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<p>The purpose of the study was to evaluate associations between average daily gain (ADG) and DNA variability in the regulatory region of candidate genes in Italian Large White, Italian Duroc and Italian Landrace breeds for heavy pig production. The ADG of pigs was available as Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and Random Residuals (RRs). Within each breed, 200 individuals were sampled, 100 in the higher and 100 in the lower 5% tail of the normal distribution curve according to the EBVs for ADG of the populations (600 pigs overall). Six SNPs in promoter regions of 5 candidate genes (<em>MYF6</em>, <em>MYOD1</em>, <em>OPN</em>, <em>SCD</em> and two for <em>LEP</em>) were analysed. Allele frequencies were calculated and the SNPs for <em>LEP</em>, <em>MYF6</em> and <em>MYOD1</em> segregated in the 3 breeds, while polymorphisms in the <em>OPN</em> and <em>SCD</em> genes did not segregate in Italian Large White and Italian Landrace, and Italian Landrace respectively. Fisher’s exact test (two-tailed) for the distribution of allele frequencies in minus and plus variant groups was significant for <em>LEP_1</em> and <em>MYOD1</em> in Italian Large White, for <em>LEP_1</em>, <em>LEP_2</em>, <em>MYOD1</em>, <em>OPN</em> and <em>SCD</em> in Italian Duroc and for <em>LEP_1</em>, <em>LEP_2</em> and <em>MYOD1</em> in Italian Landrace. Several putative binding sites were detected in the promoter regions using MATINSPECTOR software. Analysed mutations may affect putative core sequences of binding sites for transcription factors involved in muscle and fat tissues deposition. However, variations in binding affinities of the sequences related to the SNPs and the expected differential gene expression require to be evaluated.</p>