The association of rs413799434, rs401648197, and rs423370130 SNPs in the methionine sulfoxide reductase B3 (MSRB3) gene with liveweight gain from birth to weaning in the Morkaraman sheep

Globally, sheep rank third in red meat production after cattle and pigs, emphasizing the importance of improving growth traits in breeding programs. Birth weight is critical for neonatal survival, whereas weaning weight affects later growth performance and productivity. Therefore, improving these traits is important for increasing efficiency and profitability in sheep production systems. This study aimed to investigate the association between three single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (rs413799434, rs401648197, and rs423370130) in the MSRB3 gene on chromosome 3 (OAR3) and pre-weaning growth traits in Morkaraman sheep, an indigenous breed of Türkiye. A total of 477 lambs were genotyped using custom TaqMan SNP genotyping assays. Genotype–phenotype association analysis revealed that rs413799434 and rs401648197 were significantly associated with body weights at 30, 60, and 90 days, as well as average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG-90). As a result of genotyping, some genotypes, such as rs413799434-TT, showed relatively low frequencies, and deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were observed for rs413799434 and rs401648197. Therefore, further validation studies using larger and independent populations are required to better clarify the potential association between variation within the MSRB3 gene and pre-weaning growth performance in Morkaraman sheep