Association analyses between the prion protein locus and reproductive and lamb weight traits in Ripollesa sheep

The objective of this study was to analyze the association between the haplotypes of the prion protein (PrP) locus and several reproductive and lamb weight traits in Ripollesa sheep. Prion protein genotypes were available for a total of 310 sheep (7 rams, 114 ewes, and 189 lambs), all of them belonging to the purebred Ripollesa flock of the Universitat Autònoma of Barcelona, for which all sheep had a known pedigree. In addition, the genotype of 24 historical descendants of the previously genotyped adult individuals was reconstructed, provided that both parents were homozygous for PrP haplotypes. Only 3 haplotypes (ARR, ARQ, and ARH) were observed in the PrP locus of the sheep sampled. Reproductive traits included conception rate and litter size, whereas birth BW and 90-d BW were the lamb weight traits studied. The additive effect of PrP haplotypes was analyzed through Bayesian animal threshold and linear models, for reproduction and weight traits, respectively. Ewe reproductive data belonged to 89 ewes that gave 492 conception rate records and 440 litter size records. Analyses of BW at birth and at 90 d of age were made on 323 and 164 lamb records, respectively. No associations between PrP haplotypes and conception rate and BW traits were observed. For litter size, the effect of the ARH haplotype was greater than that of the ARQ haplotype. Differences between ARH and ARR haplotypes also suggested an advantage for the ARH. As a whole, our results indicated that the selection favorable to increase litter size in Ripollesa ewes may also increase the ARH haplotype frequency, which contradicts the recommendations of the current European Union legislation aiming to increase the genetic resistance to scrapie. As a consequence, scrapie genotyping needs to be included as a new selection criterion in the breed.     

The relationship between udder health and milk production in SMR cows

Analyses made of seven dairy units revealed that clinically manifest udder inflammations had occurred once or repeatedly to 23.9 per cent of all cows in their first lactation and to 34.0 percent during the fourth lactation. Cows with no clinical udder inflammation in the first and second lactations were superior by 205 kg of milk to animals in whom such inflammations developed during the second lactation. Correlation coefficients between udder health and milk yield were between -0.22 and 0.32 and were likely to suggest that in the long run improvement of the genetic potential for milk yield was accompanied by deterioration of udder health. Therefore, udder health should be included by stabilising selection in Friesian dairy cattle breeding in the GDR. A sufficient breeding potential will be left for milk yield parameters, as was shown by simulated selection experiments.     

湖羊和小尾寒羊骨形成蛋白受体IB型基因多态性与泌乳性状的相关性分析

为探究骨骼形成蛋白IB型受体基因(BMPR-IB)与泌乳性状的相关性,采用PCR-RFLP方法检测BMPR-IB在湖羊(41只)和小尾寒羊(30只)群体中的多态性,并分析了其泌乳期1~56 d的泌乳性状。结果显示:在湖羊群体中发现BB和B+两种基因型,基因频率为0.965和0.035;与泌乳性状结合分析:BB基因型乳蛋白显著高于B+型个体(P0.05)。小尾寒羊群体中发现BB、B+和++3种基因型,频率分别为0.27,0.4和0.33;++型个体泌乳量极显著高于BB型个体(P0.01),B+型个体泌乳量显著高于BB型个体(P0.05);从群体泌乳量来看为++型B+型BB型;++型个体乳糖显著高于BB型个体(P0.05)。     

Influence of prion protein gene polymorphisms on performance traits in German meat sheep breeds

PrP polymorphisms influence the scrapie susceptiblility of sheep. The objective of this study was to analyse the association between performance traits and the PrP genotype in the sheep breeds German black-headed and German white-headed mutton, Bleu du Maine, German mutton merino, Leine, Texel and Suffolk from Lower Saxony and Westphalia. We analysed performance traits such as scores for muscle mass, type and wool quality and the calculated daily weight gain using linear animal models. In all seven breeds no statistically significant associations were found between performance traits and the occurrence of ARR alleles, and the ARR/ARR genotypes, respectively. All genotyped sheep of all breeds investigated showed significantly superior performance traits in comparison to the non-genotyped animals.     

