tissues derived from the individual animals would be consistent. The DNA can be isolated from tissue / cells by techniques known to those skilled in the art (see, for example, U.S. Patent Nos. 6,548,256 and 5,989,431; Hirota et al. (1989) Jinrui Idengaku Zasshi. 34: 217-23 and John and collaborators (1991) Nucleic Acids Res. 19: 408, the descriptions of which are incorporated by reference in their totalities For example, high molecular weight DNA can be purified from cells or tissue using proteinase K extraction and precipitation from ethanol DNA, however, can be extracted from an animal specimen using any of other suitable methods known in the art In one embodiment, the presence or absence of the SNP of any of the genes of the present invention can be determined by sequencing the region of the genomic DNA sample that spans the polymorphic site Many methods for sequencing genomic DNA are known in the art, and any such method is you can use, see for example Sambrook et al. (2001) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press. For example, as described below, a DNA fragment encompassing the location of the SNP of interest can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction. The amplified region of the DNA form can then be sequenced using any method known in the art, for example using an automatic nucleic acid sequencer. The detection of a given SNP can then be performed using the hybridization of probes and / or using amplification methods used in PCR. Such methods are described in more detail below. The methods of the present invention can be oligonucleotides useful as primers for amplifying the specific nucleic acid sequences of the FABP4 gene., advantageously from the region that includes a SNP FABP4. Such fragments must be of sufficient length to allow specific annealing or hybridization to the nucleic acid sample. The sequences will typically be from about 8 to about 44 nucleotides in length. Longer sequences, for example, about 14 to about 50, may be advantageous for certain modalities. The design of the primers is well known to one of ordinary skill in the art. Inventive nucleic acid molecules include nucleic acid molecules having at least 70% identity or homology or similarity to a FABP4 gene or probes or derivatives thereof such as at least 75% identity or homology or similarity, preferably at least 80% identity or homology or similarity, more preferably at least 85% identity or homology or similarity such as at least 90% identity or homology or similarity, more preferably at least 95% identity or homology or similarity such as at least 97% identity or homology or similarity. The similarity or homology or nucleotide sequence identity can be determined using the "Align" program of Myers and Miller, ("Optimal Alignments m Linear Space", CABIOS 4, 11-17, 1988) and available from NCBI. Alternatively or additionally, the terms "similarity" or "identity" or "homology", for example, with respect to a nucleotide sequence, is intended to indicate a quantitative measurement of the homology between the two sequences. The percent sequence similarity can be calculated as (N ref - Ndlf) * 100 / Nref, where Ndlf is the total number of non-identical residues in the two sequences when they are aligned and where Nreí is the number of residues in a of the sequences. Accordingly, the AGTCAGTC DNA sequence will have a sequence similarity of 75% with an AATCAATC sequence (Nref = 8; Nd2f = 2). Alternatively or additionally, "similarity" with respect to the sequence refers to the number of positions with identical nucleotides divided by that of nucleotides in the shorter of the two sequences where the alignment of the two sequences can be determined according to the algorithm Wilbur and Lipman (Wilbur and Lipman, 1983 PNAS USA 80: 726), for example, using a window size of 20 nucleotides, a word length of 4 nucleotides, and a space penalty of 4, and computer-assisted analysis and Interpretation of sequence data that includes alignment can be conveniently performed using commercially available programs (eg, Intelligenetics ™ Suite, Intelligenetics Inc. CA). When the RNA sequences are said to be similar or have a degree of sequence identity with the DNA sequences, thymidine (T) in the DNA sequence is considered equal to the uracil (U) in the RNA sequence. A probe or primer can be any stretch of at least 8, preferably, at least 10, more preferably at least 12, 13, 14, or 15, such as at least 20, for example at least 23 or 25 , for example at least 27 or 30 nucleotides in a FABP4 gene that are unique to a FABP4 gene. As for PCR or primers or hybridization probes and optional lengths thereof, the reference is also made to 1 Kajimura et al. , GATA 7 (4): 71-79 (1990). The RNA sequences within the scope of the invention are derived from the DNA sequences, by thymidine (T) in the DNA sequence which is considered equal to the uracil (U) in the RNA sequences. The oligonucleotides can be produced by a conventional production process for the general oligonucleotides. They can be produced, for example, by a chemical synthesis process or by a microbial process that makes use of a plasmid vector, and phage vector or the like. In addition, it is appropriate to use a nucleic acid synthesizer. To label an oligonucleotide with the fluorescent dye, one of the conventionally known labeling methods can be used (Tyagi &Kramer (1996) Nature Biotechnology 14: 303-308; Schofield et al. (1997) Appl. And Environ. Microbiol. : 1143-1147; Proudnikov &Mirzabekov (1996) Nucí Acids Res. 24: 4532-4535). Alternatively, the oligonucleotide can label with a radiolabel for example, 3 H, 125 I, 35 S, 14 C, P, etc. Well-known labeling methods are described, for example, in Sambrook et al. (2001) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press. The tag is coupled directly or indirectly to a component of the oligonucleotide according to methods well known in the art. Reverse phase or similar chromatography used to provide a nucleic acid probe for use in the present invention can purify the synthesized oligonucleotide labeled with a label. One advantageous probe shape is one labeled with a fluorescent dye at the 3 'or 5' end and contains G or C as the base of the labeled end. If the 5 'end is labeled and the 3' end is not marked, the OH group on the C atom at the 3 'position of the 3' end of the ribose or deoxyribose can be modified with a phosphate group or the like but no limitation It is imposed in this respect. During the hybridization of the nucleic acid target with the probes, severe conditions can be used, advantageously together with other severe affliction conditions, to aid in hybridization. Detection by differential interruption is particularly advantageous to reduce or eliminate the slippage of hybridization between the probes and the target, and to promote more effective hybridization. In yet another aspect, severe conditions may be varied during the determination of hybridization complex stability to more accurately or rapidly determine whether a SNP is present in the target sequence. A method to determine the genotype at the site of the polymorphic gene includes obtaining a sample of nucleic acid, hybridizing the nucleic acid sample with a probe, and interrupting the hybridization to determine the required interruption energy level where the probe has a different interrupting energy for one allele as compared to another allele. In one example, they can be a lower interrupting energy, eg, melting temperature, for an allele that hosts a cytokine residue at a polymorphic site, and a higher required energy for an allele with a different residue at that polymorphic site . This can be achieved where the probe has 100% homology with one allele (a perfectly matched probe), but has a single unequal allele with the alternative allele. Since the perfectly matched probe binds more tightly to the target DNA than the unequal probe, it requires more energy to cause the hybridized probe to disassociate. In a further step of the above method, a second probe ("anchor") can be used. Generally, the anchor probe is not specific to any allele, but is hybridized even though nucleotide is present at the polymorphic site. The anchor probe does not affect the interruption energy required to disassociate the hybridization complex, on the other hand, if it does not contain a complementary mark for use with the first probe ("sensor"). Hybridization stability can be influenced by numerous factors, including thermoregulation, chemical regulation, as well as electronic severity control, either alone or in combination with the other listed factors. Through the use of severity conditions, in either or both of the objective hybridization stage of the sensor oligonucleotide severity stage, rapid completion of the process can be achieved. This is desirable to achieve appropriately indexed hybridization of the target DNA to achieve the maximum number of molecules at a test site with an acute hybridization complex. By way of example, with the use of severity, the initial hybridization step may