Genetic parameters and single versus multi-trait evaluation of udder health traits

Abstract

Genetic parameters were estimated for lactation average somatic cell score (SCS) and clinical mastitis (CM) for the first three lactations of multiparous Finnish Ayrshire cows. A multi-trait linear sire model was used for estimation of covariance components, and the efficiencies of single- versus multi-trait multi-lactation (MT) sire evaluations were compared. Heritability of SCS and CM in the first three lactations ranged from 0.11 to 0.13 and 0.02 to 0.03, respectively. Within lactation, genetic correlations between SCS and CM ranged from 0.68 to 0.72. Within both traits, across-lactation genetic correlations were lowest between 1 and 3, and highest between 2 and 3, with estimates ranging from 0.75 to 0.86 and from 0.81 to 0.98 for CM and SCS, respectively. Residual and phenotypic correlations were low and ranged from 0.09 to 0.13 and from 0.10 to 0.13, respectively. The absolute difference between genetic and residual correlations was from 0.5 to 0.6. Within-lactation genetic correlations between traits that are much less than unity suggest a multi-trait model for genetic evaluation of mastitis resistance. Comparison of model prediction performance between single-trait (ST) and MT models using a data splitting method showed that the MT model was more stable in predicting breeding values in future records of animals. Especially, for young sires and CM, the SD of EBVs from the MT model was 14 to 23% higher than the ST model, indicating more effective use of information in terms of revealing more genetic variation.     

Genetic analysis of liability to clinical mastitis, with somatic cell score and production traits using bivariate threshold–linear and linear–linear models

Inferences about genetic and residual correlation estimates and sire evaluations involving a categorical trait with linear model are ambiguous and mostly based on data simulations. In this study, estimates of variance components and prediction of breeding values in a model with a categorical and a continuous trait were compared between threshold–linear (TLM) and linear–linear models (LLM) in analysis of large clinical mastitis (CM) field data. Data on CM, somatic cell score (SCS), 305-day milk (MY), protein (PY) and fat yield (FY) from first-lactation Finnish Ayrshire cows were used. Four bivariate analyses were made using a TLM in Bayesian analysis. Each analysis fitted CM and one continuous trait at a time. Corresponding bivariate analyses were made using a Gaussian linear model. Estimates of heritabilities for CM were 0.06 and 0.02 from TLM and LLM, respectively whilst heritability estimates of the continuous traits were similar from both models. Genetic correlations between CM–SCS, CM–MY, CM–PY, and CM–FY from TLM and LLM were 0.63 and 0.63; 0.36 and 0.36; 0.32 and 0.32; 0.30 and 0.29, respectively. Estimates of residual correlations were 0.11 and 0.06; − 0.04 and − 0.02; − 0.03 and − 0.02; − 0.05 and − 0.03 between CM–SCS, CM–MY, CM–PY, and CM–FY, respectively. Comparison between the models indicates similar estimates of genetic correlations with no underestimation with the linear model analysis. In CM evaluation, the comparison of model's predictive ability showed greater improvements in accuracy with the bivariate than with the univariate models. There was, however no clear advantage of univariate threshold model over univariate linear model, except for less accuracy sires.     

Time-series models on somatic cell score improve detection of mastitis

Abstract

In-line detection of mastitis using frequent milk sampling was studied in 241 cows in a Danish research herd. Somatic cell scores obtained at a daily basis were analyzed using a mixture of four time-series models. Probabilities were assigned to each model for the observations to belong to a normal “steady-state” development, change in “level”, change of “slope” or “outlier”. Mastitis was indicated from the sum of probabilities for the “level” and “slope” models. Time-series models were based on the Kalman filter. Reference data was obtained from veterinary assessment of health status combined with bacteriological findings. At a sensitivity of 90% the corresponding specificity was 68%, which increased to 83% using a one-step back smoothing. It is concluded that mixture models based on Kalman filters are efficient in handling in-line sensor data for detection of mastitis and may be useful for similar applications to decision support systems.     

