MUSCLE AND RECTAL TEMPERATURE RESPONSE CURVES TO A SHORT-TERM HALOTHANE CHALLENGE IN EIGHT-WEEK-OLD PIGLETS WITH KNOWN GENOTYPE AT THE HALOTHANE LOCUS

Abstract

Each of the three genotypes (NN: normal, halothane negative; Nn: carrier, halothane negative; nn: halothane sensitive) at the halothane locus had a significantly different muscle temperature response curve to a 3-min halothane challenge, while only halothane positive (H+) and negative H−) phenotypes could be distinguished on the basis of the rectal temperature response curves. However, the among animal variation precludes its use as a diagnostic tool for the identification of heterozygous and homozygous normal among halothane negative pigs. Key words: Temperature, halothane gene, swine, genotype