be completed in 10 minutes or less more advantageously five minutes or less and much more advantageously two minutes or less. In general, the analytical process can be completed in less than half an hour. In one mode, the hybridization complex is labeled and the step to determine the amount of hybridization includes detecting the amounts of the labeled hybridization complex at the test sites. The detection device and method may include, but is not limited to, optical image formation, electronic imaging, imaging with a CCD camera, integrated optical imaging, and mass spectrometry. In addition, the amount of the labeled or unmarked probe linked to the target can be quantified. Such quantification may include statistical analyzes. The labeled portion of complex may be the target, the stabilizer, the probe or the hybridization complex in its entirety. The labeling can be by fluorescent labeling selected from the group of, but not limited to, Cy3, Cy5, Texas Red Bodipy, Far Bodipy Red, Lucifer Yellow, Bodipy 630/650-X, Bodipy R6G-X and 5-CR 6G . Colorimetric labeling, bioluminescent labeling and / or chemiluminescent labeling can additionally achieve marking. The labeling may additionally include energy transfer between the molecules and in the hybridization complex by perturbation analysis, rapid cooling, electronic transport between donor and acceptor molecules, the latter of which may be facilitated by the equalization hybridization complexes of double strand Optionally, if the hybridization complex is not labeled, detection can be achieved by measuring the conductance differential between double-stranded and non-double-stranded DNA. In addition, direct detection can be achieved by optical interferometry based on porous silicon or mass spectrometry. When using mass spectrometry no fluorescence and other marking is necessary. Before detection is obtained by extremely high levels of mass resolution achieved by direct measurement, for example, by flight time (TOF) or by electron spray ionization (ESI). Where mass spectrometry is contemplated probes having a nucleic acid sequence of 50 bases or less are advantageous. The tag may be amplified, and may include, for example, branched or dendritic DNA. If the target DNA is purified, it can be unamplified or amplified. In addition, if the purified target is amplified and the amplification is an exponential method, it may be, for example, DNA amplified with PCR or DNA amplified with strand displacement amplification (SDA). Linear methods of DNA amplification such as circle unwinding or transcriptional runoff can also be used. Where it is desired to amplify a DNA fragment comprising a SNP according to the present invention, the forward and back primers may have continuous stretches of approximately 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 or any other length up to and including approximately 50 nucleotides in length. The sequences whereby the annealing of the front and rear primers is advantageously located on either side of the particular nucleotide position that is substituted in the SNP to be amplified. A detectable label can be incorporated into a nucleic acid during at least one cycle of an amplification reaction. The spectroscopic, photochemical, biochemical, immunochemical, electrical, optical or chemical medium can detect such marks. Useful labels in the present invention include fluorescent dyes (e.g., fluorescein isothiocyanate, Texas red, rhodamine, and the like), radiolabels (e.g., 3 H, 125 I, 35 S, 14 C, 32 P, etc.), enzymes (e.g. horseradish peroxidase, alkaline phosphatase, etc.) colorimetric marks such as colloidal gold or glass beads or colored plastics (eg polystyrene, polypropylene, latex, etc.). The label is coupled directly or indirectly to a component of the assay according to methods well known in the art. As indicated above, a wide variety of brands are used with the choice of brand that depends on the required sensitivity, ease of conjugation with the compound, stability requirements, available instrumentation and waste supplies. Non-radioactive brands are often joined by indirect means. Polymerases can also incorporate fluorescent nucleotides during the synthesis of nucleic acids. Reagents that allow sequencing of the reaction products can be used herein. For example, chain termination nucleotides will often be incorporated into a reaction product during one or more cycles of a reaction. Commercial kits that contain the reagents much more typically used for these DNA sequencing methods are available and widely used. Exoruuclease PCR digestion methods for DNA sequencing can also be used. Many genomic sequencing DNA methods are known in the art, and any such method can be used, see for example Sambrook et al. (2001) Molecular Cloning: A Laboratory Manual, 3rd ed., Cold Spring Harbor Press. For example, as described below, a DNA fragment encompassing the location of the SNP of interest can be amplified using the polymerase chain reaction or some other cyclic polymerase-mediated amplification reaction. The amplified DNA region can then be sequenced using any method known in the art. Advantageously, nucleic acid sequencing is by automated methods (reviewed by Meldrum, (2000) Genome Res. 10: 1288-303, the description of which is incorporated by reference in its entirety), for example using a Genetic Analysis System Beckman CEQ 8000 (Beckman Coulter Instruments, Inc.). Methods for sequencing nucleic acids include, but are not limited to, automated fluorescent DNA sequencing, (see, for example, Watts &; MacBeath, (2001) Methods Mol Biol. 167: 153-70 and MacBeath et al. (2001) Methods Mol Biol. 167: 119-52), capillary electrophoresis (see, for example, Bosserhoff et al. (2000) Comb Chem High Throughput Screen 3: 455-66), DNA sequencing microplates (see, for example, Jain, (2000) Pharmacogenomics 1: 289-307), mass spectrometry (see, for example, Yates, (2000) Trends Genet 16: 5-8), pyrosequencing (see, for example, Ronaghi, (2001) Genome Res. 11: 3-11), and ultra-thin layer gel electrophoresis (see, for example, Guttman &Ronai, ( 2000) Electrophoresis 21: 3952-64), the descriptions of which are incorporated by reference in their totalities. Sequencing can also be done by a commercial company. Examples of such companies include, but are not limited to, the University of Georgia Molecular Genetics Instrumentation Facility (Athens, Georgia) or Seq Wright DNA Technologies Services (Houston, Texas). A specific SNP probe can also be used in the detection of the SNP in specific nucleic acid sequences amplified from the target gene, such as the amplified PCR products generated using the primers described above. In certain embodiments, these SNP-specific probes consist of fragments of oligonucleotides. Advantageously, the fragments are of sufficient length to provide specific hybridization to the nucleic acid sample. The use of a hybridization probe of between 10 and 50 nucleotides in length allows the formation of a duplex molecule that is both stable and selective. Molecules having complementary sequences on stretches greater than 12 bases in length are generally advantageous, in order to increase the stability and selectivity of the hybrid and thus improve the quality and degree of particular hybrid molecules obtained. It will generally be preferred to design nucleic acid molecules having stretches of 16 to 24 nucleotides, or even longer where desired. A tag nucleotide region can be included, such as the 5 'end of the primer that can provide a site to which an oligonucleotide sequencing primer can hybridize to facilitate sequencing of multiple PCR samples. The probe sequence must encompass the particular nucleotide position that can be substituted in the particular SNP to be detected. Advantageously, two or more different "allele-specific probes" can be used for the analysis of a SNP, a first allele-specific probe for the detection of one allele, and a second allele-specific probe for the detection of the alternative allele. It will be understood that this invention is not limited to the particular primers and probes disclosed herein and intends to include at least nucleic acid sequences that are hybridizable to the nucleotide sequence disclosed herein, the complement or a fragment thereof. , or are functional sequence analogs of these sequences. It is also contemplated that an attribute or particles of an animal can be determined by using a panel of SNPs associated with that attribute. Various economically relevant attributes may be characterized by the presence or absence of one or more of SNPs and by a plurality of SNPs in different genes. One or more panels of SNPs can be used in the methods of the invention to define the phenotypic profile of the subject animal. Homologs (ie, nucleic acids derived from other species) or other related sequences (e.g., paralogs) can be obtained under conditions of standard or severe hybridization conditions with all or a portion of the particular sequence such as a probe using either known in the art for nucleic acid hybridization and cloning.

