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Wen H, Johnson JS, Gloria LS, Araujo AC, Maskal JM, Hartman SO, de Carvalho FE, Rocha AO, Huang Y, Tiezzi F, Maltecca C, Schinckel AP, Brito LF. Genetic parameters for novel climatic resilience indicators derived from automatically-recorded vaginal temperature in lactating sows under heat stress conditions. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:44. [PMID: 38858613 PMCID: PMC11163738 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-024-00908-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/23/2023] [Accepted: 05/06/2024] [Indexed: 06/12/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Longitudinal records of automatically-recorded vaginal temperature (TV) could be a key source of data for deriving novel indicators of climatic resilience (CR) for breeding more resilient pigs, especially during lactation when sows are at an increased risk of suffering from heat stress (HS). Therefore, we derived 15 CR indicators based on the variability in TV in lactating sows and estimated their genetic parameters. We also investigated their genetic relationship with sows' key reproductive traits. RESULTS The heritability estimates of the CR traits ranged from 0.000 ± 0.000 for slope for decreased rate of TV (SlopeDe) to 0.291 ± 0.047 for sum of TV values below the HS threshold (HSUB). Moderate to high genetic correlations (from 0.508 ± 0.056 to 0.998 ± 0.137) and Spearman rank correlations (from 0.431 to 1.000) between genomic estimated breeding values (GEBV) were observed for five CR indicators, i.e. HS duration (HSD), the normalized median multiplied by normalized variance (Nor_medvar), the highest TV value of each measurement day for each individual (MaxTv), and the sum of the TV values above (HSUA) and below (HSUB) the HS threshold. These five CR indicators were lowly to moderately genetically correlated with shoulder skin surface temperature (from 0.139 ± 0.008 to 0.478 ± 0.048) and respiration rate (from 0.079 ± 0.011 to 0.502 ± 0.098). The genetic correlations between these five selected CR indicators and sow reproductive performance traits ranged from - 0.733 to - 0.175 for total number of piglets born alive, from - 0.733 to - 0.175 for total number of piglets born, and from - 0.434 to - 0.169 for number of pigs weaned. The individuals with the highest GEBV (most climate-sensitive) had higher mean skin surface temperature, respiration rate (RR), panting score (PS), and hair density, but had lower mean body condition scores compared to those with the lowest GEBV (most climate-resilient). CONCLUSIONS Most of the CR indicators evaluated are heritable with substantial additive genetic variance. Five of them, i.e. HSD, MaxTv, HSUA, HSUB, and Nor_medvar share similar underlying genetic mechanisms. In addition, individuals with higher CR indicators are more likely to exhibit better HS-related physiological responses, higher body condition scores, and improved reproductive performance under hot conditions. These findings highlight the potential benefits of genetically selecting more heat-tolerant individuals based on CR indicators.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jay S Johnson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Leonardo S Gloria
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Andre C Araujo
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jacob M Maskal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | | | | | | | | | - Francesco Tiezzi
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Christian Maltecca
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | - Allan P Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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Hu HH, Mu T, Zhang ZB, Zhang JX, Feng X, Han LY, Hao F, Ma YF, Jiang Y, Ma Y. Genetic analysis of health traits and their associations with longevity, fertility, production, and conformation traits in Holstein cattle. Animal 2024; 18:101177. [PMID: 38797058 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101177] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2023] [Revised: 04/19/2024] [Accepted: 04/22/2024] [Indexed: 05/29/2024] Open
Abstract
Health traits have high economic values in dairy cattle breeding, which can cause considerable financial loss through involuntary culling. In this study, fourteen health traits were analysed, including five composite health traits: reproductive disorders, udder health (UH), digestive disorders, metabolic disorders, locomotory diseases (LD), and nine independent health traits: gestation disorders and peripartum disorders, irregular estrus cycle and sterility, metritis (ME), mastitis (MA), abomasal displacement (AD), enteritis (EN), and ketosis, claw diseases (CD), laminitis complex. This study analysed variance components for health traits through both single and bivariate repeatability animal models. All health traits showed low heritability, ranging from 0.001 to 0.025. Most of the health traits in five categories showed negative genetic correlations, ranging from -0.012 (CD and EN) to -0.634 (ME and EN). Strong positive genetic correlations appeared within the same category, ranging from 0.469 (EN and AD) to 0.994 (UH and MA, LD and CD). Furthermore, approximate genetic correlations were evaluated between health traits and routinely collected traits (longevity, fertility, production, and conformation). In general, the low to moderate approximate genetic correlations were estimated between health traits and routinely collected traits. The estimated correlations between health traits and longevity, fertility, production, and conformation traits could provide an indirect reference for disease-resistance breeding in Holstein cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- H H Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - T Mu
- School of Life Science, Yan'an University, Yanan 716000, China
| | - Z B Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - J X Zhang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - X Feng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - L Y Han
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China; Ningxia Agriculture Reclamation Dairy Co. Ltd, Yinchuan 750021,China
| | - F Hao
- Ningxia Agriculture Reclamation Dairy Co. Ltd, Yinchuan 750021,China
| | - Y F Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Y Jiang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
| | - Y Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China.
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Oloo RD, Ekine-Dzivenu CC, Mrode R, Bennewitz J, Ojango JMK, Kipkosgei G, Gebreyohanes G, Okeyo AM, Chagunda MGG. Genetic analysis of phenotypic indicators for heat tolerance in crossbred dairy cattle. Animal 2024; 18:101139. [PMID: 38626705 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2024.101139] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2023] [Revised: 03/11/2024] [Accepted: 03/15/2024] [Indexed: 04/18/2024] Open
Abstract
Climate change-induced rise in global temperatures has intensified heat stress on dairy cattle and is contributing to the generally observed low milk productivity. Selective breeding aimed at enhancing animals' ability to withstand rising temperatures while maintaining optimal performance is crucial for ensuring future access to dairy products. However, phenotypic indicators of heat tolerance are yet to be effectively factored into the objectives of most selective breeding programs. This study investigated the response of milk production to changing heat load as an indication of heat tolerance and the influence of calving season on this response in multibreed dairy cattle performing in three agroecological zones Kenya. First-parity 7-day average milk yield (65 261 milk records) of 1 739 cows were analyzed. Based on routinely recorded weather data that were accessible online, the Temperature-Humidity Index (THI) was calculated and used as a measure of heat load. THI measurements used represented averages of the same 7-day periods corresponding to each 7-day average milk record. Random regression models, including reaction norm functions, were fitted to derive two resilience indicators: slope of the reaction norm (Slope) and its absolute value (Absolute), reflecting changes in milk yield in response to the varying heat loads (THI 50 and THI 80). The genetic parameters of these indicators were estimated, and their associations with average test-day milk yield were examined. There were no substantial differences in the pattern of milk yield response to heat load between cows calving in dry and wet seasons. Animals with ≤50% Bos taurus genes were the most thermotolerant at extremely high heat load levels. Animals performing in semi-arid environments exhibited the highest heat tolerance capacity. Heritability estimates for these indicators ranged from 0.06 to 0.33 and were mostly significantly different from zero (P < 0.05). Slope at THI 80 had high (0.64-0.71) negative correlations with average daily milk yield, revealing that high-producing cows are more vulnerable to heat stress and vice versa. A high (0.63-0.74) positive correlation was observed between Absolute and average milk yield at THI 80. This implied that low milk-producing cows have a more stable milk production under heat-stress conditions and vice versa. The study demonstrated that the slope of the reaction norms and its absolute value can effectively measure the resilience of crossbred dairy cattle to varying heat load conditions. The implications of these findings are valuable in improving the heat tolerance of livestock species through genetic selection.
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Affiliation(s)
- R D Oloo
- Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany; Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya.
| | - C C Ekine-Dzivenu
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - R Mrode
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya; Animal and Veterinary Science, Scotland's Rural College, EH9 3JG Edinburgh, United Kingdom
| | - J Bennewitz
- Institute of Animal Science, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
| | - J M K Ojango
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - G Kipkosgei
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - G Gebreyohanes
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - A M Okeyo
- Livestock Genetics, International Livestock Research Institute, Box 30709-00100 Nairobi, Kenya
| | - M G G Chagunda
- Animal Breeding and Husbandry in the Tropics and Subtropics, University of Hohenheim, Garbenstrasse 17, 70599 Stuttgart, Germany
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Maskal JM, Pedrosa VB, Rojas de Oliveira H, Brito LF. A comprehensive meta-analysis of genetic parameters for resilience and productivity indicator traits in Holstein cattle. J Dairy Sci 2024; 107:3062-3079. [PMID: 38056564 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-23668] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/26/2023] [Accepted: 11/09/2023] [Indexed: 12/08/2023]
Abstract
Selection for resilience indicator (RIND) traits in Holstein cattle is becoming an important breeding objective as the worldwide population is expected to be exposed to increased environmental stressors due to both climate change and changing industry standards. However, genetic correlations between RIND and productivity indicator (PIND) traits, which are already being selected for and have the most economic value, are often unfavorable. As a result, it is necessary to fully understand these genetic relationships when incorporating novel traits into selection indices, so that informed decisions can be made to fully optimize selection for both groups of traits. In the past 2 decades, there have been many estimates of RIND traits published in the literature, albeit in small populations. To provide valuable pooled summary estimates, a random-effects meta-analysis was conducted for heritability and genetic correlation estimates for PIND and RIND traits in worldwide Holstein cattle. In total, 926 heritability estimates for 9 PIND and 27 RIND traits, along with 362 estimates of genetic correlation (PIND × RIND traits) were collected. Resilience indicator traits were grouped into the following subgroups: Metabolic Diseases, Hoof Health, Udder Health, Fertility, Heat Tolerance, Longevity, and Other. Pooled estimates of heritability for PIND traits ranged from 0.201 ± 0.05 (energy-corrected milk) to 0.377 ± 0.06 (protein content), while pooled estimates of heritability for RIND traits ranged from 0.032 ± 0.02 (incidence of lameness, incidence of milk fever) to 0.497 ± 0.05 (measures of body weight). Pooled estimates of genetic correlations ranged from -0.360 ± 0.25 (protein content vs. milk acetone concentration) to 0.535 ± 0.72 (measures of fat-to-protein ratio vs. milk acetone concentration). Additionally, out of 243 potential genetic correlations between PIND and RIND traits that could have been reported, only 40 had enough published estimates to implement the meta-analysis model. Our results confirmed that the interactions between PIND and RIND traits are complex, and all relationships should be evaluated when incorporating novel traits into selection indices. This study provides a valuable reference for breeders looking to incorporate RIND traits for Holstein cattle into selection indices.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jacob M Maskal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Victor B Pedrosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | | | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907.
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5
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Goh G, Vesterdorf K, Fuller A, Blache D, Maloney SK. Optimal sampling interval for characterisation of the circadian rhythm of body temperature in homeothermic animals using periodogram and cosinor analysis. Ecol Evol 2024; 14:e11243. [PMID: 38601852 PMCID: PMC11004550 DOI: 10.1002/ece3.11243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2024] [Accepted: 03/25/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
Core body temperature (T c) is a critical aspect of homeostasis in birds and mammals and is increasingly used as a biomarker of the fitness of an animal to its environment. Periodogram and cosinor analysis can be used to estimate the characteristics of the circadian rhythm of T c from data obtained on loggers that have limited memory capacity and battery life. The sampling interval can be manipulated to maximise the recording period, but the impact of sampling interval on the output of periodogram or cosinor analysis is unknown. Some basic guidelines are available from signal analysis theory, but those guidelines have never been tested on T c data. We obtained data at 1-, 5- or 10-min intervals from nine avian or mammalian species, and re-sampled those data to simulate logging at up to 240-min intervals. The period of the rhythm was first analysed using the Lomb-Scargle periodogram, and the mesor, amplitude, acrophase and adjusted coefficient of determination (R 2) from the original and the re-sampled data were obtained using cosinor analysis. Sampling intervals longer than 60 min did not affect the average mesor, amplitude, acrophase or adjusted R 2, but did impact the estimation of the period of the rhythm. In most species, the period was not detectable when intervals longer than 120 min were used. In all individual profiles, a 30-min sampling interval modified the values of the mesor and amplitude by less than 0.1°C, and the adjusted R 2 by less than 0.1. At a 30-min interval, the acrophase was accurate to within 15 min for all species except mice. The adjusted R 2 increased as sampling frequency decreased. In most cases, a 30-min sampling interval provides a reliable estimate of the circadian T c rhythm using periodogram and cosinor analysis. Our findings will help biologists to select sampling intervals to fit their research goals.