Effect of staphylococcal contamination of the bovine udder on milk yield

Zinc sulphate was added to the drinking water of Angus cows and calves grazing an area considered marginal for copper nutrition of cattle. Mean daily intakes of approximately 12–15 mg Zn/kg live-weight further depressed already low plasma copper concentrations to levels considered to indicate copper deficiency. The plasma copper concentrations in untreated animals increased during the trial indicating adequate copper intakes during this period, but the high zinc intakes of treated animals prevented this seasonal rise. Injection of copper glycinate (0.24 g/animal) alleviated the depression of plasma copper associated with the high zinc intakes. The zinc supplements had little effect on plasma zinc concentrations.     

Comparison of selection criteria for milk yield traits of Valle del Belice dairy sheep

The objectives of this work were to investigate alternative selection criteria for milk yield traits in the Valle del Belice sheep breed, which are either corrected for lactation length or not affected by lactation length, to estimate genetic parameters for these alternative selection criteria and to compare the estimated breeding values. The genetic correlations show that corrected milk yield (CMY), maximum test-day yield (MTY) and milk yield at hundred days (MYH), are moderately or weakly correlated with lactation length (LL) (r_g = 0.58, 0.16 and 0.39, respectively). Higher genetic correlation was found between total milk yield (TMY) and LL (r_g = 0.73). Rank correlations between selection criteria for estimated breeding values for the entire data set were above 0.90 for CMY vs. TMY and CMY vs. MYH and were similar for rams and ewes. Very low were the rank correlations for LL vs. MTY and LL vs. MYH in comparison with 0.75 for LL vs. TMY. Under high selection intensity, rank correlations between breeding values from CMY vs. TMY, CMY vs. MYH and MTY vs. MYH were lower, ranging from 0.53 to 0.75, but higher than all other contrasts between selection criteria. The general results obtained in this study show that MYH is a selection criterion that could improve the genetic evaluation in the Valle del Belice dairy sheep.     

奶牛产奶性能与乳房性状的相关分析

本文对南京市栖霞区个体农户饲养的 40 0头荷斯坦奶牛的悬韧带、后乳房宽度、后乳房高度、乳头长与奶牛的产奶量和乳脂率进行了相关分析 ,数据应用MicrosoftExcel进行计算分析。结果表明 :后乳房宽度和悬韧带均与产奶量呈强正相关 ,与乳脂率呈中等强度的负相关 ;后乳房高度与产奶量呈中等强度的负相关 ,与乳脂率呈弱正相关 ;乳头长与产奶量呈弱正相关 ,与乳脂率呈弱负相关     

超细型细毛羊生化遗传标记与经济性状相关性研究

采用双垂直板高pH不连续性聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳系统,对中国美利奴高山型超细型细毛羊群体的4个血液蛋白位点多态性进行检测发现:血红蛋白(Hb)、转铁蛋白(Tf)、血清酯酶(Es)存在多态性,血浆白蛋白(Alb)呈单态性。对存在多态性的位点与细毛羊经济性状的相关分析表明:中国美利奴高山型超细型细毛羊群体血红蛋白、血浆酯酶位点的不同表现型与体侧毛长、羊毛伸度、羊毛细度及剪毛量等存在显著相关。部分位点可为中国美利奴高山型超细品系培育的早期选种提供辅助依据。     

Differences between primiparous and multiparous dairy cows in the inter-relationships between metabolic traits, milk yield and body condition score in the periparturient period

During the early postpartum period dairy cows mobilize fat and muscle to support lactation. This is associated with alterations in blood metabolite and hormone profiles which in turn influence milk yield and fertility. This study developed models to determine how metabolic traits, milk yield and body condition score were inter-related at different times in the periparturient period and to compare these relationships in primiparous (PP, n=188) and multiparous (MP, n=312) cows. Data from four previous studies which included information on blood metabolic parameters, parity, milk yield, body condition score and diet were collated into a single dataset. Coefficients of polynomial equations were calculated for each trait between -1 week pre-calving and week +7 postpartum using residual maximum likelihood modelling. The completed dataset was used in a multiple correlation model to determine how the best fit curves were related to each other over time. PP cows had higher concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-I and lower beta-hydroxybutyrate concentrations throughout, higher leptin concentrations pre-partum and both the peak in non-esterified fatty acids and the nadir in urea concentration occurred earlier after calving. These differences were associated with significantly lower milk production. Leptin concentrations fell at calving and were related to body condition score. Insulin was negatively correlated with yield in MP cows only. In MP cows the relationship between insulin-like growth factor-I and yield switched from negative to positive between weeks +4 and +7. Both beta-hydroxybutyrate and urea were positively related to yield in PP cows. In contrast, in MP cows beta-hydroxybutyrate was negatively correlated with yield and urea was strongly related to body condition score but not yield. These results suggest that there are differences in the control of tissue mobilization between PP and MP cows which may promote nutrient partitioning into growth as well as milk during the first lactation.     