The genetic markers, probes thereof, methods, and kits of the invention are also useful in a breeding program for selecting the reproduction of those animals that have desirable phenotypes for various economically important attributes, such as improved meat quality and yield, in particular softness in the flesh. The continuous selection and reproduction of animals, such as cattle, which are at least heterozygous and advantageously homozygous for desirable alleles of the FABP4 gene polymorphic sites associated with economically relevant attributes of growth, feed intake, efficiency and / or channel quality , would lead to a reproduction, line or population that has higher numbers of 'descendants with economically relevant attributes of growth, food intake, efficiency and channel quality. Thus, the FABP4 SNPs of the present invention can be used as a selection tool. Desirable phenotypes include, but are not limited to, feed intake, growth rate, body weight, quality and composition of the channel and bed yield. Specific channel attributes with desirable genotypes include, but are not limited to, additional channel value (additional channel value, $), average daily gain (ADG, lb / d), backfat thickness (BFAT, in) , calculated live weight (Cale Lv Wt, Ib), calculated yield grade (cYG), days on feed (DOF, d), percentage of grooming (DP,%), dry matter intake (DMI, Ib), ingestion of dry matter per day on feed (DMI per DOF, lb / d), weight of hot runner (HCW, Ib), weight value of hot runner (HCW value, $), intramuscular fat content (IMF%,% ), marbling record (MBS, 10 to 99), marbling record divided by food guides (MBS / DOF), grade of quality, less than or equal to the selection versus greater than or equal to the choice (QG, < Se vs, Ch), area of boneless meats (REA, in2), area of boneless meat, percent by weight of HCW (REA / cwt HCW, in2 / 100 Ib hot channel weight te (HCW) and subcutaneous fat depth (SFD). One aspect of the present invention provides for the grouping of animals and methods for managing livestock production comprising the grouping of livestock animals such as cattle according to the genotype as defined by the SNP panels, each panel comprising minus one SNP, one or more of which are in the FABP4 gene of the present invention. Other SNPs that can be included in panels of SNPs include, but are not limited to, SNPs found in the calpastatin gene, GHR gene, ghrelin gene, leptin gene, NPY gene, ob gene, TFAM gene, UASMS1 gene, UASMS2 gene, UASMS3 and / or the UCP2 gene. The genetic selection and grouping methods of the present invention can be used in conjunction with other conventional phenotypic grouping methods such as grouping animals by visible characteristics such as weight, structure size, production attributes and the like. The methods of the present invention provide for producing cattle that have improved heritable attributes, and can be used to optimize herd performance in areas such as reproduction feed intake, carcass / meat quality and milk production. The present invention provides methods for classifying cattle to determine those most likely to develop a desired body condition by identifying the presence or absence of one or more gene polymorphisms correlated with the quality of the meat. As described in the above, and in the examples, there are several genotypic attributes with which the SNPs of the present invention can be associated. Each of the genotypic and genetic attributes can be tested using the methods described in the examples, or using any of the suitable methods known in the art. Using the methods of the invention, a farmer, or feeder operator, or the like, may group cattle according to each genetic propensity of the animal for a desired attribute such as growth rate, feed intake or feeding behavior, as determined by the SNP genotype. . Cattle are tested to determine homozygosity or heterozygosity with respect to the SNP alleles of one or more genes so that they can be grouped such that each pen contains cattle with similar genotypes. Each animal pen is then fed and otherwise maintained in a manner and for a certain time for the operator of the feeder and then slaughtered. The identified genotypic data derived from a panel or panels of SNPs for each animal or a herd of animals can be recorded and associated with various other data of the animal, for example health information, paternity, breeding conditions, vaccination history, records of the herd, safety data of subsequent food and the like. Such information may be passed on to a government agency to provide traceability of an animal or meat product, or it may continue as the basis for reproduction, feeding and marketing information. Once the data has not been associated with other data, the data is stored in an accessible database, such as, but not limited to, a computer database or a chip implanted in the animal. The methods of the invention can provide an analysis of the input data that can be compared with the parameters desired by the operator. These parameters include, but are not limited to, such as breeding objectives, egg-laying objectives, vaccination levels of a herd. If the performance or properties of the animals deviate from the desired objectives, computer based methods can trigger an alert to allow the operator to adjust the doses of vaccination, medications, food etc. therefore. The results of the analysis provide data associating the individual animal or the herd, in whole or in part, of which the sample was taken. The data is then kept in an accessible database, and may or may not be associated with other data of that particular individual or other animals. The data obtained from individual animals can be stored in a database that can be integrated or associated with and / or cross-matched to another database. The database together with the associated data allows information about the individual animal to be known through each stage of the animal's life, that is, from conception to consumption of the animal product. Accumulated data and the combination of genetic data with other types of animal data provide access to information about the percentage, identification of the herd, health information including vaccinations, exposure to diseases, location of the feeder, diet and changes proprietary. Information such as dates and results of diagnostic or routine tests are easily stored and are estimable. Such information would be especially valuable to companies, particularly those who seek superior breeding lines. Each animal can be provided with a unique identifier. The animal can be tagged, as in traditional tracking programs or have implanted computer microplates that provide stored and readable data or provided with any other identification method that associates the animal with its unique identifier. The database that contains the results of the SNP-based genotype for each animal or the data for each animal can be associated or linked to other databases that contain data, for example, that can be useful in the selection of attributes for the grouping or sub-grouping of an animal. For example, and not for limitation, the data pertaining to animals that have particular vaccination or mediation protocols, can optionally be further linked with the data pertaining to the animals that have food from certain food sources. The ability to define a group of animals is limited only by the attributes sought and the databases that contain information related to those attributes. The databases that can be usefully associated with the methods of the invention include, but are not limited to, specific or general scientific data. Specific data include, but are not limited to, breeding lines, stallions, females, and the like, other genotypes of animals, which include whether or not other specific animals possess specific genes that include transgenic genetic elements, location of animals who share similar or identical genetic characteristics, and the like. General data includes, but is not limited to, scientific data such as genes encoding specific quality characteristics, breeding association data, feed data, breeding trends and the like. A method of the present invention includes providing the owner of the animal or consumer with sample collection equipment, such as swabs and marking tools to collect samples from which genetic data can be obtained. By selling, the packaging is coded with a barcode label. The mark is coded with the same identification marks, advantageously with an equalization bar code label. Optionally, the packaging contains means for sending marks to a laboratory for analysis. The optional packaging is also encoded with identification signs, advantageously with a barcode label. The method optionally includes a system in which a database count is established in the sort order of sampling. The database counting identifier corresponds to the identification signs of the marks and the packaging. In the sending of the sampling equipment in compliance with the order, identification signs are recorded in a database. Advantageously, the identifier is a bar code label that is scanned when the marks are sent. When the marks are returned to the test facility, the identifier is registered and again equals the information previously registered in the database in the glass vial shipment to the consumer. Once the genotype detection is complete, the information is recorded in the database and encoded with the unique identifier. The test results are also provided to the consumer or the owner of the animal. The data stored in the database in the genotype can be integrated with or compared to other data or databases for the purpose of identifying animals based on genetic propensities. Other data or databases include, but are not limited to, those that contain information related to SNP-based DNA testing, vaccination, Sure Health preconditioning program, pregnancy and pregnancy outcomes, hormone levels, safety / contamination of food, somatic cell counts, occurrence of mastitis, diagnostic test results, milk protein levels, milk fat, vaccine status, health records, mineral levels, trace mineral levels, herd performance and Similar. The present invention, therefore, includes computer-assisted methods for tracking the breeding and veterinary histories of livestock animals that include using a computer-based system comprising a programmed computer comprising a processor, a data storage system, an input device and an output device, and comprising the steps of generating a profile of a livestock animal by entering into the programmed computer through the input device the genotype data of the animal, wherein the genotype can be defined by a panel of at least two polymorphisms of individual nucleotide that predict at least one physical attribute of the animal, enter into the computer programmed through the animal welfare data input device that correlate to the welfare data entered with the phenotypic profile of the animal