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Affiliation(s)
- Grace Goh
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Kristine Vesterdorf
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Andrea Fuller
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
| | - Dominique Blache
- School of Agriculture and EnvironmentThe University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
| | - Shane K. Maloney
- School of Human SciencesThe University of Western AustraliaCrawleyWestern AustraliaAustralia
- Brain Function Research Group, School of Physiology, Faculty of Health SciencesUniversity of the WitwatersrandJohannesburgSouth Africa
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6
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Vitali A, Grossi G, Lacetera N. Vaginal temperature of lactating cows during heat waves or normal summer day and effect of additional daily cooling treatments as heat load mitigation strategy. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOMETEOROLOGY 2024; 68:419-426. [PMID: 38147119 PMCID: PMC10864465 DOI: 10.1007/s00484-023-02600-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2023] [Revised: 09/29/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 12/27/2023]
Abstract
The vaginal temperature (VT) of lactating Holstein cows was monitored in not heat wave (NHW) and in heat wave (HW) summer days. Temperature humidity index (THI) was monitored and assigned to four classes of heat load (HL): THI < 68 null; 68 < THI < 74 low; 74 < THI < 80 moderate; and THI > 80 high.Five daily treatments consisting of continuous forced ventilation and sprayed water (1' on follow by 5' off) were assumed as control cooling protocol (CC) and compared with two experimental cooling protocols (EC) applied in the feed bunk and based on the CC plus two additional cooling treatments which lasted a total of 90' (EC90) or 150' (EC150) in the day.Sixty lactating cows were enrolled in two summer trials carried out in NHW or HW. In each trial, 10 cows were cooled by CC, 10 by EC90 and 10 by EC150. Twenty additional cows were monitored in a fall trail to have reference value of THI and VT under thermoneutral conditions (TN). Each trial lasted 72 h, and measurements of VT were carried out by intra-vaginal data loggers.The 33% of observed THI was within the high class of HL during HW, whereas THI never exceeded the upper threshold of moderate or low class of HL in NHW and TN, respectively.Multiparous and high yielding cows were more sensitive to HL, and the increased daily cooling treatments reduced heat load during hot conditions. However, during heat waves a certain degree of hyperthermia occurred even with intensive cooling management based on seven daily treatments.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Vitali
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy.
| | - G Grossi
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - N Lacetera
- Dipartimento Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
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Wen H, Johnson JS, Freitas PHF, Maskal JM, Gloria LS, Araujo AC, Pedrosa VB, Tiezzi F, Maltecca C, Huang Y, Schinckel AP, Brito LF. Longitudinal genomic analyses of automatically-recorded vaginal temperature in lactating sows under heat stress conditions based on random regression models. Genet Sel Evol 2023; 55:95. [PMID: 38129768 PMCID: PMC10734178 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-023-00868-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 12/12/2023] [Indexed: 12/23/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Automatic and continuous recording of vaginal temperature (TV) using wearable sensors causes minimal disruptions to animal behavior and can generate data that enable the evaluation of temporal body temperature variation under heat stress (HS) conditions. However, the genetic basis of TV in lactating sows from a longitudinal perspective is still unknown. The objectives of this study were to define statistical models and estimate genetic parameters for TV in lactating sows using random regression models, and identify genomic regions and candidate genes associated with HS indicators derived from automatically-recorded TV. RESULTS Heritability estimates for TV ranged from 0.14 to 0.20 over time (throughout the day and measurement period) and from 0.09 to 0.18 along environmental gradients (EG, - 3.5 to 2.2, which correspond to dew point values from 14.87 to 28.19 ˚C). Repeatability estimates of TV over time and along EG ranged from 0.57 to 0.66 and from 0.54 to 0.77, respectively. TV measured from 12h00 to 16h00 had moderately high estimates of heritability (0.20) and repeatability (0.64), indicating that this period might be the most suitable for recording TV for genetic selection purposes. Significant genotype-by-environment interactions (GxE) were observed and the moderately high estimates of genetic correlations between pairs of extreme EG indicate potential re-ranking of selection candidates across EG. Two important genomic regions on chromosomes 10 (59.370-59.998 Mb) and16 (21.548-21.966 Mb) were identified. These regions harbor the genes CDC123, CAMK1d, SEC61A2, and NUDT5 that are associated with immunity, protein transport, and energy metabolism. Across the four time-periods, respectively 12, 13, 16, and 10 associated genomic regions across 14 chromosomes were identified for TV. For the three EG classes, respectively 18, 15, and 14 associated genomic windows were identified for TV, respectively. Each time-period and EG class had uniquely enriched genes with identified specific biological functions, including regulation of the nervous system, metabolism and hormone production. CONCLUSIONS TV is a heritable trait with substantial additive genetic variation and represents a promising indicator trait to select pigs for improved heat tolerance. Moderate GxE for TV exist, indicating potential re-ranking of selection candidates across EG. TV is a highly polygenic trait regulated by a complex interplay of physiological, cellular and behavioral mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hui Wen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jay S Johnson
- USDA-ARS Livestock Behavior Research Unit, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Pedro H F Freitas
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Jacob M Maskal
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Leonardo S Gloria
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Andre C Araujo
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Victor B Pedrosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Francesco Tiezzi
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
- Department of Agriculture, Food, Environment and Forestry, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
| | - Christian Maltecca
- Department of Animal Science, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC, USA
| | | | - Allan P Schinckel
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, USA.
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Worku D, Hussen J, De Matteis G, Schusser B, Alhussien MN. Candidate genes associated with heat stress and breeding strategies to relieve its effects in dairy cattle: a deeper insight into the genetic architecture and immune response to heat stress. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1151241. [PMID: 37771947 PMCID: PMC10527375 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1151241] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/25/2023] [Accepted: 08/31/2023] [Indexed: 09/30/2023] Open
Abstract
The need for food products of animal origin is increasing worldwide. Satisfying these needs in a way that has minimal impact on the environment requires cutting-edge technologies and techniques to enhance the genetic quality of cattle. Heat stress (HS), in particular, is affecting dairy cattle with increasing frequency and severity. As future climatic challenges become more evident, identifying dairy cows that are more tolerant to HS will be important for breeding dairy herds that are better adapted to future environmental conditions and for supporting the sustainability of dairy farming. While research into the genetics of HS in the context of the effect of global warming on dairy cattle is gaining momentum, the specific genomic regions involved in heat tolerance are still not well documented. Advances in omics information, QTL mapping, transcriptome profiling and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have identified genomic regions and variants associated with tolerance to HS. Such studies could provide deeper insights into the genetic basis for response to HS and make an important contribution to future breeding for heat tolerance, which will help to offset the adverse effects of HS in dairy cattle. Overall, there is a great interest in identifying candidate genes and the proportion of genetic variation associated with heat tolerance in dairy cattle, and this area of research is currently very active worldwide. This review provides comprehensive information pertaining to some of the notable recent studies on the genetic architecture of HS in dairy cattle, with particular emphasis on the identified candidate genes associated with heat tolerance in dairy cattle. Since effective breeding programs require optimal knowledge of the impaired immunity and associated health complications caused by HS, the underlying mechanisms by which HS modulates the immune response and renders animals susceptible to various health disorders are explained. In addition, future breeding strategies to relieve HS in dairy cattle and improve their welfare while maintaining milk production are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Destaw Worku
- Department of Animal Science, College of Agriculture, Food and Climate Sciences, Injibara University, Injibara, Ethiopia
| | - Jamal Hussen
- Department of Microbiology, College of Veterinary Medicine, King Faisal University, Al-Ahsa, Saudi Arabia
| | - Giovanna De Matteis
- Council for Agricultural Research and Economics, CREA Research Centre for Animal Production and Aquaculture, Monterotondo, Rome, Italy
| | - Benjamin Schusser
- Reproductive Biotechnology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
| | - Mohanned Naif Alhussien
- Reproductive Biotechnology, TUM School of Life Sciences, Technical University of Munich, Freising, Germany
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Habimana V, Nguluma AS, Nziku ZC, Ekine-Dzivenu CC, Morota G, Mrode R, Chenyambuga SW. Heat stress effects on milk yield traits and metabolites and mitigation strategies for dairy cattle breeds reared in tropical and sub-tropical countries. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1121499. [PMID: 37483284 PMCID: PMC10361820 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1121499] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/11/2022] [Accepted: 06/16/2023] [Indexed: 07/25/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress is an important problem for dairy industry in many parts of the world owing to its adverse effects on productivity and profitability. Heat stress in dairy cattle is caused by an increase in core body temperature, which affects the fat production in the mammary gland. It reduces milk yield, dry matter intake, and alters the milk composition, such as fat, protein, lactose, and solids-not-fats percentages among others. Understanding the biological mechanisms of climatic adaptation, identifying and exploring signatures of selection, genomic diversity and identification of candidate genes for heat tolerance within indicine and taurine dairy breeds is an important progression toward breeding better dairy cattle adapted to changing climatic conditions of the tropics. Identifying breeds that are heat tolerant and their use in genetic improvement programs is crucial for improving dairy cattle productivity and profitability in the tropics. Genetic improvement for heat tolerance requires availability of genetic parameters, but these genetic parameters are currently missing in many tropical countries. In this article, we reviewed the HS effects on dairy cattle with regard to (1) physiological parameters; (2) milk yield and composition traits; and (3) milk and blood metabolites for dairy cattle reared in tropical countries. In addition, mitigation strategies such as physical modification of environment, nutritional, and genetic development of heat tolerant dairy cattle to prevent the adverse effects of HS on dairy cattle are discussed. In tropical climates, a more and cost-effective strategy to overcome HS effects is to genetically select more adaptable and heat tolerant breeds, use of crossbred animals for milk production, i.e., crosses between indicine breeds such as Gir, white fulani, N'Dama, Sahiwal or Boran to taurine breeds such as Holstein-Friesian, Jersey or Brown Swiss. The results of this review will contribute to policy formulations with regard to strategies for mitigating the effects of HS on dairy cattle in tropical countries.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Habimana
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- SACIDS Africa Centre of Excellence for Infectious Diseases, SACIDS Foundation for One Health, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | - Athumani Shabani Nguluma
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture, and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | | | | | - Gota Morota
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | - Raphael Mrode
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
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Cartwright SL, Schmied J, Karrow N, Mallard BA. Impact of heat stress on dairy cattle and selection strategies for thermotolerance: a review. Front Vet Sci 2023; 10:1198697. [PMID: 37408833 PMCID: PMC10319441 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2023.1198697] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2023] [Accepted: 06/02/2023] [Indexed: 07/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Climate change is a problem that causes many environmental issues that impact the productivity of livestock species. One of the major issues associated with climate change is an increase of the frequency of hot days and heat waves, which increases the risk of heat stress for livestock species. Dairy cattle have been identified as being susceptible to heat stress due to their high metabolic heat load. Studies have shown heat stress impacts several biological processes that can result in large economic consequences. When heat stress occurs, dairy cattle employ several physiological and cellular mechanisms in order to dissipate heat and protect cells from damage. These mechanisms require an increase and diversion in energy toward protection and away from other biological processes. Therefore, in turn heat stress in dairy cattle can lead numerous issues including reductions in milk production and reproduction as well as increased risk for disease and mortality. This indicates a need to select dairy cattle that would be thermotolerant. Various selection strategies to confer thermotolerance have been discussed in the literature, including selecting for reduced milk production, crossbreeding with thermotolerant breeds, selecting based on physiological traits and most recently selecting for enhanced immune response. This review discusses the various issues associated with heat stress in dairy cattle and the pros and cons to the various selection strategies that have been proposed to select for thermotolerance in dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shannon L. Cartwright
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Julie Schmied
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Niel Karrow
- Centre of Genetics of Improvement of Livestock, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Bonnie A. Mallard
- Department of Pathobiology, Ontario Veterinary College, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
- Centre of Genetics of Improvement of Livestock, Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
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11
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Li R, Ahmad MJ, Hou M, Wang X, Liu S, Li J, Jiang Q, Huang J, Yang L. Identification of target genes and pathways related to heat tolerance in Chinese Holstein cows. Livest Sci 2023. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2023.105213] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/30/2023]
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12
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Cuellar CJ, Saleem M, Jensen LM, Hansen PJ. Differences in body temperature regulation during heat stress and seasonal depression in milk yield between Holstein, Brown Swiss, and crossbred cows. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:3625-3632. [PMID: 37028972 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2022] [Accepted: 12/19/2022] [Indexed: 04/07/2023]
Abstract
It is not clear whether cattle that are genetically superior in regulation of body temperature during heat stress are also better able to sustain milk production during hot conditions. Objectives were to evaluate differences in body temperature regulation during heat stress between Holstein, Brown Swiss, and crossbred cows under semi-tropical conditions and test whether the seasonal depression in milk yield was greater for genetic groups less able to regulate body temperature. For the first objective, conducted during heat stress, vaginal temperature was measured at 15-min intervals for 5 d in 133 pregnant lactating cows. Vaginal temperatures were affected by time and interaction between genetic group and time. Vaginal temperatures were higher for Holsteins for most times of the day. Moreover, the maximum daily vaginal temperature was higher for Holstein (39.8 ± 0.1°C) than for Brown Swiss (39.3 ± 0.2°C) or crossbreds (39.2 ± 0.1°C). For the second objective, 6,179 lactation records from 2,976 cows were analyzed to determine effects of genetic group and season of calving (cool season = Oct to March; warm season = April to Sept) on 305-d milk yield. Milk yield was affected by genetic group and season but not by the interaction of genetic group and season. The difference in average 305-d milk yield between cows calving in cool versus hot weather was 310 kg (4% decrease) for Holstein, 480 kg (7% decrease) for Brown Swiss, and 420 kg (6% decrease) for crossbreds. In conclusion, Brown Swiss and crossbreds regulated body temperature during heat stress better than Holsteins but these breeds were not more resistant to heat stress with respect to milk yield. Thus, genetic differences in thermotolerance are likely to exist that are independent of regulation of body temperature.
