The frequency of the normal myostatin gene (GDF-8) and the mutant allele in Marchigiana herds was detected. Three hundred and seventy-seven animals of Marchigiana breed raised in São Paulo and Paraná States, Brazil, were tested. The results showed that 37.9% were homozygous normal animals, 55.2% heterozygous and 6.9% homozygous double muscling. The results suggest the interest of the breeders in having interest in the character double muscling, randomly promoting, the selection in favor of the mutation.
beef catle; Marchigrana; DNA; double muscled; myostatin; PCR