that uses the processor and the data storage system, and take a profile of the animal or group of animals to the output device. The databases and their analysis will be accessible to those whose access has been provided. Access can be provided through access rights or by subscribing to specific portions of the data. For example, the database can be accessed by the animal owners, the test site, the entity that provides the sample to the test site, feeder personnel, and veterinarians. The data can be provided in any form such as when accessing an internet site, fax, email, sent correspondence, automated telephone or other methods for communication. These data can also be encoded on a portable storage device, such as a microplate, which can be implanted in the animal. Advantageously, the information can be read and new information added without removing the microplate from the animal. The present invention comprises systems for performing the methods disclosed herein. Such systems comprise devices, such as computers, internet connections, servers, and storage devices for data. The present invention also provides a method for transmitting data comprising the transmission of information of such disclosed methods or steps thereof, for example, by way of telecommunication, telephone, videoconferencing, mass communication, for example, presentation such as a computer presentation (for example, POWERPOINT), internet, electronic mail, documentary communication such as computer programs (for example, WORD) and the like. Systems of the present invention may comprise a data collection module, which includes a data collector for • collecting data from an animal or embryo or transmitting the data to a data analysis module, a network interface for receiving the data of the data analysis module, and optionally further adapted to combine the multiple data of the one or more individual animals, and transmit the data via a network to other sites, or to a storage device. More particularly, the systems of the present invention comprise a data collection module, a data analysis module, a network interface for receiving data from the data analysis module and optionally further adapting to combine the multiple data of one or more individual animals, and to transmit the data via a network to other sites, and / or to a storage device. For example, the data collected by the data collection module leads to a determination of the absence or presence of a SNP of a gene in the animal or embryo, or for example, such data is transmitted when the animal's diet is planned. . In a modality where the data is implanted on a microplate on a particular animal, the farmer can optimize the efficiency to manage the herd because the farmer is able to identify the genetic predictions of an individual animal as well as treatments of the past, present and future (for example, vaccinations and visits to the veterinarian). The invention therefore also provides access to other databases, for example, herd data that relate to genetic tests and data made by others, through data links to other sites. Therefore, data from other databases can be transmitted to the central database of the present invention via a network interface to receive data from the data analysis module of the other databases. The invention relates to a computer system and computer readable means for compiling data on an animal, the system that contains input data about that animal, such as but not limited to, vaccination and medication histories, test of DNA, thyroglobulin test, leptin, MMI (Meta Morphix Inc.), diagnosis of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), brucellosis vaccination, FMD vaccination (paw and mouth disease), vaccination of BVD (bovine viral diarrhea), Sure Health preconditioning program, estrus and pregnancy results, tuberculosis, hormone levels, food safety / contamination, somatic cell counts, mastitis occurrence, diagnostic test results, milk protein levels, milk fat , vaccination status, health records, mineral levels, trace mineral levels, herd performance, and the like. Animal data can also include previous treatments as well as tailor-made treatment suggested that depends on the genetic predisposition of an animal to a particular disease. The invention also provides a computer-assisted method for improving animal production comprising using a computer system, for example, a programmed computer comprising a processor, a data storage system, an input device and an output device, the steps of entering the programmed computer through the input device data comprising reproduction data, veterinary, medication, diagnostic and the like of an animal, which correlate to a physical characteristic predicted by the genotype used the processor and the data storage system, remove the output device from the physical characteristics provided to the genotype, and feed the animal a diet based on the physical characteristic, thus improving livestock production. The invention further provides a computer-assisted method for optimizing the efficiency of feeders for livestock comprising using a computer system, for example, a programmed computer comprising a processor, a data storage system, an input device and an output device, and the steps of entering the programmed computer through the data entry device comprising reproduction histories, veterinary history of an animal, correlating reproduction, veterinary histories using the processor and storage system of data, take the physical characteristic correlated to the genotype to the output device and feed the animal a diet based on the physical characteristic, thus optimizing the efficiency of the feeders for livestock. The invention further comprises methods for doing business by providing access to such readable media by computer and / or computer systems and / or data collected from animals to users.; for example, the means and / or sequence data may be accessible to a user, for example on a subscription basis, via the internet or a global computer / communication network; or, the computer system may be available to a user, or to subscription bases. In one embodiment, the invention provides a computer system for managing livestock that comprises physical characteristics and databases that correspond to one or more animals. In another embodiment, the invention provides computer readable means for managing livestock that comprises physical characteristics and veterinary histories that correspond to one or more animals. The invention further provides methods for doing business to manage livestock that comprises providing a user with the computer system and means described in the foregoing or physical characteristics and veterinary histories corresponding to one or more animals. The invention further includes method for transmitting the information obtained in any method or stage thereof described herein or any information described herein, by way of telecommunications, telephone, mass communications, mass media, internet presentations, email , etc. The invention further includes equipment useful for classifying nucleic acid isolated from one or more bovine individuals for the allelic variation of any of the FABP genes, and in particular for any of the SNPs described herein, wherein the equipment may at least comprise an oligonucleotide that selectively hybridizes to a nucleic acid comprising any one or more of which are FABP sequences described herein and instructions for using the oligonucleotide to detect variation in the nucleotide corresponding to the SNP of the isolated nucleic acid. One embodiment of this aspect of the invention provides an oligonucleotide that hybridizes specifically to the nucleic acid molecules isolated from this aspect of the invention and wherein the oligonucleotide hybridizes to a portion of the isolated nucleic acid molecule comprising any of the polymorphic sites. in the FABP sequences described herein. Another embodiment of the invention is an oligonucleotide that hybridizes specifically under high stringency conditions to any of the polymorphic sites of the FABP gene wherein the oligonucleotide is between about 18 oligonucleotides and about 50 nucleotides. In another embodiment of the invention, the oligonucleotide comprises a central nucleotide that hybridizes specifically with a polymorphic site of the FABP4 gene of the portion of the nucleic acid molecule.

Another aspect of the present invention is a method for identifying a FABP4 polymorphism in a nucleic acid sample comprising isolating a nucleic acid molecule encoding FABP4 or a fragment thereof and determining the nucleotide at the polymorphic site. Another aspect of the invention is a method for classifying cattle to determine those cattle most likely to exhibit a biological difference in the quality of meat comprising the steps of obtaining a sample of genetic material from a bovine; and analyze the presence of a genotype in cattle that is associated with the quality of the meat, the genotype characterized by a polymorphism in any of the FABP genes. In other embodiments of this aspect of the invention, the step of analyzing is selected from the group consisting of: restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis (RFLP), minisequencing, MALD-TOF, SINE, heteroduplex analysis, conformational polymorphism of a single strand (SSCP), gel electrophoresis with denaturing gradient (DGGE) and gel electrophoresis with a temperature gradient (TGGE). In various embodiments of the invention, the methods may further comprise the step of amplifying a region of the FABP gene or a portion thereof that contains the polymorphism. In other embodiments of the invention, the amplification may include the step of selecting a forward and a forward sequence primer capable of amplifying a region of the FABP gene. Another aspect of the invention is a computer-assisted method for predicting that livestock animals have a biological difference in the quality of meat they comprise: using a computer system, for example, a programmed computer comprising a processor, a system of data storage, an input device and an output device, the steps of: (a) entering into the computer programmed through the input device data comprising a FABP genotype of an animal, (b) correlating growth, ingestion of food, efficiency or quality of the channel predicted for the FABP genotype that uses the processor and the data storage system and (c) to extract the quality of meat correlated to the FABP genotype to the output device, in this way predicting that livestock animals have a particular level of growth ingestion of food, efficiency or quality of the channel. Yet another aspect of the invention is a method for doing business to manage livestock which comprises providing a user with the computer system for handling livestock comprising physical characteristics and genotypes corresponding to one or more animals or a computer readable means for managing cattle that