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Affiliation(s)
- Camila J Cuellar
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - Muhammad Saleem
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910; Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, Lahore 54000, Pakistan
| | - L M Jensen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - P J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910.
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13
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Sosa F, Hansen PJ. Colony stimulating factor 2 protects the preimplantation bovine embryo from heat shock. ZYGOTE 2023; 31:51-54. [PMID: 36278319 PMCID: PMC10565675 DOI: 10.1017/s0967199422000508] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/28/2023]
Abstract
Heat stress can have severe deleterious effects on embryo development and survival. The present study evaluated whether CSF2 can protect the developmental competence of the bovine embryo following exposure to a heat shock of 41°C at the zygote and morula stages. In the first experiment, putative zygotes and 2-cell embryos were assigned to receive either 10 ng/ml CSF2 or vehicle, and then cultured for 15 h at either 38.5°C or 41°C and then at 38.5°C until day 7.5. Heat shock reduced blastocyst development for embryos treated with vehicle but not for embryos cultured with CSF2. In the second experiment, day 5 embryos (morula) were treated with CSF2 or vehicle and then cultured for 15 h at either 38.5°C or 41°C and then at 38.5°C until day 7.5. Temperature treatment did not affect development to the blastocyst stage and there was no effect of CSF2 treatment or the interaction. Results indicate that CSF2 can reduce the deleterious effects of heat shock at the zygote or two-cell stage when the embryo is transcriptionally inactive.
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Affiliation(s)
- Froylan Sosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida32611-0910, USA
| | - Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida32611-0910, USA
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14
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Durunna O, Carroll JA, Dailey JW, Damiran D, Larson KA, Timsit E, Parsons R, Manafiazar G, Lardner HA. Phenotypic and genetic parameters of circadian rhythms from core body temperature profiles and their relationships with beef steers' production efficiency profiles during successive winter feeding periods. Front Genet 2023; 14:1026601. [PMID: 36741324 PMCID: PMC9893500 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1026601] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/24/2022] [Accepted: 01/06/2023] [Indexed: 01/20/2023] Open
Abstract
This 2-year study evaluated differences in circadian parameters obtained from measures of core body temperatures using telemetric reticulo-rumen and rectal devices during two winter feeding regimes in western Canada. The study also estimated phenotypic correlations and genetic parameters associated with circadian parameters and other production traits in each feeding regime. Each year, 80 weaned steer calves (initial age: 209 ± 11 days; BW: 264 ± 20 kg) from the same cohort were tested over two successive regimes, Fall-Winter (FW) and Winter-Spring (WS) at Lanigan, Saskatchewan, Canada. The steers received forage-based rations in both regimes where the individual feed intake was measured with automatic feeding units. During the trial, the reticulo-rumen (RTMP) and rectal (RCT) temperatures were simultaneously measured every 5 min using telemetric devices. These were used to calculate the circadian parameters (Midline Estimating Statistic Of Rhythms, amplitude, and acrophase/peak time) for both temperature measures. Growth and efficiency performance traits were also determined for all steers. Each steer was assigned into inefficient, neutral, and efficient classes based on the SD of the residual feed intake (RFI), residual gain (RG), and residual intake and gain (RIG) within each year and feeding regime. Higher (p < 0.0003) RTMP and rectal temperature MESORs were observed in the Fall-Winter compared to the Winter-Spring regime. While the two test regimes were different (p < 0.05) for the majority of the RTMP or RCT temperature parameters, they did not differ (p > 0.10) with the production efficiency profiles. The heritability estimates were higher in FW (0.78 ± 0.18 vs. 0.56 ± 0.26) than WS (0.50 ± 0.18 vs. 0.47 ± 0.22) for the rumen and rectal MESORs, respectively. There were positive genetic correlations between the two regimes for the RTMP (0.69 ± 0.21) and RCT (0.32 ± 0.59). There was a negative correlation (p < 0.001) between body temperature and ambient temperature. The high heritability estimates and genetic correlations for rumen and rectal temperature parameters demonstrate their potential as beef genetic improvement tools of economic traits associated with the parameters. However, there are limited practical implications of using only the core-body temperature as a proxy for production efficiency traits for beef steers during winter.
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Affiliation(s)
- Obioha Durunna
- Department of Applied Research, Lakeland College, Vermilion, AB, Canada,Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada,*Correspondence: Obioha Durunna,
| | | | - Jeff W. Dailey
- USDA ARS Livestock Issues Research Unit, Lubbock, TX, United States
| | - Daalkhaijav Damiran
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Kathy A. Larson
- Department of Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
| | - Edouard Timsit
- Department of Production Animal Health, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Calgary, Calgary, AB, Canada
| | - Rex Parsons
- Australian Centre for Health Services Innovation and Centre for Healthcare Transformation, School of Public Health and Social Work, Faculty of Health, Queensland University of Technology, Kelvin Grove, QLD, Australia
| | - Ghader Manafiazar
- Animal Science and Aquaculture Department, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada
| | - Herbert A. Lardner
- Department of Animal and Poultry Science, University of Saskatchewan, Saskatoon, SK, Canada
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Habimana V, Ekine-Dzivenu CC, Nguluma AS, Nziku ZC, Morota G, Chenyambuga SW, Mrode R. Genes and models for estimating genetic parameters for heat tolerance in dairy cattle. Front Genet 2023; 14:1127175. [PMID: 36923799 PMCID: PMC10009153 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1127175] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 02/14/2023] [Indexed: 03/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Dairy cattle are highly susceptible to heat stress. Heat stress causes a decline in milk yield, reduced dry matter intake, reduced fertility rates, and alteration of physiological traits (e.g., respiration rate, rectal temperature, heart rates, pulse rates, panting score, sweating rates, and drooling score) and other biomarkers (oxidative heat stress biomarkers and stress response genes). Considering the significant effect of global warming on dairy cattle farming, coupled with the aim to reduce income losses of dairy cattle farmers and improve production under hot environment, there is a need to develop heat tolerant dairy cattle that can grow, reproduce and produce milk reasonably under the changing global climate and increasing temperature. The identification of heat tolerant dairy cattle is an alternative strategy for breeding thermotolerant dairy cattle for changing climatic conditions. This review synthesizes information pertaining to quantitative genetic models that have been applied to estimate genetic parameters for heat tolerance and relationship between measures of heat tolerance and production and reproductive performance traits in dairy cattle. Moreover, the review identified the genes that have been shown to influence heat tolerance in dairy cattle and evaluated the possibility of using them in genomic selection programmes. Combining genomics information with environmental, physiological, and production parameters information is a crucial strategy to understand the mechanisms of heat tolerance while breeding heat tolerant dairy cattle adapted to future climatic conditions. Thus, selection for thermotolerant dairy cattle is feasible.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vincent Habimana
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.,SACIDS Foundation for One Health, College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania.,International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
| | | | - Athumani Shabani Nguluma
- Department of Animal, Aquaculture and Range Sciences, Sokoine University of Agriculture, Morogoro, Tanzania
| | | | - Gota Morota
- School of Animal Sciences, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA, United States
| | | | - Raphael Mrode
- International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI), Nairobi, Kenya
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16
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Growth Dynamics on the Skin and the Coat in Normandian and Simmental Cattle During Adaptation to the Farming Technology in Southwestern Part of Bulgaria. MACEDONIAN VETERINARY REVIEW 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/macvetrev-2022-0029] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
Abstract
The aim of the present study was to identify the adaptability of Normandy cows raised in a loose system to the climatic and technological conditions and to compare their adaptability with already acclimatized Simmental cows in one farm in Southwestern Bulgaria. Total of 20 cows at same age (II – IV lactation) and same body weight (630-660 kg) from both breeds were classified into 2 groups (each having 10 cows) and subjected to skin thickness measurement, fibers total weight determination and fiber categorization during the winter and summer season. The results have shown that during the winter season, the Normandy breed had significantly higher skin thickness at the elbow compared to the Simmental breed, whereas no differences were observed in the skin thickness between both breeds either at the neck or at the middle of the last rib. During the summer season, the differences on the skin thickness compared to the Simmental breed were observed at the neck (p<0.05), whilst at the elbow and at the middle of the last rib no differences were recorded (p>0.05). During the winter seasons, the coat of Normandy cows contained more soft fibers in comparison to the Simmentals cows. Furthermore, the changes in the observed parameters, influenced by climatic conditions showed similar pattern in both breeds. It can be concluded that the two breeds have emphasized their genetic potential and have a good adaptability to the temperate continental climate of the region.
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17
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Hu L, Brito LF, Zhang H, Zhao M, Liu H, Chai H, Wang D, Wu H, Cui J, Liu A, Xu Q, Wang Y. Metabolome profiling of plasma reveals different metabolic responses to acute cold challenge between Inner-Mongolia Sanhe and Holstein cattle. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:9162-9178. [PMID: 36175226 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-21996] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Low-temperature conditions influence cattle productivity and survivability. Understanding the metabolic regulations of specific cattle breeds and identifying potential biomarkers related to cold challenges are important for cattle management and optimization of genetic improvement programs. In this study, 28 Inner-Mongolia Sanhe and 22 Holstein heifers were exposed to -25°C for 1 h to evaluate the differences in metabolic mechanisms of thermoregulation. In response to this acute cold challenge, altered rectal temperature was only observed in Holstein cattle. Further metabolome analyses showed a greater baseline of glycolytic activity and mobilization of AA in Sanhe cattle during normal conditions. Both breeds responded to the acute cold challenge by altering their metabolism of volatile fatty acids and AA for gluconeogenesis, which resulted in increased glucose levels. Furthermore, Sanhe cattle mobilized the citric acid cycle activity, and creatine and creatine phosphate metabolism to supply energy, whereas Holstein cattle used greater AA metabolism for this purpose. Altogether, we found that propionate and methanol are potential biomarkers of acute cold challenge response in cattle. Our findings provide novel insights into the biological mechanisms of acute cold response and climatic resilience, and will be used as the basis when developing breeding tools for genetically selecting for improved cold adaptation in cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Lirong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China; College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100044, China; Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Hailiang Zhang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China
| | - Man Zhao
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - Huazhu Liu
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - He Chai
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - Dongsheng Wang
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - Hongjun Wu
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - Jiuhui Cui
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - Airong Liu
- Xiertala Cattle Breeding Farm, Hailaer Farm Buro, Hailaer, Inner Mongolia, 021012, China
| | - Qing Xu
- College of Life Sciences and Bioengineering, Beijing Jiaotong University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100044, China.
| | - Yachun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, Beijing Engineering Technology Research Center of Raw Milk Quality and Safety Control, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Haidian District, Beijing, 100193, China.