Associations between genotypes at codon 171 and 136 of the prion protein gene and production traits in market lambs

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether selection for the homozygous A136 R171 genotype that confers resistance to classic scrapie infection negatively affects production traits in sheep. ANIMALS: 996 commercial lambs obtained from 2 flocks at separate locations across 3 consecutive years. Procedures-Genotyping at codon 136 and 171 was performed by use of commercially available testing or a single-nucleotide polymorphism assay. Carcass data were collected without knowledge of genotype approximately 24 hours after slaughter by an experienced grader. The model to analyze associations between prion protein (PRNP) genotype and production traits was based on genotype, breed, or both as fixed effects and days on feed as a covariate. RESULTS: Average daily gain was significantly associated with only combined codons 136 and 171. In flock 1, weaning average daily gain was significantly greater in AA136 sheep than heterozygotes; the difference between QR171 and RR171 sheep, compared with QQ171 sheep, were not significant although QR171 and RR171 sheep had higher values. However, in flock 2, average daily gain was significantly greater in AV136 sheep than AA136 sheep and in QR171 sheep than QQ171 sheep. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Findings suggest there is an advantage for average daily gain in lambs with an arginine allele at codon 171, but there were no other genotype effects on production traits. Thus, selection for the resistant arginine allele at codon 171 to comply with USDA scrapie eradication guidelines should not be detrimental to lamb production in commercial flocks. Effects of codon 136 on average daily gain were ambiguous.     

猪血浆蛋白质多态性与肉质性状的关系研究

为筛选猪的肉质性状的生化遗传标记,以湖南省望城种猪场大白猪群为研究对象,采用聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳检测了大约克夏猪群4种血浆蛋白质多态性,并利用通用线性模型分析了血浆蛋白质多态性与肉质性状的关系,结果表明:除Amy1的AB型对失水率性状有显著水平的负效应(P<0.05),各蛋白位点不同基因型对5个肉质性状的效应均没有达到显著水平(P>0.05)。     

绵羊不同器官中PrP分布的免疫组织化学研究

传染性海绵状脑病(TSE)是由朊病毒(Prion)引起的人和多种哺乳动物以神经退行性变化为主要特征的一种慢性消耗性传染病。引起这类疾病的病原因子是一种编码宿主蛋白的PrPC转变为异常的具有致病性的PrPSc,二者具有相同的氨基酸序列,只是其空间结构发生变化后由正常的以α螺旋为主     

Genetic and nongenetic effects for milk yield and growth traits in Saudi camels

The study was based on a set of 256 records for milk yield at 305 days, 1,899 records of test day yield, and 466 growth records collected at Al Jouf center from 1987 to 2009. Except season of calving, milk yield at 305 days was affected by parity and calving year, whereas test day yield was influenced by parity, calving year, stage of lactation, and test milk day. Only birth year had a significant effect on all growth traits, whereas dam’s parity influenced weights at birth and 3 months, and birth season affected birth weight, weight at 6 months and average daily gain (ADG) 3–6 months. Variance components estimated using an animal model showed that heritability and repeatability estimates for milk yield at 305 days were 0.24 and 0.28, respectively. The corresponding estimates for test day yield were 0.22 and 0.66, respectively. Direct heritabilities were 0.37, 0.50, 0.60, and 0.85 for body weights at birth, 3, 6, and 12 months of age, respectively, and 0.25, 0.37, 0.49, and 0.29 for ADG 0–3, 3–6, 6–12, and 0–12 months, respectively. The annual genetic progress was 0.05 kg for milk yield at 305 days and 0.0003 kg for test day yield. Annual genetic gains during 23 years were 0.050, −0.185, 0.079, and 0.331 kg for body weights, respectively, and −9, −5, −4, and −13 g, for ADG, respectively. It was concluded that it is necessary to set up a field milk and growth recording system in order to collect a large number of records to check these estimates.     