comprise physical characteristics and genotypes that correspond to one or more animals or physical characteristics or genotypes that correspond to one or more animals. - The invention will now be further described by way of the following non-limiting examples. EXAMPLES Example 1 This example demonstrates that the protein 4 gene binding bovine fatty acid (FABP4) is significantly associated with marbling and the depth of subcutaneous fat in the Wagyu x Limousin F2 crosses. Evidence has shown that the fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4) expressed in adipose tissue interacts with the peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor and binds to hormone-sensitive lipase in this way by playing an important role in metabolism and lipid homeostasis in adipocytes. The objective of this study was, therefore, to investigate the associations of the bovine FABP4 gene with the deposition of fat in the Waygu x Limousin F2 crosses. The sequences of both cDNA (625 bp) and qenomic DNA (803 bp) of the bovine FABP4 gene are retrieved from the public databases and aligned to determine their genomic organization. Two pairs of primers were designed, which direct two regions of the gene, one of the bases 5433 to 6106 and one of the bases 7417-7868 (AAFC01136716). Direct sequencing of the PCR products on the two accumulations of high / low marbling DNA from the animals revealed two G / C substitutions at positions 7516 and 7713, respectively. The first G / C substitution can be revealed by PCR-RFLP using the restriction enzyme MspAlI and was detected in genotype on the 246 F2 animals in the reference population. The statistical analysis showed that the bovine FABP4 gene genotype significantly affected intramuscular and subcutaneous fat deposition as indicated by the marbling record (P = 0.0321) and subcutaneous fat depth (P = 0.0246), respectively. The FABP4 gene falls into a range, suggestive / significant QTL for beef marbling previously reported on bovine chromosome 14 in the other three populations, which can be immediately implemented in beef reproduction programs. Fatty acid binding proteins are from a small, highly conserved, cytoplasmic protein family that bind long chain fatty acids and other hydrophobic ligands (Kaikaus et al. 1990). Its major functions include fatty acid uptake, transport uptake and metabolism. So far, nine different members have been identified in this family gene (Damcott et al. 2004), which include protein that binds fatty acid in adipocyte or protein 4 that links fatty acid (FABP4). FABP4 plays a major role in the regulation of lipid and glucose homeostasis through its interaction with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs), located in the cell nucleus. Specifically, the FABP4 / fatty acid complex activates the PPAR-? Isoform which in turn regulates the transcription of FABP4 (Damcott et al. 2004). In addition, FABP4 appears to be involved in the hydrolysis of lipids in intracellular acid trafficking through direct interaction and binding to the hormone-sensitive dipase. (Shen et al. 1999), which is a primary enzyme involved in lipid metabolism (Tansey et al. 2003). Recently, FABP4 and FABP5 were proposed as potential candidate genes for obesity since they are located within a region of quantitative attribute sites (QTL) for serum leptin levels in mice (Ogino et al. 2003). Leptin, a 16-kDa protein secreted from white adipocytes, is involved in the region of food intake, energy expenditure, and complete body energy balance (Jiang et al. 1999). All these factors indicate that FABP4 plays an important role in lipid metabolism and homeostasis in adipocytes. Here, the development of the genetic markers in the bovine FABP4 gene and the significant association of the gene with the marbling and the depth of subcutaneous fat (SFD) in the crosses Wagyu x Limousin F2 is reported. The genomic sequence of the bovine FABP4 gene has not been described. However, the cDNA sequence of the bovine FABP4 gene (X89244), derived from the bovine mammary gland, was previously reported (Specht et al. 1996). Therefore, a BLAST search was performed using this cDNA sequence as a search query for its genomic DNA sequence against the 3X bovine genome sequences that have been released into the public domain (http: //www.hgsc. bcm.tmc.edu/projects/bovine/). The process retrieved the contigl36721 Bos taurus (accession number GenBank AAFC01136716) which contains the sequence of the bovine FABP4 gene 8,031 bp. The complete structure of the bovine FABP4 gene was then determined by comparing the genomic DNA sequence with the complete cDNA sequence (FIG 1). The genomic organization of the bovine FABP4 gene consists of four exons and three introns (FIG.1), which is comparable to the structure of the gene in other members of the protein family that binds fatty acid and is identical to the structure of the same gene in Human (NC_000008), pig (Y16039), mouse (NC_000069), rat (NC_005101) and chicken (NC_006089). The genomic DNA alignment - cDNA - of the bovine FABP4 gene showed 99% sequence identity in an aligned block (Exon 3, FIG.1) and 100% sequence identity in three blocks. These four aligned blocks represent the 5 'UTR (untranslated region), 4 exons and the 3' UTR. Therefore, this 8,031 bp genomic sequence of FABP4 could be tentatively divided into the following organizational parts: 1,819 bp for the proximal promoter, 67 bp for the 5 'UTR, 66 bp for the exon 1, 2,709 bp for the intron 1, 173 bp for exon 2, 594 bp for intron 2, 102 bp for exon 3, 463 bp for intron 3, 51 bp for exon 4, 100 bp for the 3 'UTR and 1,887 bp for the nontranscribed sequence 3 ', respectively (FIG.1). A Wagyu x Limousin reference population was developed jointly by Washington State University and the Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory, ARS, USDA. The Fi crosses, which include 6 Fi sires and 113 females, were generated at the Washington State University and transferred to the USDA search station in the fall of 1998. The mating between them of Fi animals produced 71 progenies F2 in 2000, 90 in 2001 and 109 in 2002, respectively. The growth rate, carcass and meat quality data, which include marbling and SFD records, were collected on all F2 calves. The marbling record is a subjective measurement of the amount of intramuscular fat in the longissimus muscle based on USDA standards (http://www.ams.usda.gov/). The SFD was measured at the interface of the rib 12-13 perpendicular to the outer surface of a three-quarter point of the length of the longissimus muscle from its spine bone end. Marbling records ranged from 4 = Light0 to 9.5 = Moderately Abundant50 (SD = 1.00) and SFD measurements varied from 0.1 to 1.3 inches (SD = 0.18) in this population F2. The DNA was extracted from the blood samples. Based on the availability of both data and DNA samples, 246 observations were used in the current study. Two accumulations of DNA from the reference population were formed, one of 20 individuals with the highest marbling records (HMS accumulation) and one of 20 individuals with the lowest marbling records (LMS accumulation), for an initial classification of the association of markers with attributes. Two pairs of primers were designed to detect genetic polymorphisms in the bovine FABP4 gene, based on the genomic contigl36721 sequence (GenBank accession number AAFC01136716. All numbers in this paper are based on this sequence). The first pair of primers (forward sequence, 5 'TCG TAA ACT TAG ATG AAG GTG CTC TGG 3' (SEQ ID NO: 2) and the rear sequence, 5 'ACG TAT CCA GCA GAA AGT CAT GGA G 3' (SEQ ID NO: 3) is directed to a region from bases 5433 to 6106. This region includes exon 3, intron 3 and exon 4, and a putative G / A substitution was found in exon 3 based on the sequence alignment between the cDNA and the genomic DNA of bovine FABP4 The second pair of primers (forward sequence, 5 'ATA TAG TCC ATA GGG TGG CAA AGA 3' (SEQ ID NO: 4) and the rear sequence, 5 'AAC CTC TCT TTG AAT TCT CCA TTC T 3 '(SEQ ID NO: 5) amplifies a region of 7417-7868 bp, which contains a short tandem "CA" repeat.Approximately 50 ng of genomic DNA from the accumulations of HMS and LMS were amplified in a final volume of 10 μL containing 12.5 ng of each primer, 150 μM dNTPs, 1.5 mM MgCl2, 50 mM KCl, 20 mM Tris-HCl and 0.25U of Platinum Taq polymerase (Invitrogen, Carlsbad, CA). PCR conditions were carried out as follows: 94 ° C for 2 min, 32 cycles of 94 ° C for 30 sec, 63 ° C (for the first pair of primers) or 56 ° C (for the second pair of primers ) for 30 sec and 72 ° C for 30 sec., followed by an extension of 5 min. additional at 72 ° C. The PCR products were examined by electrophoresis through a 1.5% agarose gene with IX TBE buffer to determine the quality and quantity of DNA for sequencing. Direct sequencing of the PCR products from the two DNA pools was performed on the ABI 3730 sequencer at the Laboratory for Biotechnology and Bioanalysis (Washington State University) using a standard protocol. Nevertheless, DNA sequencing did not confirm the sequence of a G / A substitution in exon 3 or a variation in the CA repeat number in the 3 'non-transcribed region of the bovine FABP4 gene between HMS and LMS accumulations. In contrast, two individual nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were detected in the amplified products with the second pair of primers, which include a G / C substitution located at position 7516 (FIG 2A) and a G / C substitution in 7713 bp within the CA repeat region (FIG 2B). The restriction map analysis indicated that the G / C substitution at 7516 bp could be detected by the genotype using PCR-RFLP using the restriction enzyme 'MspAl I. This SNP G / C in the gene Bovine FABP4 was then genotyped individually in the DNA of Wagyu X Limousin F2 animals with recorded marbling records and SFD measurements. After PCR amplification, the amplicons were digested at 37 ° C for three hours with 2U of MspA1 (New England Biolabs, Beverly, MA) followed by analysis on 1.5% agarose gels. The 452 bp amplicon with the C / G substitution at 7516 bp contains an individual polymorphic site for the restriction enzyme MspAl l. Therefore, the homozygous GG animals have an MspAll site and reveal after the complete digestion two bands: 100 bp and 352 bp. In comparison, animals homozygous with the C allele have lost the MspAll recognition site in this position and show only the 452 bp band. The heterozygous animals are identified by the presence of three bands after digestion of MspAll (FIG 3). Of 232 detected genotype animals, 139 were homozygous with the C allele, 21 were homozygous with the G allele and the remaining 72 were heterozygous with both the C and G alleles (Table 1). The genotype distribution was in the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (? 2 = 2.82, P> 0.05). Table 1. The associations of the bovine SNP G / C FABP4 at position 7516 with marbling and SFD at the Waygu X Limousin F2 crosses.