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18
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Luo H, Hu L, Brito LF, Dou J, Sammad A, Chang Y, Ma L, Guo G, Liu L, Zhai L, Xu Q, Wang Y. Weighted single-step GWAS and RNA sequencing reveals key candidate genes associated with physiological indicators of heat stress in Holstein cattle. J Anim Sci Biotechnol 2022; 13:108. [PMID: 35986427 PMCID: PMC9392250 DOI: 10.1186/s40104-022-00748-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/14/2021] [Accepted: 06/24/2022] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Background The study of molecular processes regulating heat stress response in dairy cattle is paramount for developing mitigation strategies to improve heat tolerance and animal welfare. Therefore, we aimed to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) regions associated with three physiological indicators of heat stress response in Holstein cattle, including rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate score (RS), and drooling score (DS). We estimated genetic parameters for all three traits. Subsequently, a weighted single-step genome-wide association study (WssGWAS) was performed based on 3200 genotypes, 151,486 phenotypic records, and 38,101 animals in the pedigree file. The candidate genes located within the identified QTL regions were further investigated through RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) analyses of blood samples for four cows collected in April (non-heat stress group) and four cows collected in July (heat stress group). Results The heritability estimates for RT, RS, and DS were 0.06, 0.04, and 0.03, respectively. Fourteen, 19, and 20 genomic regions explained 2.94%, 3.74%, and 4.01% of the total additive genetic variance of RT, RS, and DS, respectively. Most of these genomic regions are located in the Bos taurus autosome (BTA) BTA3, BTA6, BTA8, BTA12, BTA14, BTA21, and BTA24. No genomic regions overlapped between the three indicators of heat stress, indicating the polygenic nature of heat tolerance and the complementary mechanisms involved in heat stress response. For the RNA-seq analyses, 2627 genes were significantly upregulated and 369 downregulated in the heat stress group in comparison to the control group. When integrating the WssGWAS, RNA-seq results, and existing literature, the key candidate genes associated with physiological indicators of heat stress in Holstein cattle are: PMAIP1, SBK1, TMEM33, GATB, CHORDC1, RTN4IP1, and BTBD7. Conclusions Physiological indicators of heat stress are heritable and can be improved through direct selection. Fifty-three QTL regions associated with heat stress indicators confirm the polygenic nature and complex genetic determinism of heat tolerance in dairy cattle. The identified candidate genes will contribute for optimizing genomic evaluation models by assigning higher weights to genetic markers located in these regions as well as to the design of SNP panels containing polymorphisms located within these candidate genes. Graphical Abstract ![]()
Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s40104-022-00748-6.
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19
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Jensen LM, Jannaman EA, Pryce JE, De Vries A, Hansen PJ. Effectiveness of the Australian breeding value for heat tolerance at discriminating responses of lactating Holstein cows to heat stress. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:7820-7828. [PMID: 35879162 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2021-21741] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/21/2021] [Accepted: 04/24/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Heat stress has negative consequences for milk production and reproduction of dairy cattle. These adverse effects are likely to increase because of climate change and anticipated increases in milk yield. Some of the variation among cows in ability to resist effects of heat stress is genetic. The current objective of this observational study was to assess the effectiveness of the Australian breeding value for heat tolerance (ABVHT) based on the decline in milk yield with heat stress for predicting cow differences in effects of heat stress on regulation of body temperature, milk production, and reproductive function. Genomic breeding values for heat tolerance were calculated for 12,487 cows from a single California dairy farm. Rectal temperature in the afternoon (1100-2045 h) was measured on a subset of 626 lactating cows with ABVHT ≥102 (heat tolerant) or <102 (heat sensitive). Rectal temperature was 0.12°C lower for heat-tolerant cows than heat-sensitive cows. Vaginal temperatures were measured every 15 min for 5 d in 118 cows with ABVHT ≥108 (extreme heat tolerant) or <97 (extreme heat sensitive). Vaginal temperature was 0.07°C lower for extreme heat-tolerant cows than extreme heat-sensitive cows. Lactation records for 4,703 cows with ABVHT were used to evaluate seasonal variation in first 90-d milk yield, fat percent, and protein percent for each ABVHT quartile. Overall, cows with higher ABVHT had lower milk yield, fat percentage, and protein percentage and higher first service pregnancy rate. There was no summer depression in production or reproduction or interactions between season and ABVHT quartile. We observed that ABVHT can successfully identify heat-tolerant cows that maintain lower body temperatures during heat stress. The lack of a pronounced seasonality in milk production or reproduction precluded evaluation of whether ABVHT is related to the magnitude of effect of heat stress on those traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- L M Jensen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - E A Jannaman
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - J E Pryce
- Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia; School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
| | - A De Vries
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910
| | - P J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611-0910.
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20
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Cheruiyot EK, Haile-Mariam M, Cocks BG, Pryce JE. Improving Genomic Selection for Heat Tolerance in Dairy Cattle: Current Opportunities and Future Directions. Front Genet 2022; 13:894067. [PMID: 35769985 PMCID: PMC9234448 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.894067] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/11/2022] [Accepted: 05/02/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat tolerance is the ability of an animal to maintain production and reproduction levels under hot and humid conditions and is now a trait of economic relevance in dairy systems worldwide because of an escalating warming climate. The Australian dairy population is one of the excellent study models for enhancing our understanding of the biology of heat tolerance because they are predominantly kept outdoors on pastures where they experience direct effects of weather elements (e.g., solar radiation). In this article, we focus on evidence from recent studies in Australia that leveraged large a dataset [∼40,000 animals with phenotypes and 15 million whole-genome sequence variants] to elucidate the genetic basis of thermal stress as a critical part of the strategy to breed cattle adapted to warmer environments. Genotype-by-environment interaction (i.e., G × E) due to temperature and humidity variation is increasing, meaning animals are becoming less adapted (i.e., more sensitive) to changing environments. There are opportunities to reverse this trend and accelerate adaptation to warming climate by 1) selecting robust or heat-resilient animals and 2) including resilience indicators in breeding goals. Candidate causal variants related to the nervous system and metabolic functions are relevant for heat tolerance and, therefore, key for improving this trait. This could include adding these variants in the custom SNP panels used for routine genomic evaluations or as the basis to design specific agonist or antagonist compounds for lowering core body temperature under heat stress conditions. Indeed, it was encouraging to see that adding prioritized functionally relevant variants into the 50k SNP panel (i.e., the industry panel used for genomic evaluation in Australia) increased the prediction accuracy of heat tolerance by up to 10% units. This gain in accuracy is critical because genetic improvement has a linear relationship with prediction accuracy. Overall, while this article used data mainly from Australia, this could benefit other countries that aim to develop breeding values for heat tolerance, considering that the warming climate is becoming a topical issue worldwide.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evans K. Cheruiyot
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Centre for AgriBiosciences, Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Mekonnen Haile-Mariam
- Centre for AgriBiosciences, Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- *Correspondence: Mekonnen Haile-Mariam,
| | - Benjamin G. Cocks
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Centre for AgriBiosciences, Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
| | - Jennie E. Pryce
- School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
- Centre for AgriBiosciences, Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC, Australia
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21
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Alvarenga AB, Oliveira HR, Miller SP, Silva FF, Brito LF. Genetic Modeling and Genomic Analyses of Yearling Temperament in American Angus Cattle and Its Relationship With Productive Efficiency and Resilience Traits. Front Genet 2022; 13:794625. [PMID: 35444687 PMCID: PMC9014094 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2022.794625] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/13/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Cattle temperament has been considered by farmers as a key breeding goal due to its relevance for cattlemen's safety, animal welfare, resilience, and longevity and its association with many economically important traits (e.g., production and meat quality). The definition of proper statistical models, accurate variance component estimates, and knowledge on the genetic background of the indicator trait evaluated are of great importance for accurately predicting the genetic merit of breeding animals. Therefore, 266,029 American Angus cattle with yearling temperament records (1-6 score) were used to evaluate statistical models and estimate variance components; investigate the association of sex and farm management with temperament; assess the weighted correlation of estimated breeding values for temperament and productive, reproductive efficiency and resilience traits; and perform a weighted single-step genome-wide association analysis using 69,559 animals genotyped for 54,609 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. Sex and extrinsic factors were significantly associated with temperament, including conception type, age of dam, birth season, and additional animal-human interactions. Similar results were observed among models including only the direct additive genetic effect and when adding other maternal effects. Estimated heritability of temperament was equal to 0.39 on the liability scale. Favorable genetic correlations were observed between temperament and other relevant traits, including growth, feed efficiency, meat quality, and reproductive traits. The highest approximated genetic correlations were observed between temperament and growth traits (weaning weight, 0.28; yearling weight, 0.28). Altogether, we identified 11 genomic regions, located across nine chromosomes including BTAX, explaining 3.33% of the total additive genetic variance. The candidate genes identified were enriched in pathways related to vision, which could be associated with reception of stimulus and/or cognitive abilities. This study encompasses large and diverse phenotypic, genomic, and pedigree datasets of US Angus cattle. Yearling temperament is a highly heritable and polygenic trait that can be improved through genetic selection. Direct selection for temperament is not expected to result in unfavorable responses on other relevant traits due to the favorable or low genetic correlations observed. In summary, this study contributes to a better understanding of the impact of maternal effects, extrinsic factors, and various genomic regions associated with yearling temperament in North American Angus cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amanda B Alvarenga
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Hinayah R Oliveira
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States.,Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - Stephen P Miller
- American Angus Association, Angus Genetics Inc., St Joseph, MO, United States
| | - Fabyano F Silva
- Department of Animal Sciences, Federal University of Vicosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
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22
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Siberski–Cooper CJ, Mayes MS, Healey M, Goetz BM, Baumgard LH, Koltes JE. Associations of Wearable Sensor Measures With Feed Intake, Production Traits, Lactation, and Environmental Parameters Impacting Feed Efficiency in Dairy Cattle. FRONTIERS IN ANIMAL SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.3389/fanim.2022.841797] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Feed efficiency is an important trait to dairy production because of its impact on sustainability and profitability. Measuring individual cow feed intake on commercial farms would be unfeasibly costly at present. Thus, developing cheap and portable indicators of feed intake would be highly beneficial for genetic selection and precision feeding management tools. Given the growing use of automated sensors on dairy farms, the objective of this study was to determine the relationship between measurements recorded from multiple wearable sensors and feed intake. A total of three different wearable sensors were evaluated for their association with dry mater intake (DMI). The sensors measured activity (sensors = 3), rumination (sensors = 1), ear temperature (sensors = 1), rumen pH (sensors = 1) and rumen temperature (sensors = 1). A range of 56–340 cows with assorted sensors from 24 to 313 days in milk (DIM) were modeled to evaluate associations with DIM, parity, and contemporary group (CG; comprised of pen and study cohort). Models extending upon these variables included known energy sinks (i.e., milk production, milk fat/protein and metabolic body weight), to characterize the association of sensors measures and DMI. Statistically significant (i.e., P < 0.05) regression coefficients for individual sensor measures with DMI ranged from 9.01E-07 to −3.45 kg DMI/day. When integrating all measures from a single sensor in a model, estimated regression coefficients ranged 8.83E-07 to −3.48 kg DMI/day. Significant associations were also identified for milk production traits, parity, DIM and CG. Associations tended to be highest for timepoints around the time of feeding and when multiple measurements within a sensor were integrated in a single model. The findings of this study indicate sensor measures are associated with feed intake and other energy sink traits and variables impacting feed efficiency. This information would be helpful to improve feed and feeding efficiency on commercial farms as proxy measurements for feed intake.