Genotype by environment interaction for milk yield in Sarda dairy sheep

Genotype by environment interaction (GEI) for milk yield (ME) wasinvestigated by analyzing 40 140 first lactation records performed in 538 flocks. Flock–year effects from national genetic evaluation were used to define low (L), medium (M) and high (H) yielding environments. Differences observed between adjacent subsets were approximately 20% of the trait overall mean. Sire variance components estimated using multitrait analysis were 58, 82 and 149% of the estimate from the complete dataset (L, M and H, respectively) and genetic correlation coefficient between extreme subsets was 0.66, lower than genetic correlations obtained from randomly sampled subsets. Rank correlation coefficients between estimated transmitting abilities (ETA), obtained independently within L, M and H subsets for 71 AI rams having at least 10 daughters per subset, were lower than one (ranging from 0.42 to 0.56). These results strongly supported the existence of GEI for milk yield in Sarda sheep flocks. The influence of GEI on phenotypic responses in flocks differing in yield level could be due to a reduced expression of genes under conditions of restricted environmental opportunity. Splitting the selection scheme according to farming conditions does not seem a suitable solution for the Sarda breeding program. Thus, to provide farmers with genotypes suitable to exhibit a good phenotypic expression in different conditions, the selection across all environments, in which the descendants are expected to perform, still seems the best option.     

Detection of prion protein gene polymorphisms in Baltic breeds of sheep

A total of 167 sheep belonging to the Estonian whiteheaded mutton, Estonian blackheaded mutton, Lithuanian coarsewool native, Lithuanian blackface and Latvian darkheaded mutton breeds, and a population of sheep kept isolated on the Estonian island of Ruhnu, were sequence-analysed for polymorphisms in the prion protein (PrP) gene, to determine their genotype and the allele frequencies of polymorphisms in PrP known to confer resistance to scrapie. A 939 base pair fragment of exon 3 from the PrP gene was amplified by pcr and analysed by direct sequencing. For animals showing polymorphism at two nucleotide positions, both haplotypes of these double-heterozygous genotypes were further verified by pcr cloning and sequence analysis. Known polymorphisms were observed at codons 136, 154 and 171, and six different haplotypes (arr, ahq, arh, ahr, arq and vrq) were determined. On the basis of these polymorphisms, the six populations of sheep possessed the resistant arr haplotype at different frequencies. The high-risk arq haplotype occurred in high frequencies in all six populations, but vrq, the haplotype carrying the highest risk, occurred at low frequencies and in only three of the populations.     

Genetic correlations between growth and reproductive traits in Zandi sheep

For the first time, the current study reports the genetic and phenotypic correlations between growth and reproductive traits in Zandi sheep. The data were comprised of 4,309 records of lamb growth traits from 1,378 dams and 273 sires plus 2,588 records of reproductive traits from 577 ewes. These data were extracted from available performance records at Khojir Breeding Station of Zandi sheep in Tehran, Iran, from 1993 to 2008. Correlations were estimated from two animal models in a bivariate analysis using restricted maximum likelihood procedure between lamb growth traits [birth weight (BW), weaning weight at 3 months of age (WW), as well as six-month weight (6 MW)] and ewe reproductive traits [litter size at birth (LSB), litter size at weaning (LSW), total litter weight at birth (TLWB), and total litter weight at weaning (TLWW)]. The genetic correlations between BW and reproductive traits varied from low to high ranges from 0.10 for BW–LSB to 0.86 for BW–TLWB. WW was moderately (0.37) to highly (0.96) correlated with all the reproductive traits. Moreover, the genetic correlations were observed between 6 MW and reproductive traits, varied from 0.19 to 0.95. Relationships between growth and reproductive traits ranged from 0.01 for BW–LSW to 0.28 for BW–TLWB in phenotypic effects. Results indicated that selection to improve WW would have high effect on genetic response in TLWW, and also, these results could be effective for all of the reproductive traits in Zandi sheep.     

欧拉羊血清蛋白含量及其与季节变化的相关分析

用紫外吸收法测定欧拉羊血清总蛋白(TP),结果表明春秋两季总蛋白的含量有显著差异。春季测定48只,总蛋白平均值为7.23±0.74;秋季测定56只总蛋白平均值为7.18±0.76,差异显著(P<0.05)。又采用醋酸纤维薄膜电泳分离血清蛋白,通过扫描测得血清蛋白中的α1、α2和γ三种球蛋白的指标春秋季差异非常显著(P<0.01),α1、α2球蛋白秋季大于春季,而γ-球蛋白则春季大秋季,白蛋白和β-球蛋白虽有差异但不显著。由此可见总蛋白的含量变化主要与α1、α2和γ三种球蛋白的含量有关。同时,春季γ球蛋白的增加量超过了α1、α2球蛋白的总降低量。