奶牛乳腺炎病原菌的分离鉴定及耐药性分析

2 0 0 2～ 2 0 0 3年采集上海地区 32个规模化奶牛场 433份奶样 ,共分离 2 54株细菌。其中包括金黄色葡萄球菌 48/2 54 (1 8 9% )、表皮葡萄球菌 34/2 54 (1 3 4% )、大肠杆菌 2 8/2 54 (1 1 0 % )、肺炎 /溶血巴氏杆菌 1 1 /2 54 (4 3 % )、无乳链球菌 2 5/2 54 (9 8% )、停乳链球菌 1 6/2 54(6 3 % )、乳房链球菌 1 5/2 54 (5 9% )及酵母菌 8/2 54 (5 9% )。表明葡萄球菌性乳腺炎仍占主导地位。药敏试验结果表明 ,分离菌株对临床常用的多种抗菌药物都产生了耐药性 ,耐药菌株的出现和抗生素的残留给乳腺炎的防治及食品安全带来了隐患     

奶牛急性乳腺炎病原菌的分离与鉴定研究

对6头患有急性乳腺炎奶牛的24个乳区进行细菌的分离培养和初步的生化鉴定,检出葡萄球菌7株,无乳链球菌6株,大肠杆菌10株,棒状杆菌2株,分别占细菌检出数的28%,24%,40%,8%。     

Udder health and female fertility traits are favourably correlated and support each other in multi-trait evaluations

Genetic parameters were estimated for protein yield (PY), clinical mastitis (CM), somatic cell score, number of inseminations (NI) and days from calving to first insemination (CFI) in first‐parity Swedish Red cows by series of tri‐variate linear animal models. The heritability of PY was moderate (0.34 ± 0.004), and the heritabilities of the functional traits were all low (0.014 ± 0.001–0.14 ± 0.004). The genetic correlation between CM and CFI (0.38 ± 0.05) was stronger than the correlation between CM and NI (0.05 ± 0.06), perhaps because CM and CFI usually are observed in early lactation when the cow is likely to be in negative energy balance, whereas NI generally is recorded when the cow is not in negative energy balance any more. The genetic correlation between NI and CFI was very close to zero (?0.002 ± 0.05), indicating that these two fertility traits have different genetic backgrounds. All genetic correlations between PY and the functional traits were moderate and unfavourable, ranging from 0.22 ± 0.02 to 0.47 ± 0.03. In addition, the effect of including genetic and phenotypic correlations between the trait groups milk production, udder health and female fertility on the accuracy of the selection index was quantified for a heifer, a cow and a proven bull. The difference between the accuracy obtained by multi‐trait and single‐trait evaluations was largest for the cow (0.012) and small for the heifer and the bull (0.006 and 0.004) because the phenotype of the cow for one trait could assist in predicting the Mendelian sampling term for a correlated trait.     

某奶牛场临床型乳房炎的病原分离及鉴定

从某奶牛场患乳房炎的奶牛乳汁中共分离到 13株细菌 ,经培养特性、菌落形态和生化特性等鉴定表明 ,13个分离菌株中 ,无乳链球菌最为多见 ,占 10株 ;金黄色葡萄球菌 2株及大肠杆菌 1株。将 3种细菌经人工感染小白鼠 ,都具有一定的致病力。药敏试验结果表明 ,氨苄青霉素及丁胺卡那对上述细菌具有较好的抑制作用     

奶牛隐性乳房炎研究进展

隐性乳房炎是危害奶牛的重要疾病之一,占乳房炎发病率的90%.本文总结了隐性乳房炎的发病情况、发生原因、诊断方法及预防措施.     