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23
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Pryce JE, Nguyen TTT, Cheruiyot EK, Marett L, Garner JB, Haile-Mariam M. Impact of hot weather on animal performance and genetic strategies to minimise the effect. ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCE 2022. [DOI: 10.1071/an21259] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
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24
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A review of methods for improving resolution of milk production data and weather information for measuring heat stress in dairy cattle. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104794] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
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25
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KAWANO K, YANAGAWA Y, NAGANO M, KATAGIRI S. Effects of heat stress on the endometrial epidermal growth factor profile and fertility in dairy cows. J Reprod Dev 2022; 68:144-151. [PMID: 35095040 PMCID: PMC8979802 DOI: 10.1262/jrd.2021-120] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022] Open
Abstract
The endometrial epidermal growth factor (EGF) profile is an indicator of uterine function and fertility in cattle. The present study aimed to investigate the effects of heat stress on the
endometrial EGF profile and fertility in lactating Holstein cows. The endometrial EGF profiles of 365 cows in the Hokkaido and Kyushu regions were examined between June and September (heat
stress period, n = 211) and between October and January (control period, n = 154). EGF profiles were investigated using uterine endometrial tissues obtained by biopsy 3 days after estrus
(Day 3). The proportion of cows with an altered EGF profile was higher between June and September than between October and January (41.2 vs. 16.2%, P < 0.05). The effects
of rectal temperature on Days 0 and 3 on the endometrial EGF profile were also assessed in cows (n = 79) between June and September in the Kyushu region. A single embryo was transferred to
cow on Day 7 to evaluate fertility (n = 67). Regardless of the rectal temperature on Day 3, the proportion of cows with an altered EGF profile was higher (64.1 vs. 30.0%, P
< 0.05) and the pregnancy rate after embryo transfer (ET) was lower (26.7 vs. 51.4%, P < 0.05) in cows with a rectal temperature ≥ 39.5°C on Day 0 than in cows with a
rectal temperature < 39.5°C on Day 0. The present results indicate that alterations in the endometrial EGF profile induced by an elevated body temperature on Day 0 contributed to
reductions in fertility in lactating dairy cows during the heat stress period.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kohei KAWANO
- Laboratory of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Graduate School of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Yojiro YANAGAWA
- Laboratory of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Masashi NAGANO
- Laboratory of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
| | - Seiji KATAGIRI
- Laboratory of Theriogenology, Department of Clinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Hokkaido University, Sapporo 060-0818, Japan
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26
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Toledo I, Dahl G, De Vries A. Dairy cattle management and housing for warm environments. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104802] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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27
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Stevenson J. Late-gestation ear-surface temperatures and subsequent postpartum health, activity, milk yield, and reproductive performance of dairy cows. Theriogenology 2022; 181:170-179. [DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2022.01.022] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/20/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2022] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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28
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Gourdine JL, Rauw WM, Gilbert H, Poullet N. The Genetics of Thermoregulation in Pigs: A Review. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:770480. [PMID: 34966808 PMCID: PMC8711629 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.770480] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/03/2021] [Accepted: 11/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat stress (HS) affects pig performance, health and welfare, resulting in a financial burden to the pig industry. Pigs have a limited number of functional sweat glands and their thermoregulatory mechanisms used to maintain body temperature, are challenged by HS to maintain body temperature. The genetic selection of genotypes tolerant to HS is a promising long-term (adaptation) option that could be combined with other measures at the production system level. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the genetics of thermoregulation in pigs. It also discusses the different phenotypes that can be used in genetic studies, as well as the variability in thermoregulation between pig breeds and the inheritance of traits related to thermoregulation. This review also considers on-going challenges to face for improving heat tolerance in pigs.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Wendy Mercedes Rauw
- Departamento de Mejora Genética Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigación y Tecnología Agraria y Alimentaria, INIA-CSIC, Madrid, Spain
| | - Hélène Gilbert
- GenPhySE, Université de Toulouse, INRAE, INP, Castanet Tolosan, France
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Effect of vitamin C on pregnancy rate and 8-OHdG levels during heat stress in post-partum dairy cattle. JOURNAL OF ANIMAL REPRODUCTION AND BIOTECHNOLOGY 2021. [DOI: 10.12750/jarb.36.4.194] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022] Open
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30
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Vijayakumar P, Singaravadivelan A, Mishra A, Jagadeesan K, Bakyaraj S, Suresh R, Sivakumar T. Whole-Genome comparative analysis reveals genetic mechanisms of disease resistance and heat tolerance of tropical Bos indicus cattle breeds. Genome 2021; 65:241-254. [PMID: 34914549 DOI: 10.1139/gen-2021-0030] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/22/2022]
Abstract
The Bos indicus cattle breeds have been naturally selected over thousands of years for disease resistance and thermo-tolerance. However, a genetic mechanism of these specific inherited characteristics needs to be discovered. Hence, in this study, the whole-genome comparative analysis of Bos indicus cattle breeds of Kangayam, Tharparkar, Sahiwal, Red Sindhi, and Hariana of the Indian subcontinent was conducted. The genetic variants identification analysis revealed a total of 15,58,51,012 SNPs and 1,00,62,805 InDels in the mapped reads across all Bos indicus cattle breeds. The functional annotation of 17,252 genes that comprised both, SNPs and InDels, of high functional impact on proteins, has been carried out. The functional annotation results revealed the pathways that were involved in the innate immune response including toll-like receptors, a retinoic acid-inducible gene I like receptors, NOD-like receptors, Jak-STAT signaling pathways, and the non-synonymous variants in the candidate immune genes. Further, we also identified several pathways involved in heat shock response, hair and skin properties, oxidative stress response, osmotic stress response, thermal sweating, feed intake, metabolism, and the non-synonymous variants in the candidate thermo-tolerant genes. These pathways and genes were directly or indirectly contributing to the disease resistance and thermo-tolerance adaptations of Bos indicus cattle breeds.
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Affiliation(s)
- Periyasamy Vijayakumar
- Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Animal Genetics and Breeding, Livestock Farm Comlex, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu, India, 6145 625;
| | - Arunasalam Singaravadivelan
- Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Livestock Production Management, VCRI, Orathanadu, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu, India, 614 625;
| | - Anamika Mishra
- High Security Animal Disease laboratory, Indian Veterinary Research Institute, Anand Nagar, Bhopal, Madhya Pradesh, India, 462021;
| | - Krishnan Jagadeesan
- University Training and Research Centre, Pillayarpatty - 613 403, , Animal Genetics and Breeding, Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, India;
| | - Sanniyasi Bakyaraj
- College of Poultry Production and Management, TANUVAS, Hosur, Tamil nadu, India;
| | - Ramalingam Suresh
- Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Animal Genetics and Breeding, VETERINARY COLLEGE AND RESEARCH INSTITUTE, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu, India, 243122.,Indian Veterinary Research Institute, 30072, 117, Salihothra Hostel (4th hostel), IVRI, BAREILLY, Izatnagar, UTTAR PRADESH, India, 243122;
| | - Thiagarajan Sivakumar
- Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Livestock Production Management, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu, India;
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Tapper S, Nocera JJ, Burness G. Body temperature is a repeatable trait in a free-ranging passerine bird. J Exp Biol 2021; 224:272129. [PMID: 34498672 DOI: 10.1242/jeb.243057] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/22/2021] [Accepted: 09/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Body temperature (Tb) affects animal function through its influence on rates of biochemical and biophysical reactions, the molecular structures of proteins and tissues, and, ultimately, organismal performance. Despite its importance in driving physiological processes, there are few data on how much variation in Tb exists within populations of organisms, and whether this variation consistently differs among individuals over time (i.e. repeatability of a trait). Here, using thermal radio-frequency identification implants, we quantified the repeatability of Tb, both in the context of a fixed average environment (∼21°C) and across ambient temperatures (6-31°C), in a free-living population of tree swallows (Tachycineta bicolor, n=16). By experimentally trimming the ventral plumage of a subset of female swallows (n=8), we also asked whether the repeatability of Tb is influenced by the capacity to dissipate body heat. We found that both female and male tree swallow Tb was repeatable at 21°C (R=0.89-92), but female Tb was less repeatable than male Tb across ambient temperature (Rfemale=0.10, Rmale=0.58), which may be due to differences in parental investment. Trimmed birds had on average lower Tb than control birds (by ∼0.5°C), but the repeatability of female Tb did not differ as a function of heat dissipation capacity. This suggests that trimmed individuals adjusted their Tb to account for the effects of heat loss on Tb. Our study provides a first critical step toward understanding whether Tb is responsive to natural selection, and for predicting how animal populations will respond to climatic warming.
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Affiliation(s)
- Simon Tapper
- Environmental and Life Sciences Graduate Department, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2
| | - Joseph J Nocera
- Faculty of Forestry and Environmental Management, University of New Brunswick, 28 Dineen Drive, Fredericton, NB, Canada, E3B 5A3
| | - Gary Burness
- Department of Biology, Trent University, 1600 West Bank Drive, Peterborough, ON, Canada, K9L 0G2
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33
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Cheruiyot EK, Haile-Mariam M, Cocks BG, MacLeod IM, Xiang R, Pryce JE. New loci and neuronal pathways for resilience to heat stress in cattle. Sci Rep 2021; 11:16619. [PMID: 34404823 PMCID: PMC8371109 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-021-95816-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2021] [Accepted: 07/30/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
While understanding the genetic basis of heat tolerance is crucial in the context of global warming's effect on humans, livestock, and wildlife, the specific genetic variants and biological features that confer thermotolerance in animals are still not well characterized. We used dairy cows as a model to study heat tolerance because they are lactating, and therefore often prone to thermal stress. The data comprised almost 0.5 million milk records (milk, fat, and proteins) of 29,107 Australian Holsteins, each having around 15 million imputed sequence variants. Dairy animals often reduce their milk production when temperature and humidity rise; thus, the phenotypes used to measure an individual's heat tolerance were defined as the rate of milk production decline (slope traits) with a rising temperature-humidity index. With these slope traits, we performed a genome-wide association study (GWAS) using different approaches, including conditional analyses, to correct for the relationship between heat tolerance and level of milk production. The results revealed multiple novel loci for heat tolerance, including 61 potential functional variants at sites highly conserved across 100 vertebrate species. Moreover, it was interesting that specific candidate variants and genes are related to the neuronal system (ITPR1, ITPR2, and GRIA4) and neuroactive ligand-receptor interaction functions for heat tolerance (NPFFR2, CALCR, and GHR), providing a novel insight that can help to develop genetic and management approaches to combat heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Evans K. Cheruiyot
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia ,grid.452283.a0000 0004 0407 2669Agriculture Victoria Research, Centre for AgriBiosciences, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
| | - Mekonnen Haile-Mariam
- grid.452283.a0000 0004 0407 2669Agriculture Victoria Research, Centre for AgriBiosciences, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
| | - Benjamin G. Cocks
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia ,grid.452283.a0000 0004 0407 2669Agriculture Victoria Research, Centre for AgriBiosciences, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
| | - Iona M. MacLeod
- grid.452283.a0000 0004 0407 2669Agriculture Victoria Research, Centre for AgriBiosciences, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
| | - Ruidong Xiang
- grid.452283.a0000 0004 0407 2669Agriculture Victoria Research, Centre for AgriBiosciences, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia ,grid.1008.90000 0001 2179 088XFaculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Science, The University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3052 Australia
| | - Jennie E. Pryce
- grid.1018.80000 0001 2342 0938School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia ,grid.452283.a0000 0004 0407 2669Agriculture Victoria Research, Centre for AgriBiosciences, AgriBio, Bundoora, VIC 3083 Australia
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Del Corvo M, Lazzari B, Capra E, Zavarez L, Milanesi M, Utsunomiya YT, Utsunomiya ATH, Stella A, de Paula Nogueira G, Garcia JF, Ajmone-Marsan P. Methylome Patterns of Cattle Adaptation to Heat Stress. Front Genet 2021; 12:633132. [PMID: 34122501 PMCID: PMC8194315 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.633132] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/24/2020] [Accepted: 05/04/2021] [Indexed: 12/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Heat stress has a detrimental impact on cattle health, welfare and productivity by affecting gene expression, metabolism and immune response, but little is known on the epigenetic mechanisms mediating the effect of temperature at the cellular and organism level. In this study, we investigated genome-wide DNA methylation in blood samples collected from 5 bulls of the heat stress resilient Nellore breed and 5 bulls of the Angus that are more heat stress susceptible, exposed to the sun and high temperature-high humidity during the summer season of the Brazilian South-East region. The methylomes were analyzed during and after the exposure by Reduced Representation Bisulfite Sequencing, which provided genome-wide single-base resolution methylation profiles. Significant methylation changes between stressful and recovery periods were observed in 819 genes. Among these, 351 were only seen in Angus, 366 were specific to Nellore, and 102 showed significant changes in methylation patterns in both breeds. KEGG and Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analyses showed that responses were breed-specific. Interestingly, in Nellore significant genes and pathways were mainly involved in stress responses and cellular defense and were under methylated during heat stress, whereas in Angus the response was less focused. These preliminary results suggest that heat challenge induces changes in methylation patterns in specific loci, which should be further scrutinized to assess their role in heat tolerance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcello Del Corvo