«AbSignifies within a row without common superscripts that are significantly different (P <0.05). Phenotypic data for marbling records and SFD measurements were analyzed using the GLM (general linear model) procedure of SAS v9.1 (SAS institute Inc., Gary, NC). The fixed effects of the model included year of birth, gender, age in the collection (linear) and the genotype for a G / C substitution in 7516 bp of the FABP 4 gene. Comparisons as pairs of the last frame medium were made using a protected T test. The genotype significantly affected intramuscular and subcutaneous fat deposition (Table 1), as indicated by the marbling record (P = 0.0321) and SFD (P = 0.0246), respectively. Because the number of animals with the GG genotype was relatively low in the population, significant differences in the SFD or marbling record were not detected. However, numerically homozygous animals with the G allele had higher SFD and higher marbling records than animals homozygous with the C allele. Animals with the heterozygous genotype had significantly higher marbling records (P <0.05) and SFD than animals with the CC genotype. While these results are the first known report of an association between genotype FABP4 and either the marbling record or the SFD in cattle, other search engines have reported significant polymorphisms in the porcine FABP4 gene that was related to lipid accretion. Gerbens and collaborators (1998) detected a microsatellite marker in the porcine FABP4 gene that was polymorphic in six replications of pigs. The genotypes for this microsatellite were significantly associated with the intramuscular fat content of the longissimus dorsal muscle of Duroc pigs (Gerbens et al. 1998) and biopsies of the longissimus lumborum muscle of castrated crossbred pigs (Gerbens et al. 2001). In addition, Ye et al (2002) indicated that the BSJ? I site in the porcine FABP4 gene near the microsatellite marker described by Gerbens et al. (1998) was significantly associated with the intramuscular fat content. Several reports have shown that bovine chromosome 14 (BTA14) hosts significant or suggestive QTL for marbling (intramuscular fat content) and SFD in beef cattle. Casas y colleagues (2003) reported a suggested QTL for marbling in a family Bos indicus x Bos taurus located at 47 cM and a QTL suggested for SFD at 16 cM on BTA14. Taylor and 'Schnabel (2004) (http://animalgenomics.missouri.edu/) recently developed a semen DNA repository of 1,600 bulls representing 14 generations of the Angus American association for an Angus genome project and confirmed the existence of a Marble QTL with a similar location as the QTL identified by Casas y colleagues (2003). In purebred Japanese black cattle, a QTL for marbling was found in the Central American regions of BTA14 (Imai et al. 2004). The standardization of these marker locations based on the newest version of the bovine lineage map (Ihara et al. 2004) demonstrated that these QTLs span an interval between 59 cM and 70 cM spbre BTA14. The integration of both the genetic map (Ihara et al. 2004) and the RH map (Itoh et al. 2005) of BTA14 predicted that the FABP4 gene should be placed somewhere between 63,156 and 63,859 cM on the bovine microsome lineage map. These data indicate that the FABP4 gene does not fall within a QTL interval for the marbling reported in the three different populations as described above. References: Houses and collaborators 2003. Detection of quantitative trait loci for growth and carcass composition in cattle. J Anim Sci. 81: 2976-2983. Damcott et al. 2004. Metabolism, 53: 303-309. De and colleagues 2004. Proceedings, Western Section, American Society of Animal Science, 55: 95-98. Gerbens et al. 2001. J Anim Sci. 79: 347-354. Gerbens et al 1998. Mamm Genome, 9: 1022-1026. Ihara et al. 2004. Genome Res. 14: 1987- 1998 Imai et al. 2004. Proceedings of the 29th International Conference on Animal Genetics, Tokyo, Japan, p.118. Itoh et al. 2005. Genomics, 85: 413-424. Jíang and Gibson 1999. Mamm Genome, 10: 191-193.

Kaikaus et al 1990. Experientia, 46: 617-630. Shen et al. 1999. Proc Nati Acad Sci U S A, 96: 5528-5532. Specht et al. 1996. J Biol Chem. 271: 19943-19949. Tansey et al. 2003. J Biol Chem. 278: 8401-8406. Thaller et al 2003. Anim Genet. 34: 354-357. Ye and collaborators 2002. 7th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Montpellier, France, 31: 359-362. Example 2 This Example provides associations between the markers TFAM-1, TFAM-2, and FABP4 and the attributes of the channel in steers and heifers of commercial feeder. The following markers were evaluated: (1) a substitution of C to A at the position of nucleotide 1220 in the promoter of the mitochondrial transcription factor A gene (TFAM-1), (2) a substitution of C to T in the position of nucleotides 1212 in the TFAM-2 promoter and (3) a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the gene for protein 4 binding fatty acid (FABP4). The previous results indicate that markers affect marbling and back fat.

Initially, there were 1,589 records initially of heifers and steers. The objective end point was 12.2 mm of back fat. The collection date was predicted at the optimal economic end point per animal. Contemporary groups included source and sex. It was assumed that the type of reproduction was confused with the source. The final data set included the number of records based on the phenotypes and genotypes available for each attribute. The attributes tested are: hot carcass weight (HCW, Ib), boneless meat area (REA, in), meat area 'boneless percent HCW (REA / cwt HCW, in2 / 100 lb hot channel weight (HCW), weight value of the hot channel (HCW value, $), calculated live weight (Cale Lv Wt, Ib), dry matter intake (DMI, Ib), days on feed (DOF, d), dry matter intake per day on feed (DMI per DOF, lb / d), average daily gain (ADG, lb / d) ), percentage of grooming (DP,%), thickness of back fat (BFAT, in), degree of calculated yield (cYG), grade of quality, less than or equal to the selection against greater than or equal to the choice (QG) , < Se vs., Ch), intramuscular fat content (IMF%,%), marbling record (MBS, 10 to 99), marbling record divided by day on food (MBS / DOF), value of Marbling channel (value of the additional channel, $), adjusted net return - all costs removed (adjusted net return - all costs removed, $) and adjusted net return - initial animal value not removed (adjusted net return- - initial animal value not removed, $). The analysis models were the genotype, where genotypes were fixed as fixed effects and substitution of additive or allele, which showed regression on the number of alleles (0, 1, 2). Both models are adjusted with two combinations of markers. Another model of analysis is the haplotype, which shows the regression on the haplotype (expected) when it fixes multiple markers of TFAM. The significant individual marker associations are presented in Table 2 and 2 combinations of significant markers are presented in Table 3.

TABLE 2 Analysis of the Individual Marker for TFMA-1, TFAM-2, and FABP Value Value Substitution of the Allele Genotype Fij or Model I: > P Ado Genot: Lpo P Dom Marker Attribute N Estimated SE Value P Value P Add. est SE Dom. est. SE FABP4 QG Ch (l, 2,5,9,20) 1528 -.065 .019 .0007 .0027 -.057 .023 .020 .030 .5161 REA / wt HCW 1528 .00016 .00009 .0558 .0345. 00027 .00010 .0102 .00023 .00013 .0795 TFAM-1 Cale Lv Wt 1539 10,629 3,578 .0030 .0122 10 794 3,731 .0039 .816 5,178 8748 P of the street channel 1539 5,929 2,402 .0137 .0478 5,894 2,504 .0187 -,172 3,476 .9606 Value of HCW 1539 .274. 192 .1535 .0073 .432 .200 .0308 .776 .277 .0052 Marble registration 1125,905 .358 .0115 .0354 .962 .373 .0099 .281 .516 .5865 MBS / DOF 1125 .006 .003. 0452 .0892 .007 .003 .0296 .004 .004 .3641 C? TFAM-2 Cale Lv Wt 15Q3 -9,607 3,590 .0075 .0099 -10,145 3,608 .0050 -7,321 5,070 .1490 Weight of the Hot Channel < 1503 -5,931 2,418 .0143 .0270 -6,208 2,431 .0107 -3,775 3,416 .2693 Value of HCW 1503 -.453 .193 .0191 .0104 -.415 .194 .0326 .520 .273 .0567 Marbling record 1097 -. 845 .366 .0210 .0557 -.872 .368 .0179 -.345 .512 .5005 Meat area sn bone 1503 -.142 .058 .0139 .0439 -.139 .058 .0165 .037 .082 .6503 The markers are adjusted for the substitution of alleles A for TFAM1. C for TFAM2 and FAEP IOS marbling records vary from 10 = PD0 = Est, 99 = A90 = QC of first Ch (1, 2, 5, 9, 20) implies Ch or better-includes first, Ch, CAB, Sterling Silver, and Angus Pride, Alternados included Se, No Roll, Dar cutter and Hard Bone OR Table 3 Two Marker Analysis for TFAM1, TFAM2? FABP4 Replacing Alleles Genotype Marker 1 Marker 2 Markers 1 * 2 Marker 1 * 2 Marker Marker SE Attribute Value P Estimated SE Value P Estimated SE Value P Value P Value P Value P 1 2 TFAM-1 FABP4 Adj NR w / o 1526 -1.383 4.007 .7300 -.416 3.786 .9124 -.621 5.003 .9013. 4996 .2159 .0404 init val Cale Lv Wt 1526 12,076 4,388 .0060 -4,194 4,146 .3119 -3,120 5,478 .5691 .0153 .2933 .6639 Channel weight 1526 7,092 2,948 .0163 -2,672 2,785 .3374 -2,237 3,680 .5435 .0393 .1629 .5571 callente IMF% 377 -.046 .078 .5526 -.056 .072 .4345, 042 .095 .6598 .4765 .9997 .0372 MBS / DOF 1117 007 .003 .0299 -.001 .003 .8048 -.004 .004 .4059 .0426 .8568 .6798 Record of 1117. 1,069 .429 .0128 -.334 .408 .4140 -.317 .543 .5594 .0282 .4454 .8402 marbling QG 1526 -.004 .021 .8403 -.072 .020 .0003 034 .026 .2028 .6912 .0016 .6534 Ch (l, 2,5,9,20) TFAM-1 TFAM-2 Adj NR w / o 1501 8.151 5.602 .1459 11.913 5.791 .0398 -2.564 5.312.6294 .1528 .0868 .3998 init to DMI 1501 22.819 25853. 