Dairy cattle

Genetic parameters for test day somatic cell score in Brazilian Holstein cattle

C. N. Costa, Santos, G. G., Cobuci, J. A., Thompson, G., and Carvalheira, J. G. V., Genetic parameters for test day somatic cell score in Brazilian Holstein cattle, vol. 14, pp. 19117-19127, 2015.

Selection for lower somatic cell count has been included in the breeding objectives of several countries in order to increase resistance to mastitis. Genetic parameters of somatic cell scores (SCS) were estimated from the first lactation test day records of Brazilian Holstein cows using random-regression models with Legendre polynomials (LP) of the order 3-5. Data consisted of 87,711 TD produced by 10,084 cows, sired by 619 bulls calved from 1993 to 2007.

Milk yield persistency in Brazilian Gyr cattle based on a random regression model

R. J. Pereira, Verneque, R. S., Lopes, P. S., Santana, Jr., M. L., Lagrotta, M. R., Torres, R. A., Filho, A. E. Vercesi, and Machado, M. A., Milk yield persistency in Brazilian Gyr cattle based on a random regression model, vol. 11, pp. 1599-1609, 2012.

With the objective of evaluating measures of milk yield persistency, 27,000 test-day milk yield records from 3362 first lactations of Brazilian Gyr cows that calved between 1990 and 2007 were analyzed with a random regression model. Random, additive genetic and permanent environmental effects were modeled using Legendre polynomials of order 4 and 5, respectively. Residual variance was modeled using five classes. The average lactation curve was modeled using a fourth-order Legendre polynomial. Heritability estimates for measures of persistency ranged from 0.10 to 0.25.

Increased expression of a novel splice variant of the complement component 4 (C4A) gene in mastitis-infected dairy cattle

Y. Yang, Huang, J. M., Ju, Z. H., Li, Q. L., Zhou, L., Li, R. L., Li, J. B., Shi, F. X., Zhong, J. F., and Wang, C. F., Increased expression of a novel splice variant of the complement component 4 (C4A) gene in mastitis-infected dairy cattle, vol. 11, pp. 2909-2916, 2012.

The complement system helps in the direct lysis of invading pathogens and modulates phagocytic, humoral and cellular immune responses. Complement 4 is a critical component in complement activity and protection against many bacterial pathogens because it is essential to classical and lectin activation pathways. We used reverse transcription and PCR to investigate alternative splicing and expression of the complement component 4 (C4A) gene in Chinese Holstein cattle. The PCR products were cloned and sequenced.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in immunity-related genes and their association with mastitis in Chilean dairy cattle

A. M. Carvajal, Huircan, P., and Lepori, A., Single nucleotide polymorphisms in immunity-related genes and their association with mastitis in Chilean dairy cattle, vol. 12, pp. 2702-2711, 2013.

Mastitis remains a major cattle disease with great global economic implications. Various approaches are currently employed in attempts to improve understanding of mastitis resistance and develop phenotypic markers for use in breeding programs (e.g., somatic cell score), including QTL discovery, wide-genome association studies, and identification of candidate genes related to immune function.

Association of ATP1A1 gene polymorphism with heat tolerance traits in dairy cattle

Y. X. Liu, Zhou, X., Li, D. Q., Cui, Q. W., and Wang, G. L., Association of ATP1A1 gene polymorphism with heat tolerance traits in dairy cattle, vol. 9. pp. 891-896, 2010.

Heat stress produces oxidative stress and affects the alternation of plasma K+ and Na+. Since Na+,K+-ATPase is sensitive to oxidative stress and critical for maintaining the homeostasis of these two ions, we examined the genetic polymorphism of the ATP1A1 gene in 160 Holstein cows using polymerase chain reaction low ionic strength single-strand conformation polymorphism and DNA sequencing methods.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 genes are associated with milk production, body condition score and fertility traits in dairy cows

M. P. Mullen, Lynch, C. O., Waters, S. M., Howard, D. J., O’Boyle, P., Kenny, D. A., Buckley, F., Horan, B., and Diskin, M. G., Single nucleotide polymorphisms in the growth hormone and insulin-like growth factor-1 genes are associated with milk production, body condition score and fertility traits in dairy cows, vol. 10, pp. 1819-1830, 2011.

The somatotrophic axis (GH-IGF) is a key regulator of animal growth and development, affecting performance traits that include milk production, growth rate, body composition, and fertility. The aim of this study was to quantify the association of previously identified SNPs in bovine growth hormone (GH1) and insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1) genes with direct performance trait measurements of lactation and fertility in Holstein-Friesian lactating dairy cows.

Two splice variants of the bovine lactoferrin gene identified in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mastitis in dairy cattle

J. M. Huang, Wang, Z. Y., Ju, Z. H., Wang, C. F., Li, Q. L., Sun, T., Hou, Q. L., Hang, S. Q., Hou, M. H., and Zhong, J. F., Two splice variants of the bovine lactoferrin gene identified in Staphylococcus aureus isolated from mastitis in dairy cattle, vol. 10, pp. 3199-3203, 2011.

Bovine lactoferrin (bLF) is a member of the transferrin family; it plays an important role in the innate immune response. We identified novel splice variants of the bLF gene in mastitis-infected and healthy cows. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and clone sequencing analysis were used to screen the splice variants of the bLF gene in the mammary gland, spleen and liver tissues. One main transcript corresponding to the bLF reference sequence was found in three tissues in both healthy and mastitis-infected cows.

Quantitative trait loci affecting lactose and total solids on chromosome 6 in Brazilian Gir dairy cattle

A. A. Silva, Azevedo, A. L. S., Gasparini, K., Verneque, R. S., Peixoto, M. G. C. D., Panetto, B. R., Guimarães, S. E. F., and Machado, M. A., Quantitative trait loci affecting lactose and total solids on chromosome 6 in Brazilian Gir dairy cattle, vol. 10, pp. 3817-3827, 2011.

Fourteen Brazilian Gir sire families with 657 daughters were analyzed for quantitative trait loci (QTL) on chromosome 6 affecting lactose and total solids. Cows and sires were genotyped with 27 microsatellites with a mean spacing between markers of 4.9 cM. We used a 1% chromosome-wide threshold for QTL qualification. A QTL for lactose yield was found close to marker MNB66 in three families. A QTL for total solid yield was identified close to marker BMS2508 in three families. A QTL for lactose percentage, close to marker DIK1182, was identified in two families.

Genetic trend for milk yield in Guzerat herds participating in progeny testing and MOET nucleus schemes

M. G. C. D. Peixoto, Verneque, R. S., Teodoro, R. L., Penna, V. M., and Martinez, M. L., Genetic trend for milk yield in Guzerat herds participating in progeny testing and MOET nucleus schemes, vol. 5, pp. 454-465, 2006.

Genetic trends for 305-day milk yield (P305) in Brazilian Guzerat herds under selection were compared. Data from 4898 lactations of 3179 purebred and crossbred cows from various regions of Brazil were used. Milk yield was adjusted for mature age and the contemporary groups were defined as herd and calving year. Genetic parameters were estimated using the MTDFREML program. The model included the random effects of animals and permanent environment, and herd-calving year, calving season and genetic composition as fixed effects.

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