- Department of Animal Science Food and Nutrition - DIANA, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics Research Centre - PRONUTRIGEN, and Biodiversity and Ancient DNA Research Centre, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy.,Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Barbara Lazzari
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Emanuele Capra
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Ludmilla Zavarez
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Marco Milanesi
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Yuri Tani Utsunomiya
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Adam Taiti Harth Utsunomiya
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Alessandra Stella
- Istituto di Biologia e Biotecnologia Agraria, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche IBBA CNR, Milan, Italy
| | - Guilherme de Paula Nogueira
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Josè Fernando Garcia
- School of Veterinary Medicine, Araçatuba, Department of Production and Animal Health, São Paulo State University (unesp), Araçatuba, Brazil.,International Atomic Energy Agency, Collaborating Centre on Animal Genomics and Bioinformatics, Araçatuba, Brazil
| | - Paolo Ajmone-Marsan
- Department of Animal Science Food and Nutrition - DIANA, Nutrigenomics and Proteomics Research Centre - PRONUTRIGEN, and Biodiversity and Ancient DNA Research Centre, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Piacenza, Italy
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Silpa MV, König S, Sejian V, Malik PK, Nair MRR, Fonseca VFC, Maia ASC, Bhatta R. Climate-Resilient Dairy Cattle Production: Applications of Genomic Tools and Statistical Models. Front Vet Sci 2021; 8:625189. [PMID: 33996959 PMCID: PMC8117237 DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2021.625189] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/02/2020] [Accepted: 03/15/2021] [Indexed: 01/02/2023] Open
Abstract
The current changing climate trend poses a threat to the productive efficacy and welfare of livestock across the globe. This review is an attempt to synthesize information pertaining to the applications of various genomic tools and statistical models that are available to identify climate-resilient dairy cows. The different functional and economical traits which govern milk production play a significant role in determining the cost of milk production. Thus, identification of these traits may revolutionize the breeding programs to develop climate-resilient dairy cattle. Moreover, the genotype–environment interaction also influences the performance of dairy cattle especially during a challenging situation. The recent advancement in molecular biology has led to the development of a few biotechnological tools and statistical models like next-generation sequencing (NGS), microarray technology, whole transcriptome analysis, and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) which can be used to quantify the molecular mechanisms which govern the climate resilience capacity of dairy cows. Among these, the most preferred option for researchers around the globe was GWAS as this approach jointly takes into account all the genotype, phenotype, and pedigree information of farm animals. Furthermore, selection signatures can also help to demarcate functionally important regions in the genome which can be used to detect potential loci and candidate genes that have undergone positive selection in complex milk production traits of dairy cattle. These identified biomarkers can be incorporated in the existing breeding policies using genomic selection to develop climate-resilient dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mullakkalparambil Velayudhan Silpa
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany.,Center for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, India
| | - Sven König
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-Universität Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Veerasamy Sejian
- Center for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, India
| | - Pradeep Kumar Malik
- Center for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, India
| | - Mini Ravi Reshma Nair
- Center for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, India
| | - Vinicius F C Fonseca
- Innovation Group of Thermal Comfort and Animal Welfare (INOBIO-MANERA), Animal Science Department, Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Areia, Brazil.,Brain Function Research Group, Faculty of Health Sciences, School of Physiology, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa
| | - Alex Sandro Campos Maia
- Innovation Group of Thermal Comfort and Animal Welfare (INOBIO-MANERA), Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp), São Paulo, Brazil
| | - Raghavendra Bhatta
- Center for Climate Resilient Animal Adaptation Studies, Indian Council of Agricultural Research-National Institute of Animal Nutrition and Physiology, Bangalore, India
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Luo H, Brito LF, Li X, Su G, Dou J, Xu W, Yan X, Zhang H, Guo G, Liu L, Wang Y. Genetic parameters for rectal temperature, respiration rate, and drooling score in Holstein cattle and their relationships with various fertility, production, body conformation, and health traits. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:4390-4403. [PMID: 33685707 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/30/2020] [Accepted: 11/03/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022]
Abstract
Genetic selection for improved climatic resilience is paramount to increase the long-term sustainability of high-producing dairy cattle, especially in face of climate change. Various physiological indicators, such as rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate score (RR), and drooling score (DS), can be used to genetically identify animals with more effective coping mechanisms in response to heat stress events. In this study, we investigated genetic parameters for RT, RR (score from 1-3), and DS (score from 1-3). Furthermore, we assessed the genetic relationship among these indicators and other economically important traits for the dairy cattle industry. After data editing, 59,265 (RT), 30,290 (RR), and 30,421 (DS) records from 13,592 lactating Holstein cows were used for the analyses. Variance components were estimated based on a multiple-trait repeatability animal model. The heritability ± standard error estimate for RT, RR, and DS was 0.06 ± 0.01, 0.04 ± 0.01, and 0.02 ± 0.01, respectively, whereas their repeatability was 0.19, 0.14, and 0.14, respectively. Moderate genetic correlations of RR with RT and DS (0.26 ± 0.11 and 0.25 ± 0.16) and nonsignificant correlation between RT and DS (-0.11 ± 0.14) were observed. Furthermore, the approximate genetic correlations between RT, RR, and DS with 12 production, 29 conformation, 5 fertility and reproduction, 5 health, and 9 longevity-indicator traits were assessed. In general, the approximate genetic correlations calculated were low to moderate. In summary, 3 physiological indicators of heat stress response were measured in a large number of animals and shown to be lowly heritable. There is a value in developing a selection index including all the 3 indicators to improve heat tolerance in dairy cattle. All the unfavorable genetic relationships observed between heat tolerance and other economically important traits can be accounted for in a selection index to enable improved climatic resilience while also maintaining or increasing productivity in Holstein cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- H Luo
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - X Li
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - G Su
- Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, Tjele 8830, Denmark
| | - J Dou
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - W Xu
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - X Yan
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - H Zhang
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - G Guo
- Beijing Sunlon Livestock Development Co. Ltd., 100029, Beijing, China
| | - L Liu
- Beijing Dairy Cattle Center, 100192, Beijing, China
| | - Y Wang
- Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China.
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Bang NN, Chanh NV, Trach NX, Khang DN, Hayes BJ, Gaughan JB, Lyons RE, Hai NT, McNeill DM. Assessment of Performance and Some Welfare Indicators of Cows in Vietnamese Smallholder Dairy Farms. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:674. [PMID: 33802472 PMCID: PMC8000343 DOI: 10.3390/ani11030674] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/10/2021] [Revised: 02/25/2021] [Accepted: 02/25/2021] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Smallholder dairy farms (SDFs) are distributed widely across lowland and highland regions in Vietnam, but data on the productivity and welfare status of these cows remains limited. This cross-sectional study was conducted to describe and compare the productivity and welfare status of SDF cows across contrasting regions. It was conducted in autumn 2017 on 32 SDFs randomly selected from four typical but contrasting dairy regions (eight SDFs per region); a south lowland, a south highland, a north lowland, and a north highland region. Each farm was visited over a 24-h period (an afternoon followed by a morning milking and adjacent husbandry activities) to collect data of individual lactating cows (n = 345) and dry cows (n = 123), which included: milk yield and concentrations, body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS, 5-point scale, 5 = very fat), inseminations per conception, and level of heat stress experienced (panting score, 4.5-point scale, 0 = no stress). The high level of heat stress (96% of lactating cows were moderate to highly heat-stressed in the afternoon), low energy corrected milk yield (15.7 kg/cow/d), low percentage of lactating cows (37.3% herd), low BW (498 and 521 kg in lactating and dry cows, respectively), and low BCS of lactating cows (2.8) were the most important productivity and welfare concerns determined and these were most serious in the south lowland. By contrast, cows in the north lowland, a relatively hot but new dairying region, performed similarly to those in the south highland; a region historically considered to be one of the most suitable for dairy cows in Vietnam due to its cool environment. This indicates the potential to mitigate heat stress through new husbandry strategies. Cows in the north highland had the highest BW (535 and 569 kg in lactating and dry cows, respectively) and the highest energy corrected milk yield (19.2 kg/cow/d). Cows in all regions were heat-stressed during the daytime, although less so in the highlands compared to the lowlands. Opportunities for research into improving the productivity and welfare of Vietnamese SDF cows are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nguyen N. Bang
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia;
- Faculty of Animal Science, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi 131000, Vietnam;
| | - Nguyen V. Chanh
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh 71308, Vietnam; (N.V.C.); (D.N.K.); (N.T.H.)
| | - Nguyen X. Trach
- Faculty of Animal Science, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, Hanoi 131000, Vietnam;
| | - Duong N. Khang
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh 71308, Vietnam; (N.V.C.); (D.N.K.); (N.T.H.)
| | - Ben J. Hayes
- Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4067, Australia;
| | - John B. Gaughan
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia;
| | - Russell E. Lyons
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia;
| | - Nguyen T. Hai
- Faculty of Animal Science and Veterinary Medicine, Nong Lam University, Ho Chi Minh 71308, Vietnam; (N.V.C.); (D.N.K.); (N.T.H.)
| | - David M. McNeill
- School of Veterinary Science, The University of Queensland, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia;
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Luo H, Li X, Hu L, Xu W, Chu Q, Liu A, Guo G, Liu L, Brito LF, Wang Y. Genomic analyses and biological validation of candidate genes for rectal temperature as an indicator of heat stress in Holstein cattle. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:4441-4451. [PMID: 33589260 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-18725] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/15/2020] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
Heat stress is a major cause of welfare issues and economic losses to the worldwide dairy cattle industry. Genetic selection for heat tolerance has a great potential to positively affect the dairy industry, as the gains are permanent and cumulative over generations. Rectal temperature (RT) is hypothesized to be a good indicator trait of heat tolerance. Therefore, this study investigated the genetic architecture of RT by estimating genetic parameters, performing genome-wide association studies, and biologically validating potential candidate genes identified to be related to RT in Holstein cattle. A total of 33,013 RT records from 7,598 cows were used in this study. In addition, 1,114 cows were genotyped using the Illumina 150K Bovine BeadChip (Illumina, San Diego, CA). Rectal temperature measurements taken in the morning (AMRT) and in the afternoon (PMRT) are moderately heritable traits, with estimates of 0.09 ± 0.02 and 0.04 ± 0.01, respectively. These 2 traits are also highly genetically correlated (r = 0.90 ± 0.08). A total of 10 SNPs (located on BTA3, BTA4, BTA8, BTA13, BTA14, and BTA29) were found to be significantly associated with AMRT and PMRT. Subsequently, gene expression analyses were performed to validate the key functional genes identified (SPAG17, FAM107B, TSNARE1, RALYL, and PHRF1). This was done through in vitro exposure of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) to different temperatures (37°C, 39°C, and 42°C). The relative mRNA expression of 2 genes, FAM107B and PHRF1, significantly changed between the control and heat stressed PBMC. In summary, RT is heritable, and enough genetic variability exists to enable genetic improvement of heat tolerance in Holstein cattle. Important genomic regions were identified and biologically validated; FAM107B and PHRF1 are the main candidate genes identified to influence heat stress response in dairy cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hanpeng Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Xiang Li
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Lirong Hu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Wei Xu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China
| | - Qin Chu
- Institute of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Medicine, Beijing Academy of Agriculture and Forestry Sciences, 100097, Beijing, China
| | - Aoxing Liu
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China; Center for Quantitative Genetics and Genomics, Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Aarhus University, 8830, Tjele, Denmark
| | - Gang Guo
- Beijing Sunlon Livestock Development Company Limited, 100029, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Liu
- Beijing Dairy Cattle Center, 100192, Beijing, China
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907
| | - Yachun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, Ministry of Agriculture of China, National Engineering Laboratory for Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, 100193, Beijing, China.