3776 -2,520 26,725 .9249 -12,727 24,514 .6037 .0152 .0230 .0388 DMI / DOF 1501 .208 .179 .2457 .034 .185 .8555 -.022 .170 .8989 .0142 .0171 .0479 Value of HCtJ 1501 -.466 .328 .1561 -.938 .339 .0058 .650 .311 .0368 .3637 .9102 .6043 QG 1501 -.042 .030 .1558 -.066 .031 .0302 .033 .028".2388 .2871 .5127 .2949 Ch (l, 2,5,9,20) YG 1434 .080 .039 .0419 .059 .041 .1481 -.040 .037 .2760 .4031 .5462 .7033 TFAM-2 FABP4 Cal Lv Wt 1495 -11,350 4,367 .0094 -5,556 4,050 .1703 4,329 5,306 .4147 .0113 .1017 .6175 DOF 1495 -.181 .475 .7030 -.672 .441 .1274 .209 .577 .7175 .9786 .0189 .0398 Channel weight 1495 -6.424 2.943 .0292 -3.431 2.729 .2090 1235 3.576 .7299 .0530 .0614 .8073 hot Register of 1093 -.990 .433 .0223 -.372 .403 .3568 .311 .529 .5568 .0726 .8003 .8134 marbling QG 1495 -.017 .021 .4248 -.063 .020 .0014 -.025 .026 .3308 .8411 .0051 .2986 C (l, 2,5,9,20) REA / cwt HCW 1495 -.00002 .00009 .8546, 00018 .00009 .0385 -.00011 .00011 .3377 .8702 .0523 .2467 The markers are adjusted for the substitution of alleles A for TFAM1 C for TFAM2 and FABP4 Marbling records vary from 10 to 99 10 = PD0 = Est 99 = A90 = QG Prime Ch (1, 2, 5, 9, 20) implies Ch or Raider-includes Prime, Ch, CAB, Sterling Silver and Angus Ppde, the alternates included SE, No Roll, Dar cutter and hard bone Example 3 FIG. 5 shows a flow chart of the data input and the output of the analysis results and the correlation of the data pertaining to the reproduction, veterinary histories and performance requirements of a group of animals such as cattle. The flow chart illustrated in FIG. 5 further indicates the interactive flow of data from the computer-aided device to a body of students comprising the use of the method of the invention and the correlation of such interactive data to present an output as a diagram of sectors involving the progress of the class . The flow diagram further indicates modifications of the method of the invention in accordance with the information received from the students to advance the teaching process or optimize the method to meet the needs of the student. FIG. 6 illustrates the potential relationships between the data elements to be entered into the system. Non-directional arrows indicate, for example, that a barn is typically owned only by a farm, while a farm may have several barns. Similarly, a prescription may include veterinary products. -The FIG. 7A illustrates the flow of events in the use of the laptop-based system for the input of data on the reproduction and breeding of a herd of cows. FIG. 7B illustrates the flow of events through the subroutines related to the input of data concerning the management of the farm. FIG. 7C illustrates the flow of events through the subroutine related to the entry of data concerning specific data to a company. FIG. 8 illustrates a flow chart of the data entry and output of the analysis results and the correlation of the data pertaining to reproduction, veterinary histories, and performance requirements of a group of animals. The invention is further described by the following numbered paragraphs: 1. A method for subgrouping animals according to the genotype wherein the animals of each subgroup have a similar polymorphism in a protein-binding gene 4 fatty acid ("FABP4") comprising: ( a) determine the genotype of each animal to be subgrouped when determining the presence of a nucleotide polymorphism only in the FABP4 gene, and (b) segregate individual animals into subgroups where each animal in a subgroup has a similar polymorphism in the FABP4 gene . 2. A method for subgrouping animals according to genotype where the animals of each subgroup have a similar genotype in the FABP4 gene comprising: (a) determining the genotype of each animal to be subgrouped when determining the presence of a single polymorphism ( s) of nucleotide of interest in the FABP4 gene, (b) segregating individual animals into subgroups depending on whether the animals have or do not have the single nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest in the FABP4 gene. 3. The method of paragraphs 1 or 2, wherein the individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest is selected from the group consisting of a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of G to C at position 7713 of the FABP4 gene. Four . A method for sub-grouping animals according to the genotype wherein the animals of each subgroup have a similar genotype in the FABP4 gene comprising: (a) determining the genotype of each animal to be grouped by determining the presence of a substitution from G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of G to C at the position of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of T to C at position 7713 of the FABP4 gene, and (b) segregating individual animals into subgroups depending on whether the animals they have, or do not have a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of G to C at position 7713 of the FABP 4 gene. 5. A method for identifying an animal having a desirable genotype as compared to the general population of animals of those species, comprising determining the presence of an individual nucleotide polymorphism in the FABP4 gene of the animal, wherein the polymorphism is selects from the group consisting of a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of G to C at position 7713 of the individual nucleotide polymorphism of the FABP4 gene is indicative of a desirable phenotype. 6. The method of paragraph 5, wherein the desirable phenotype is feed intake, growth rate, body weight, carcass quality and composition, milk yield or any combination thereof. 7. The method of paragraph 5 or 6, where the desirable phenotype is the value of the additional channel (additional channel value, $), average milk gain (ADG, lb / d), thickness of back fat (BFAT, in ), calculated live weight (Cale Lv Wt, Ib), calculated yield grade (cYG), days on feed (DOF, d), percentage of grooming (DP,%), ingestion of dry matter (DMI, Ib), dry matter intake per day on feed (DMI per DOF, lb / d), weight of hot channel (HCW, Ib ), hot channel weight value (HCW value, $), intramuscular fat content (IMF%,%), marbling record (MBS, 10 to 99), marbling record divided by day on food (MBS / DOF), grade of quality, less than or equal to the selection against greater than or equal to choice (QG, <; Se vs, > Ch), boneless meat area (REA, in2), boneless meat area, weight percent HCW (REA / ct HCW, in2 / 100 Ib hot runner weight (HCW), subcutaneous fat depth (SFD) or any combination thereof 8. The method of any of paragraphs 1 to 7 wherein the animal is a bovine 9. The method of any of paragraphs 1 to 8 wherein the FABP4 gene is a bovine FABP gene. An interactive computer-assisted method for tracking cattle breeding comprising, using a computer system comprising a programmed computer comprising a processor, a data storage system, an input device, an output device, and an interactive device, the steps of: (a) entering the programmed computer through the input device data comprising a reproduction history of a bovine or herd of cattle, (b) entering the programmed computer through of the da an input device comprising a veterinary history of a bovine or herd of cattle, (c) correlating veterinary data with the reproduction history of the bovine or herd of cattle using the processor and the data storage system, and (d) ) check out the breeding history and the veterinary history of bovine cattle. 11. The method according to paragraph 10 of the computer system is an interactive system whereby modifications to the output of the computer-aided method can be correlated according to the input of the interactive device. 12. The method according to paragraph 10 or 11, also includes the steps of entering in the programmed computer diagnostic data correlated to the health of the cow or herd of cows; and correlating the diagnostic data to the breeding and veterinary histories of the cow or herd of cows. 13. The method according to any of paragraphs 10 to 12, wherein the veterinary data comprises a vaccination record for a cow or herd of cows. 14. The method according to any of paragraphs 10 to 13 wherein the health data are selected from the group consisting of breeding condition data, herd history, and food safety data. 15. The method according to any of paragraphs 10 to 14, further comprising at least one additional step selected from the group consisting of entering data related to the quality control of the bovine or herd of cattle on the programmed computer and correlating the data of 'quality control to the breeding and veterinary histories of the cow or herd of cows, enter in the programmed computer performance parameters of the cow or herd of cows; and correlating the required performance parameters of the bovine or herd of bovines to a specific performance requirement of a consumer, correlating the vaccine data to the performance parameters of the bovine herd of cattle, correlating the herd to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of cattle, correlate the safety data of the feed to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of cattle, correlate the data of the breeding condition to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of bovines, enter in the programmed computer data related to the nutritional information of the bovine or herd of cattle; and to correlate the nutritional data to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of cattle, and to alert the undesirable changes to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of bovines. 16. The method according to any of paragraphs 10 to 15, further comprising the steps of entering the programmed computer through the input device data comprising a genotype of a bovine; correlate a predicted physical characteristic for the genotype used by the processor and the data storage system; and to take to the output device the physical characteristic correlated to the genotype for a bovine or population of bovines, and to feed the animal (s) a diet based on the physical characteristic, by means of which to improve the production of bovine. 17. The computer-assisted method according to any of paragraphs 10 to 16 to utilize the efficiency of feeders for livestock that includes removing the output device in the breeding and veterinary history of the cattle and herd of cattle and feeding the animal (is) a diet based on their breeding and veterinary histories, thus optimizing the efficiency of feeders for the cattle or herd of cattle. 18. A method for transmitting data comprising the transmission of information of such methods according to any of paragraphs 10 to 16, selected from the group consisting of telecommunication, telephone, videoconference, mass communication, a presentation, a presentation by computer, a POWERPOINT ™ presentation, internet, email, and documentary communication. 