Cavanagh et al. Genetics Selection Evolution 2010, 42:36 http://www.gsejournal.org/content/42/1/36 Table 2 Summary of QTL for carcass traits using QTL-MLE 1-LOD support interval [cM] 220 - 277 238 - 314 228 - 324 Marker closest to peak CSSM4 INRA011 INRA011 1 1 1 1 2 2 3 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 9 10 10 OAR Trait QTL [cM] Carcass bone 261 Carcass lean 293 Percent fat in 296 carcass Percent lean in 299 carcass Carcass weight 294 Final body weight 294 Internal fat 155 Internal fat 8 Percent fat in 10 carcass Percent lean in 13 carcass Total fat 15 Carcass fat 16 Carcass weight 75 Final body weight 76 Eye muscle area 51 Carcass lean 116 Carcass fat 112 Percent fat in 112 carcass Percent lean in 112 carcass Carcass weight 92 Final body weight 88 Carcass fat 29 Dressing percentage 33 Total bone 36 Final body weight 32 Percent lean in 113 carcass Subcutaneous fat 62 area Percent lean in 14 carcass Total fat 25 11 11 14 14 14 16 16 16 23 23 10 253 - 323 284 - 309 280 - 318 144 - 175 5 - 32 5 - 50 5 - 52 5 - 42 5 - 61 60 - 91 62 - 91 29 - 70 95 - 154 101 - 112 98 - 112 81 - 112 79 - 107 75 - 107 14 - 54 14 - 56 14 - 57 1 - 60 95 - 121 38 - 75 3 - 45 8 - 38 BM6506 MCM554 MCM554 BM827 OARCP125 OARCP125 OARCP125 OARCP125 OARCP125 OARHH55 OARHH55 BMS528 BMS1304 OARDB3 OARDB3 OARDB3 EPCDV23 EPCDV23 CSRD270 CSRD270 CSRD270 OARCP99 MCM150 BMS2361 MCMA1 MCMA1 OARCP125 BM1329 Lower marker MAF64 CSSM4 CSSM4 INRA011 CSSM045 CSSM045 BM304 OARCP125 OARCP125 OARCP125 OARCP125 BM1329 BM1329 BM3033 MAF33 TGLA441 TGLA441 TGLA441 BM17132 BM17132 TGLA357 TGLA357 TGLA357 BM1225 DIK4612 TGLA126 BL006 BL006 Upper marker INRA011 BM6506 BM6506 BMS4045 ARO28 ARO28 EPCDV25 MCM204 MCM204 BM1329 BM1329 OARJMP1 OARJMP1 MCM223 BM4513 OARDB3 OARDB3 OARDB3 ETH3 ETH3 MCM133 MCM133 MCM133 TGLA126 DIK2269 BM4107 MAF35 MAF35 LOD score 2.1** 2.2** 1.8* 2.2** 2.5** 1.9* 2.1** 1.7* 2.0** 2.4** 2.0** 1.8* 2.8** 2.8** 3.4*** 1.7* 2.1** 2.3** 1.8* 3.1*** 2.5** 1.8* 2.38** 1.7* 1.8* 1.8* 3.5*** 1.7* 2.5** Page 5 of 14 QTL effect (SD) 0.56 0.69 -0.60 0.68 0.60 0.51 0.57 0.50 0.57 -0.64 0.61 0.56 0.64 0.64 -0.99 0.51 0.68 0.71 -0.62 0.64 0.62 -0.53 -0.57 -0.47 -0.58 -0.48 0.73 0.57 -0.61 Shown are the relative positions and the confidence interval (CI) along the 1 male distance map [26], P-values were obtained from likelihood ratio tests (LRT) with 1 df (QTL only); * 1.75 ≤ LOD < 2.0, ** 2.0 ≤ LOD < 3.0, *** LOD ≥ 3.0; standardised QTL effects (SD) are expressed as the estimated effect difference (Awassi - Merino) relative to the estimated residual standard deviation Furthermore, in contrast to studies in sheep, the major- ity of studies in cattle reviewed here refer to genome- wide genome scans (n = 14) [37-39]. In addition, eight partial genome scans or candidate gene analyses in cat- tle were included here [40-47]. Discussion This study is interesting in that it is the fourth full gen- ome scan for mapping QTL in sheep with respect to carcass traits, and the first where carcass traits were determined from data derived by CT scan which can provide highly accurate profiles of tissue distribution. Analysis of carcass data CT scanning was first developed for medical applica- tions and has been extended to animal applications since the 1980s, firstly in pigs and subsequently in sheep [48]. Experiments in sheep and lambs showed that the correlation between CT measures of carcass composi- tion and those derived from manual dissection is very