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Nanas I, Chouzouris TM, Dadouli K, Dovolou E, Stamperna K, Barbagianni M, Valasi I, Tsiaras A, Amiridis GS. A study on stress response and fertility parameters in phenotypically thermotolerant and thermosensitive dairy cows during summer heat stress. Reprod Domest Anim 2020; 55:1774-1783. [PMID: 33047406 DOI: 10.1111/rda.13840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2020] [Accepted: 10/06/2020] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
It is well documented that heat stress (HS) causes subfertility in dairy cows. However, during the last ten years we have been observing that, under high temperature-humidity index (THI ≥ 75), despite the overall reduced fertility, some cows conceive at the first artificial insemination (AI). Here, we examined distinctive features of cows with conserved fertility under severe HS. From the databases of three herds, 167 lactating Holstein cows were selected; group TT cows (n = 57) conceived in the previous summer (THI ≥ 75) at the 1st AI, and group TS (n = 110) failed to conceive at the same period after at least 2 consecutive AIs. The animals calved in spring, and in August, blood samples were collected during a hot day (THI ≥ 81) for the determination of cortisol and HSP70 concentrations. In one farm, the validity of fertility data of the previous year was re-examined. In 28 cows from group TT and in 39 cows from group TS, the conception rate was examined during July and August. In 6 cows from each group (TT and TS) the oestrous cycles were synchronized, ovulation was induced with GnRH (THI = 80), and the concentration of the pre-ovulatory LH surge was determined in 9 blood samples. The progesterone concentration in the ensuing cycle was determined in blood samples collected every other day. Overall, cortisol and HSP70 were significantly lower in TT group compared to TS. More (p < .05) animals from group TT conceived at the first AI compared with those from group TS. The induced pre-ovulatory LH surge peaked at higher level (p < .002) in group TT than in group TS, while no difference was recorded among groups either in mean progesterone concentrations or in the duration of the ensuing oestrous cycle. These results are highly suggestive that thermotolerance in some dairy cows is an inherent characteristic, warranting further genetic investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ioannis Nanas
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Thomas-Markos Chouzouris
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Katerina Dadouli
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece.,Laboratory of Hygiene and Epidemiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Thessaly, Larissa, Greece
| | - Eleni Dovolou
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Konstantina Stamperna
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Mariana Barbagianni
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | - Irini Valasi
- Department of Physiology, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
| | | | - Georgios S Amiridis
- Clinic of Obstetrics & Reproduction, Veterinary Faculty, University of Thessaly, Karditsa, Greece
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40
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Woodrum Setser MM, Cantor MC, Costa JHC. A comprehensive evaluation of microchips to measure temperature in dairy calves. J Dairy Sci 2020; 103:9290-9300. [PMID: 32828511 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2019-17999] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/02/2019] [Accepted: 06/03/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Elevated temperature is often an indicator of an immune response and used in the diagnosis of illness in dairy calves; however, measuring rectal temperature is labor intensive and often not measured daily on the farm. The objective of this study was to measure body temperature using a microchip and determine an appropriate implant site that would passively read body temperature in dairy calves. First, the precision of the temperature microchips and the rectal thermometer were tested ex vivo. Then, Holstein bull calves (n = 12) at 14 ± 12 d (mean ± SD) of age were implanted with microchips subcutaneously by the scutulum of the ear, subcutaneously in the upper scapula (SCAP), and intramuscularly in the trapezius muscle of the neck. One week after implantation, a temperature reading was taken for every microchip implant site using a radiofrequency ID (RFID) reader, as well as rectally and in the tympanic membrane using a digital thermometer every 60 min for 24 h in each calf (hereafter, the hourly study). Additionally, microchip readings and rectal temperatures were taken daily at 0800 h from 8 wk of age (n = 9; 57 ± 12 d of age) until 2 wk postweaning for a subset of the bull calves used in the hourly study (hereafter, the daily study). In the ex vivo trial, the microchip readings were very highly correlated with the rectal thermometer (r = 0.96), and the average coefficient of variation between microchip readings was very low (0.12 ± 0.03%). The relationships between the microchip readings within ear, SCAP, and neck and rectal and tympanic temperatures were analyzed using Pearson correlations and Bland-Altman plots. The ear and neck readings were strongly correlated for the hourly study [individual animal correlation; median (Q1, Q3), r = 0.78 (0.73, 0.84)] and for the daily study [r = 0.79 (0.73, 0.89)] across calves. However, rectal temperature was not significantly correlated with ear, SCAP, neck, or tympanic temperature for the daily and hourly studies. Results suggest that temperature microchips measure temperature appropriately, but temperature is dependent upon the implant site in calves, and temperature measured at ear, SCAP, and neck implant sites cannot be used to estimate rectal temperature. Future research should determine thresholds for fever that are specific to implant sites in calves.
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Affiliation(s)
- M M Woodrum Setser
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546
| | - M C Cantor
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546
| | - J H C Costa
- Department of Animal and Food Sciences, University of Kentucky, Lexington 40546.
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Rovelli G, Ceccobelli S, Perini F, Demir E, Mastrangelo S, Conte G, Abeni F, Marletta D, Ciampolini R, Cassandro M, Bernabucci U, Lasagna E. The genetics of phenotypic plasticity in livestock in the era of climate change: a review. ITALIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE 2020. [DOI: 10.1080/1828051x.2020.1809540] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/03/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Giacomo Rovelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Simone Ceccobelli
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, Università Politecnica delle Marche, Ancona, Italy
| | - Francesco Perini
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
| | - Eymen Demir
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Akdeniz University, Antalya, Turkey
| | - Salvatore Mastrangelo
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Forestali, University of Palermo, Palermo, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Conte
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Agro-Ambientali, University of Pisa, Pisa, Italy
| | - Fabio Abeni
- Centro di ricerca Zootecnia e Acquacoltura, Consiglio per la ricerca in agricoltura e l’analisi dell’economia agraria (CREA), Lodi, Italy
| | - Donata Marletta
- Dipartimento di Agricoltura, Alimentazione e Ambiente, University of Catania, Catania, Italy
| | | | - Martino Cassandro
- Dipartimento di Agronomia, Animali, Alimenti, Risorse naturali e Ambiente, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy
| | - Umberto Bernabucci
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie e Forestali, Università della Tuscia, Viterbo, Italy
| | - Emiliano Lasagna
- Dipartimento di Scienze Agrarie, Alimentari e Ambientali, University of Perugia, Perugia, Italy
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Hansen PJ. Prospects for gene introgression or gene editing as a strategy for reduction of the impact of heat stress on production and reproduction in cattle. Theriogenology 2020; 154:190-202. [PMID: 32622199 DOI: 10.1016/j.theriogenology.2020.05.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2020] [Revised: 05/06/2020] [Accepted: 05/08/2020] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
Abstract
In cattle, genetic variation exists in regulation of body temperature and stabilization of cellular function during heat stress. There are opportunities to reduce the impact of heat stress on cattle production by identifying the causative mutations responsible for genetic variation in thermotolerance and transferring specific alleles that confer thermotolerance to breeds not adapted to hot climates. An example of a mutation conferring superior ability to regulate body temperature is the group of frame-sift mutations in the prolactin receptor gene (PRLR) that lead to a truncated receptor and development of cattle with a short, sleek hair coat. Slick mutations in PRLR have been found in several extant breeds derived from criollo cattle. The slick mutation in Senepol cattle has been introgressed into dairy cattle in Puerto Rico, Florida and New Zealand. An example of a mutation that confers cellular protection against elevated body temperature is a deletion mutation in the promoter region of a heat shock protein 70 gene called HSPA1L. Inheritance of the mutation results in amplification of the transcriptional response of HSPA1L to heat shock and increased cell survival. The case of PRLR provides a promising example of the efficacy of the genetic approach outlined in this paper. Identification of other mutations conferring thermotolerance at the whole-animal or cellular level will lead to additional opportunities for using genetic solutions to reduce the impact of heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, D.H Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program, and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, 32611-0910, USA.
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43
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Pryce JE, Haile-Mariam M. Symposium review: Genomic selection for reducing environmental impact and adapting to climate change. J Dairy Sci 2020; 103:5366-5375. [PMID: 32331869 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2019-17732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/11/2019] [Accepted: 12/03/2019] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
The world has been warming as greenhouse gases accumulate. Worldwide from 1880 to 2012, the average surface temperature has increased by about 0.85°C and by 0.12°C per decade since 1951. The world's cattle population is a contributor to atmospheric methane, a potent greenhouse gas, in addition to suffering from high temperatures combined with humidity. This makes research into reducing the global footprint of dairy cows of importance on a long-term horizon, while improving tolerance to heat could alleviate the effects of rising temperatures. In December 2017, genomic estimated breeding values for heat tolerance in dairy cattle were released for the first time in Australia. Currently, heat tolerance is not included in the Balanced Performance Index (Australia's national selection index), and the correlation between heat tolerance breeding values and Balanced Performance Index is -0.20, so over time, heat tolerance has worsened due to lack of selection pressure. However, in contrast, sizable reductions in greenhouse gas emissions have been achieved as a favorable response to selecting for increased productivity, longevity, and efficiency, with opportunities for even greater gains through selecting for cow emissions directly. Internationally considerable research effort has been made to develop breeding values focused on reducing methane emissions using individual cow phenotypes. This requires (1) definition of breeding objectives and selection criteria and (2) assembling a sufficiently large data set for genomic prediction. Selecting for heat tolerance and reduced emissions directly may improve resilience to changing environments while reducing environmental impact.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jennie E Pryce
- Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia; School of Applied Systems Biology, La Trobe University, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia.
| | - Mekonnen Haile-Mariam
- Agriculture Victoria Research, AgriBio, Centre for AgriBioscience, Bundoora, Victoria 3083, Australia
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Lees AM, Salvin HE, Colditz IG, Lee C. The Influence of Temperament on Body Temperature Response to Handling in Angus Cattle. Animals (Basel) 2020; 10:ani10010172. [PMID: 31968606 PMCID: PMC7023438 DOI: 10.3390/ani10010172] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2019] [Revised: 01/13/2020] [Accepted: 01/16/2020] [Indexed: 11/23/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Understanding animal responses to stressful stimuli is a fundamental aspect to evaluating animal welfare. Stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) is a term used to describe a short-term increase in body temperature that occurs in response to stressful stimuli. Recently there has been increasing interest in SIH as a physiological measure of psychological stress in livestock species. Previously, studies have suggested that cattle with more excitable temperaments exhibit an increased stress response. This study evaluated the influence of temperament on SIH, during a standardized handling procedure in Bos taurus cattle. In this study, body temperature increased, regardless of sex or temperament traits, characterizing SIH. Nevertheless, both flight speed (FS) and crush score (CS) were associated with an elevated rectal temperature (TREC) 30 min prior to the handling procedure, and this continued from the start of handling (T0) to 10 min post-handling (T10). The results from this study suggest that temperament may be related to variation in SIH in cattle during handling. Understanding the variation in behavioral and physiological response to stressful events may enable the development of new measures for genetic selection in cattle. Abstract Previous studies have indicated that cattle with more excitable temperaments exhibit an increased stress response. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between temperament traits, handling, and stress-induced hyperthermia (SIH) in beef cattle. Rectal temperatures (TREC, °C) of 60 purebred Angus cattle (30 heifers, 30 steers; 235.2 ± 5.11 kg) were recorded at 20 s intervals from 30 min prior to handling until two hours post handling. All cattle were exposed to a standardized handling procedure consisting of (i) being restrained in a weighing box for 30 s; (ii) being held within the crush for 30 s; and then (iii) being restrained in a head bail for 60 s. Cattle temperaments were evaluated via three traits: (1) agitometer score (AG); (2) crush score (CS); and (3) flight speed (FS) during the handling procedure. Agitometer scores and FS measures were used to describe an AG category (AGCAT) and an FS category (FSCAT) that were used to classify animals into three temperament categories: 1, calm; 2, intermediate; and 3, temperamental. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were used to evaluate the associations between (i) AG, CS, FS, and TREC 30 min prior to entry into the weighing box (T-30) and then at 1 min intervals between time of entry into the weighing box (T0) until 10 min post-weighing (T10); and (ii) the relationship between AG, CS, and FS. The relationship between TREC and temperament traits over the 2.5 h were modeled by using a first-order autoregressive repeated measures model. Flight speed had strong to moderate associations with TREC at T-30 (r ≥ 0.37; p ≤ 0.006) and between T0 and T10 (r ≥ 0.36; p ≤ 0.01). There were moderate associations amongst TREC between T0 and T10 and CS (r ≥ 0.31; p ≤ 0.01). A weak relationship existed with CS (r = 0.16; p = 0.16). There were no associations between AG and TREC at T-30 (r ≥ −0.15; p = 0.84) or between T0 and T10 (r ≤ 0.04; p ≥ 0.4). Rectal temperature, irrespective of sex and temperament traits, was influenced by time (p < 0.0001), and maximum TREC (39.3 ± 0.04 °C) occurred between 4 and 5.7 min after entry into the weighing box. In addition, CS (p = 0.007) influenced TREC in these cattle. There were also time × temperament trait × sex interactions with the CS (p = 0.0003) and FSCAT (p = 0.043) categories; however, time × temperament trait interactions were not statistically significant. Results from this study suggest that cattle with excitable temperaments, as evaluated by FS and CS, have a greater increase in TREC. In addition, these results suggest that a relationship exists between basal TREC and FS and CS. Together, these results highlight that temperament, as assessed by FS and CS, influences both basal TREC and the peak temperature recorded following handling but does not influence the magnitude of change in TREC post handling.
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Affiliation(s)
- Angela M. Lees
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Animal Behaviour and Welfare, FD McMaster Laboratory, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia;
- School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia
- Correspondence: (A.M.L.); (C.L.)
| | - Hannah E. Salvin
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Livestock Industries Centre, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia;
| | - Ian. G. Colditz
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Animal Behaviour and Welfare, FD McMaster Laboratory, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia;
| | - Caroline Lee
- CSIRO Agriculture and Food, Animal Behaviour and Welfare, FD McMaster Laboratory, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia;
- Correspondence: (A.M.L.); (C.L.)