19. An interactive computer system according to any of paragraphs 10 to 16 to track breeding and welfare histories of cows comprising reproduction and veterinary data corresponding to a bovine herd of cattle, and wherein the The computer is configured to allow the operator to exchange data with the device or a remote database. 20. The interactive computer system according to paragraph 19, where the input and output devices are a personal digital assistant or a pocket computer. 21. A method for doing business to track breeding and welfare stories of livestock comprising breeding and veterinary data corresponding to one or more livestock animals comprising providing a user with the computer system of paragraph 19. 22. A method for doing business to track breeding and welfare stories of livestock comprising breeding data and veterinarians comprising breeding data and veterinarians corresponding to one or more livestock animals comprising providing a user with the computer system of paragraph 20 23. The method of doing business according to paragraph 21, which further comprises providing the owner of the animal or customer with sample collection equipment, such as swabs and tags useful for collecting samples from which the genetic data is collected. can be obtained, and where the labels are optionally packaged in a container that is with identification signs. 24 '. The method for doing business according to any of paragraphs 10 to 16, wherein the computer system further comprises a plurality of interactive devices and wherein the method further comprises the steps of receiving data from the interactive devices, compiling the data, take out the data to indicate the response of a student or class of student to a question that relates to the operation of the computer-assisted method, and optionally modify the operation of the computer-assisted method, and optionally modify the operation of the computer-assisted method according to the indication of the response. 25. The method of any of paragraphs 8 to 24 wherein the data comprises the presence or absence of one or more of an individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest in the FABP gene. 26. The method of paragraph 25 wherein the individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest is selected from the group consisting of a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of G to C in the position 7713 of the FABP4 gene. Having described in this manner in detail the preferred embodiments of the present invention, it is to be understood that the invention defined by the preceding paragraphs will not be limited to particular details set forth in the foregoing description since many obvious variations thereof are possible. without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. A method for identifying an animal having desirable marbling, subcutaneous fat depth, or a combination thereof, as compared to the general population of animals of those species, characterized in that it comprises determining the presence of a nucleotide polymorphism individual in a protein 4 gene that binds fatty acid ("FABP4") the presence of an individual nucleotide polymorphism in the FABP4 gene of the animal, where the individual nucleotide polymorphism is indicative of desirable marbling, depth of subcutaneous fat or a combination thereof.
2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that it also comprises sub-grouping animals according to the genotype, wherein the animals of each subgroup have a similar polymorphism in the FABP4 gene, the method comprising: (a) determining the genotype of each animal to be subgrouped when determining the presence of an individual nucleotide polymorphism in the FABP4 gene, and (b) segregating individual animals into subgroups depending on whether the animals have, or do not have, the individual nucleotide polymorphism of interest in the FABP gene 4.
The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest is selected from the group consisting of a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution from G to C at position 7713 of the FABP4 gene.
4. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the animal is a bovine.
5. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the FABP4 gene is a bovine FABP4 gene.
6. An interactive computer-assisted method for tracking livestock cattle breeding characterized in that it comprises, using a computer system comprising a programmed computer comprising a processor, a data storage system, an input device, a device for output, and an interactive device, the steps of: (a) entering the programmed computer through the data of the input device comprising a reproduction history of a bovine or herd of cattle and a genotype of a bovine; correlate a physical characteristic predicted by the genotype using the processor and the data storage system; (b) enter the programmed computer through the input device data comprising a veterinary history of a bovine or herd of cattle, ( c) correlate the veterinary data with the reproduction history of the bovine or herd of cattle using the processor and the data storage system, and (d) draw the output device the history of reproduction, the veterinary history of the bovine or flock of cattle and the physical characteristic correlated to the genotype for a bovine or population of cattle, where the physical characteristic is desirable marbling, depth of subcutaneous fat, or a combination thereof, as compared to the general population of cattle and the genotype is an individual nucleotide polymorphism in a FABP 4 gene. 1 .
The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the computer system is an interactive system by which modifications to the output of the computer-assisted method can be correlated according to the input of the interactive device.
8. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that it also includes the steps of entering diagnostic data related to the health of the cow or herd of cows into the programmed computer; and correlating the diagnostic data to the veterinary reproduction histories of the cow or herd of cows.
The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the veterinary data comprises a vaccination record for a cow or herd of cows.
10. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the health data are selected from the group consisting of breeding condition data, herd history, and food safety data.
11. The method according to claim 6, characterized in that it also comprises at least one additional step selected from the group consisting of entering into the programmed computer data related to the quality control of the cattle or herd of cattle and correlating the control data of quality to the histories of reproduction and veterinary of the cow or herd of cows, to enter in the programmed computer parameters of performance of the cow or herd of cow; and correlating the required performance parameters of the bovine or bovine herd to a specific performance requirement of a client, correlating the vaccine data to the performance parameters of bovine or bovine herd, correlating the herd to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of cattle, correlate the safety data of the feed to the performance parameters of bovine or herd of cattle, correlate the data of breeding condition to the parameters of performance of the bovine or herd of bovines, enter in the programmed computer correlated data to the nutritional information of the cattle or herd of cattle; and to correlate the nutritional data to the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of cattle, and to alert to undesirable changes in the performance parameters of the bovine or herd of bovines.
The method according to claim 6, characterized in that the individual nucleotide polymorphism (s) of interest is selected from the group consisting of a substitution of G to C at the position of nucleotides 7516 of the FABP4 gene and a substitution of G to C in position 7713 of the FABP gene.
A method for transmitting data comprising the transmission of information of such methods in accordance with claim 6, characterized in that it is selected from the group consisting of telecommunication, telephone, videoconference, mass communication, a presentation, a computer presentation, a presentation of POWERPOINT ™, internet, email, and documentary communication.
14. An interactive computer system according to claim 6, characterized to track breeding and welfare histories of cows comprising breeding and veterinary data corresponding to a bovine or herd of cattle, and wherein the computer system is configured to allow the operator thereof to exchange data with the device or a remote database.
15. The interactive computer system according to claim 14, characterized in that the input and output devices are a personal digital assistant or a pocket computer.
16. A method for doing business to trace breeding and welfare stories of livestock, characterized in that it comprises breeding and veterinary data corresponding to one or more livestock animals that comprises providing a user with the computer system in accordance with the claim 14.
17. A method for doing business to track breeding and welfare stories of livestock, characterized in that it comprises reproduction and veterinary data corresponding to one or more livestock animals comprising providing a user with the computer system in accordance with claim 14.
18. A method for doing business according to claim 16, characterized in that it further comprises providing the owner or consumer of the animal with samples of collection equipment such as swabs and tags useful for collecting samples from which the genetic data can be obtained, 'and in where the labels are optionally packaged in a container that is coded with identification signs.
19. The method for doing business according to claim 16, characterized in that the computer system further comprises a plurality of interactive devices and wherein the method further comprises the steps of receiving data from the interactive devices, compiling the data, taking out the data to indicate the response of a student or class of students to a question that relates to the operation of the computer-assisted method, and optionally modify the operation of the computer-assisted method according to the indication of the response.