Vet World   Vol.18   September-2025  Article - 6 

Association of single-nucleotide polymorphism of melanocortin-4 receptor with carcass traits in commercial rabbits under tropical conditions

Background and Aim: Rabbits are increasingly valued in tropical livestock systems for their efficient feed conversion, high-quality meat, and adaptability to small-to-medium scale farming. Genetic selection using molecular markers, such as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in candidate genes, offers a powerful tool to enhance carcass yield and meat quality. The melanocortin-4 receptor (MC4R) gene, a regulator of energy balance and feed intake, has been associated with growth and carcass traits in various livestock but remains underexplored in tropical rabbit production systems. This study aimed to investigate the association between MC4R SNPs and economically important carcass traits in three commercial rabbit breeds, New Zealand White (NZW), Hyla, and Hycole, raised under tropical conditions in Indonesia.

Materials and Methods: Thirty-five male rabbits (10 NZW, 11 Hyla, 14 Hycole; aged 3–4 months) were selected from 621 bucks. DNA was extracted from blood samples, and a 127-base pair MC4R fragment was amplified by polymerase chain reaction and sequenced for SNP detection. Carcass traits measured included hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, ref­erence weight, carcass percentage, meat-to-bone ratio, and five commercial cut points (CP1–CP5). Association analysis between MC4R genotypes (AA, AG, GG) and carcass traits was performed using a general linear model, considering breed and genotype × breed interactions.

Results: An SNP at position 519 (G>A) produced three genotypes. GG-genotype rabbits exhibited the highest carcass per­centage (57.0%) and superior CP2 weight (0.12 ± 0.03 kg) and percentage (10.67 ± 1.53%), with significant genotype effects (p < 0.05) for CP2 weight and CP1 percentage. Breed effects were significant for carcass percentage and CP1 percentage (p < 0.05), while genotype × breed interactions significantly influenced CP2 traits (p < 0.01). The G allele showed a positive association with forequarter meat yield, suggesting its utility in marker-assisted selection (MAS).

Conclusion: MC4R polymorphism at position 519 is significantly associated with key carcass traits in commercial rabbits under tropical conditions. The GG genotype is linked to improved carcass yield, particularly in CP2 traits, although effects vary by breed. Incorporating this SNP into MAS programs can enhance meat production efficiency and carcass quality in tropical rabbit breeding.

Keywords: carcass yield, marker-assisted selection, melanocortin-4 receptor, rabbit breeding, single-nucleotide polymorphism, tropical livestock.

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How to cite this article: Setiaji A, Kamila FT, Mustofa F, Lestari DA, Kamalludin MH, and Sutopo S (2025) Association of single-nucleotide polymorphism of melanocortin-4 receptor with carcass traits in commercial rabbits under tropical conditions, Veterinary World, 18(9): 2626-2635.

Received: 05-05-2025   Accepted: 04-08-2025   Published online: 06-09-2025

Corresponding author: A. Setiaji    E-mail: asepsetiaji@live.undip.ac.id

DOI: 10.14202/vetworld.2025.2626-2635

Copyright: Setiaji, et al. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided you give appropriate credit to the original author(s) and the source, provide a link to the Creative Commons license, and indicate if changes were made. The Creative Commons Public Domain Dedication waiver (http:// creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/) applies to the data made available in this article, unless otherwise stated.