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Osei-Amponsah R, Chauhan SS, Leury BJ, Cheng L, Cullen B, Clarke IJ, Dunshea FR. Genetic Selection for Thermotolerance in Ruminants. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9:E948. [PMID: 31717903 PMCID: PMC6912363 DOI: 10.3390/ani9110948] [Citation(s) in RCA: 35] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/30/2019] [Revised: 11/05/2019] [Accepted: 11/05/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Variations in climatic variables (temperature, humidity and solar radiation) negatively impact livestock growth, reproduction, and production. Heat stress, for instance, is a source of huge financial loss to livestock production globally. There have been significant advances in physical modifications of animal environment and nutritional interventions as tools of heat stress mitigation. Unfortunately, these are short-term solutions and may be unsustainable, costly, and not applicable to all production systems. Accordingly, there is a need for innovative, practical, and sustainable approaches to overcome the challenges posed by global warming and climate change-induced heat stress. This review highlights attempts to genetically select and breed ruminants for thermotolerance and thereby sustain production in the face of changing climates. One effective way is to incorporate sustainable heat abatement strategies in ruminant production. Improved knowledge of the physiology of ruminant acclimation to harsh environments, the opportunities and tools available for selecting and breeding thermotolerant ruminants, and the matching of animals to appropriate environments should help to minimise the effect of heat stress on sustainable animal genetic resource growth, production, and reproduction to ensure protein food security.
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Affiliation(s)
- Richard Osei-Amponsah
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
- Department of Animal Science, University of Ghana, Legon, Accra, Ghana
| | - Surinder S. Chauhan
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
| | - Brian J. Leury
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
| | - Long Cheng
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
| | - Brendan Cullen
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
| | - Iain J. Clarke
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
| | - Frank R. Dunshea
- Faculty of Veterinary and Agricultural Sciences, University of Melbourne, Melbourne, VIC 3010, Australia; (R.O.-A.); (B.J.L.); (L.C.); (B.C.); (I.J.C.); (F.R.D.)
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Sarlo Davila KM, Hamblen H, Hansen PJ, Dikmen S, Oltenacu PA, Mateescu RG. Genetic parameters for hair characteristics and core body temperature in a multibreed Brahman-Angus herd1. J Anim Sci 2019; 97:3246-3252. [PMID: 31214688 DOI: 10.1093/jas/skz188] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/11/2019] [Accepted: 05/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/11/2022] Open
Abstract
Thermal stress in hot humid conditions limits cattle production. The objectives for this study were to estimate genetic parameters for hair characteristics and core body temperature under low and high temperature humidity index (THI) conditions. Hair samples were collected and measured for length and diameter. Core body temperature was measured as vaginal temperature every 15 min over a 5-d period using an iButton temperature measuring device implanted in a blank CIDR in 336 heifers from the University of Florida multibreed herd (ranging from 100% Angus to 100% Brahman). Restricted maximum likelihood procedures were used to estimate heritabilities from multiple bivariate animal models using the WOMBAT program. Estimates of heritability for hair diameter, undercoat length, topcoat length, body temperature under low THI conditions, and body temperature under high THI conditions were 0.50, 0.67, 0.42, 0.32, and 0.26, respectively. The genetic parameters estimated in this study indicate a large, exploitable genetic variance which can be selected upon to improve tolerance in cattle. Breed effects for differing compositions of Brahman and Angus were also estimated. As Brahman breed composition increased by 25% undercoat length, topcoat length, body temperature under low THI conditions, and body temperature under high THI conditions decreased by 1.32 mm, 2.94 mm, 0.11 °C, and 0.14 °C, respectively. Under both low and high THI conditions, cattle with 25% Brahman breed composition or greater maintained a significantly lower body temperature than the 100% Angus breed group. The incorporation of Brahman germplasm is recommended for herds that often experience heat stress conditions in order to increase resilience to heat stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kaitlyn M Sarlo Davila
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, 100B Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL
| | - Heather Hamblen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, 100B Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL
| | - Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, 100B Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL
| | - Serdal Dikmen
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Bursa Uludag University, Bursa, Turkey
| | - Pascal A Oltenacu
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, 100B Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL
| | - Raluca G Mateescu
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, 100B Animal Sciences, Gainesville, FL
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SAIKIA J, VERMA A, GUPTA ID, SINGH S, HAZARIKA D. Identification of genetic variants in HSF1 gene and their association with heat tolerance in Murrah buffaloes. THE INDIAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCES 2019. [DOI: 10.56093/ijans.v89i10.95006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
The study was carried out to identify Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) and their association with thermostolerance traits in 200 murrah Buffalos. Genomic DNA was extracted from frozen/thawed blood samples collected in Beckton-Dickinson vacutainer containing 0.5% (10 μl/ml of blood) anticoagulant EDTA, using phenol-chloroform extraction method. Further the samples were processed for checked quality of DNA on 0.8% agarose gel electrophoresis while its quantification was done using Biospec-nano spectrophotometer method. Custom sequencing results revealed 7 SNPs at the position of A15732G located in intron 4, C17061T in intron 6, C17202T and A17226G in intron 7, G17454A in intron 8, C17605T in exon 9 and T18421C in intron 9 of HSF1 gene sequence. Association analysis showed that the thermal tolerance trait in Murrah buffaloes was significantly affected by three SNP locus, viz. A15732G, C17061T and T18421C. The association among the different genotype of this SNP locus with thermo-tolerance was analyzed using Generalized Linear Model procedure in Statistical Analysis System. Animals of GG genotype at locus A15732 G, TT genotype at locus T18421C and C17061T locus showed lower respiration rate and least HTC was observed in animals belonging to GG genotype at locus A15732G. At linkage, disequilibrium and haplotype construction were analysed using SHEsis software. Haplotypes (49) were constructed, and out of these seven haplotypes (>3 sample size) were considered for association studies. The individuals with Hap6 (ACCAGCC) haplotype combination had lower respiration rate (RR) than other haplotype combinations and these individuals may have better thermal adaptability in comparison to others animals.
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Yin T, Jaeger M, Scheper C, Grodkowski G, Sakowski T, Klopčič M, Bapst B, König S. Multi-breed genome-wide association studies across countries for electronically recorded behavior traits in local dual-purpose cows. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0221973. [PMID: 31665138 PMCID: PMC6821105 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0221973] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2019] [Accepted: 08/16/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Basic bovine behavior is a crucial parameter influencing cattle domestication. In addition, behavior has an impact on cattle productivity, welfare and adaptation. The aim of the present study was to infer quantitative genetic and genomic mechanisms contributing to natural dual-purpose cow behavior in grazing systems. In this regard, we genotyped five dual-purpose breeds for a dense SNP marker panel from four different European countries. All cows from the across-country study were equipped with the same electronic recording devices. In this regard, we analyzed 97,049 longitudinal sensor behavior observations from 319 local dual-purpose cows for rumination, feeding, basic activity, high active, not active and ear temperature. According to the specific sensor behaviors and following a welfare protocol, we computed two different welfare indices. For genomic breed characterizations and multi-breed genome-wide association studies, sensor traits and test-day production records were merged with 35,826 SNP markers per cow. For the estimation of variance components, we used the pedigree relationship matrix and a combined similarity matrix that simultaneously included both pedigree and genotypes. Heritabilities for feeding, high active and not active were in a moderate range from 0.16 to 0.20. Estimates were very similar from both relationship matrix-modeling approaches and had quite small standard errors. Heritabilities for the remaining sensor traits (feeding, basic activity, ear temperature) and welfare indices were lower than 0.09. Five significant SNPs on chromosomes 11, 17, 27 and 29 were associated with rumination, and two different SNPs significantly influenced the sensor traits “not active” (chromosome 13) and “feeding” (chromosome 23). Gene annotation analyses inferred 22 potential candidate genes with a false discovery rate lower than 20%, mostly associated with rumination (13 genes) and feeding (8 genes). Mendelian randomization based on genomic variants (i.e., the instrumental variables) was used to infer causal inference between an exposure and an outcome. Significant regression coefficients among behavior traits indicate that all specific behavioral mechanisms contribute to similar physiological processes. The regression coefficients of rumination and feeding on milk yield were 0.10 kg/% and 0.12 kg/%, respectively, indicating their positive influence on dual-purpose cow productivity. Genomically, an improved welfare behavior of grazing cattle, i.e., a higher score for welfare indices, was significantly associated with increased fat and protein percentages.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tong Yin
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Maria Jaeger
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Carsten Scheper
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, Gießen, Germany
| | - Gregorz Grodkowski
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland
| | - Tomasz Sakowski
- Institute of Genetics and Animal Breeding of the Polish Academy of Sciences, Jastrzębiec, Poland
| | - Marija Klopčič
- University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Domzale, Slovenia
| | - Beat Bapst
- Genetic evaluation center, Qualitas AG, Switzerland
| | - Sven König
- Institute of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Justus-Liebig-University of Gießen, Gießen, Germany
- * E-mail:
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Hansen PJ. Reproductive physiology of the heat-stressed dairy cow: implications for fertility and assisted reproduction. Anim Reprod 2019; 16:497-507. [PMID: 32435293 PMCID: PMC7234026 DOI: 10.21451/1984-3143-ar2019-0053] [Citation(s) in RCA: 52] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress causes a large decline in pregnancy success per insemination during warm times of the year. Improvements in fertility are possible by exploiting knowledge about how heat stress affects the reproductive process. The oocyte can be damaged by heat stress at the earliest stages of folliculogenesis and remains sensitive to heat stress in the peri-ovulatory period. Changes in oocyte quality due to heat stress are the result of altered patterns of folliculogenesis and, possibly, direct effects of elevated body temperature on the oocyte. While adverse effects of elevated temperature on the oocyte have been observed in vitro, local cooling of the ovary and protective effects of follicular fluid may limit these actions in vivo. Heat stress can also compromise fertilization rate. The first seven days of embryonic development are very susceptible to disruption by heat stress. During these seven days, the embryo undergoes a rapid change in sensitivity to heat stress from being very sensitive (2- to 4-cell stage) to largely resistant (by the morulae stage). Direct actions of elevated temperature on the embryo are likely to be an important mechanism for reduction in embryonic survival caused by heat stress. An effective way to avoid effects of heat stress on the oocyte, fertilization, and early embryo is to bypass the effects through embryo transfer because embryos are typically transferred into females after acquisition of thermal resistance. There may be some opportunity to mitigate effects of heat stress by feeding antioxidants or regulating the endocrine environment of the cow but neither approach has been reduced to practice. The best long-term solution to the problem of heat stress may be to increase genetic resistance of cows to heat stress. Thermotolerance genes exist within dairy breeds and additional genes can be introgressed from other breeds by traditional means or gene editing.
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Affiliation(s)
- Peter J Hansen
- Department of Animal Sciences, D. H. Barron Reproductive and Perinatal Biology Research Program and Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, USA
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Sigdel A, Abdollahi-Arpanahi R, Aguilar I, Peñagaricano F. Whole Genome Mapping Reveals Novel Genes and Pathways Involved in Milk Production Under Heat Stress in US Holstein Cows. Front Genet 2019; 10:928. [PMID: 31636656 PMCID: PMC6788456 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2019.00928] [Citation(s) in RCA: 38] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2019] [Accepted: 09/05/2019] [Indexed: 01/17/2023] Open
Abstract
Heat stress represents a major environmental factor that negatively affects the health and performance of dairy cows, causing huge economic losses to the dairy industry. Identifying and selecting animals that are thermotolerant is an attractive alternative for reducing the negative effects of heat stress on dairy cattle performance. As such, the objectives of the present study were to estimate genetic components of milk yield, fat yield, and protein yield considering heat stress and to perform whole-genome scans and a subsequent gene-set analysis for identifying candidate genes and functional gene-sets implicated in milk production under heat stress conditions. Data consisted of about 254k test-day records from 17,522 Holstein cows. Multi-trait repeatability test day models with random regressions on a function of temperature-humidity index (THI) values were used for genetic analyses. The models included herd-test-day and DIM classes as fixed effects, and general and thermotolerance additive genetic and permanent environmental as random effects. Notably, thermotolerance additive genetic variances for all milk traits increased across parities suggesting that cows become more sensitive to heat stress as they age. In addition, our study revealed negative genetic correlations between general and thermotolerance additive effects, ranging between −0.18 to −0.68 indicating that high producing cows are more susceptible to heat stress. The association analysis identified at least three different genomic regions on BTA5, BTA14, and BTA15 strongly associated with milk production under heat stress conditions. These regions harbor candidate genes, such as HSF1, MAPK8IP1, and CDKN1B that are directly involved in the cellular response to heat stress. Moreover, the gene-set analysis revealed several functional terms related to heat shock proteins, apoptosis, immune response, and oxidative stress, among others. Overall, the genes and pathways identified in this study provide a better understanding of the genetic architecture underlying dairy cow performance under heat stress conditions. Our findings point out novel opportunities for improving thermotolerance in dairy cattle through marker-assisted breeding.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Sigdel
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
| | | | - Ignacio Aguilar
- Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria, Canelones, Uruguay
| | - Francisco Peñagaricano
- Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States.,University of Florida Genetics Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, United States
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