The invention relates to a gene (cDNA) encoding a bovine myostatin protein. The nucleic acid coding sequence is identified as SEQ ID NO:1 and the protein sequence is identified as SEQ ID NO:2. A mutant gene (SEQ ID NO:3) in which the coding sequence lacks an 11-base pair consecutive sequence (SEQ ID NO:11) of the sequence encoding bovine protein having myostatin has been sequenced. It has been shown that cattle of the Belgian Blue breed homozygous for the mutant gene lacking myostatin activity are double-muscled. A method for determining the presence of muscular hyperplasia in a mammal is described. The method includes obtaining a sample of material containing DNA from the mammal and ascertaining whether a sequence of the DNA encoding (a) a protein having the biological activity of myostatin, is present and whether a sequence of the DNA encoding (b) an allelic protein lacking the activity of (a), is present. The absence of (a) and the presence of (b) indicates the presence of muscular hyperplasia in the mammal. The invention provides a transgenic non-human male mammal exhibiting muscular hypertrophy, in particular, a transgenic bovine. Methods for preparing these transgenic animals is also described.