奶牛乳房炎的病原菌分离鉴定与药敏试验

对山东济南市 5个奶牛场的 1 65份临床型和 1 4 7份隐性型乳房炎奶样进行了病原菌分离鉴定。临床型未用利福平复合新药奶样 48份 ,细菌检出率为 83 33 % ;用该药 2d内采集的奶样 1 1 7份 ,细菌检出率 60 68%。隐性乳房炎奶样细菌检出率 72 2 9%。用新研制的利福平复合新药对未用该药奶样分离菌 35株和用该药后有代表性的分离菌 40株 ,共 75株临床型分离菌进行药敏试验 ,结果 84%为高度敏感 (63/ 75) ,1 6 %为中度敏感 (1 2 / 75)。鉴定的细菌有葡萄球菌 ,链球菌 ,大肠杆菌 ,棒状杆菌 ,芽孢杆菌等。根据用药后患病奶牛的临床表现和奶样细菌分离情况 ,表明该药对奶牛乳房炎具有显著的治疗效果     

奶牛隐性乳房炎研究进展

乳房炎是奶牛群中危害最大的一类疾病。隐性乳房炎占奶牛乳房炎发病率的90％。本文主要介绍了隐性乳房炎的发病率、危害程度、诊断方法及预防措施。     

中药治疗奶牛乳房炎的研究现状与展望

综述了中药治疗奶牛乳房炎的临床应用、机理和特点,认为中药治疗奶牛乳房炎采用辨证施治方法,毒副作用小且不易产生耐药性;指出了中药治疗奶牛乳房炎存在的问题,主要是基础研究薄弱、生产工艺落后、无固定标准、药品质量难以保证等.由于中药治疗奶牛乳房炎疗效确实,因而潜力巨大.     

Association of BoLA-DRB3 alleles identified by a sequence-based typing method with mastitis pathogens in Japanese Holstein cows

The association of the polymorphism of bovine leukocyte antigen ( BoLA-DRB3 ) genes identified by the polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) method with resistance and susceptibility to mastitis caused by pathogenic bacteria was investigated. Blood samples for DNA extraction were collected from 194 Holstein cows (41 healthy cows and 153 mastitis cows including 24 mixed-infection cows infected with 2 or 3 species of pathogens) from 5 districts of Chiba prefecture, Japan. Sixteen BoLA-DRB3 alleles were detected. The 4 main alleles of DRB3*0101 , *1501 , *1201 , and *1101 constituted 56.8% of the total number of alleles detected. Mastitis cows were divided into 2 groups: group 1 with single-infection cows and group 2 with all mastitis cows including 24 mixed-infection cows. The differences in the frequencies of BoLA-DRB3 alleles and the number of cows homozygous or heterozygous for each BoLA-DRB3 allele between healthy cows and the 2 groups of mastitis cows were evaluated. Furthermore, similar comparisons were performed between healthy cows and the 2 groups of mastitis cows for each mastitis pathogen. It was considered that the 4 alleles, namely, DRB3*0101 , *1501 , *1201 , and *1101 had specific resistance and susceptibility to 4 different mastitis pathogens. Thus, DRB3*0101 might be associated with susceptibility to coagulase-negative Staphylococci and Escherichia coli , and DRB3*1501 might be associated with susceptibility to Escherichia coli . However, DRB3*1101 might be associated with resistance to Streptococci and coagulase-negative Staphylococci , and DRB3*1201 , with resistance to Streptococci , Escherichia coli , and Staphylococcus aureus .     

奶牛隐性乳房炎与胎次、年龄关系的探讨

奶牛隐性乳房炎是一种复杂的导致奶牛业经济损失最严重的疾病,是奶牛养殖过程中的常见病之一,其发病率高。为了摸清南通红梅乳业牧场隐性乳房炎的发病情况,笔者用北京亚临床乳房炎快速诊断液做试验,从胎次、年龄等两个方面分别调查了隐性乳房炎的头阳性率、乳区阳性率,并进行卡方分析,得出奶牛隐性乳房炎的发病率同胎次、年龄等因素之间存在着密切的关系,随着胎次和年龄的增加隐性乳房炎的发病率呈上升趋势。     

Genetic parameters for mastitis incidence and its indicators based on somatic cell score for Holsteins in Hokkaido,Japan

The objectives of this study were to estimate the heritability of mastitis incidence and genetic correlations between the mastitis and the somatic cell score (SCS) statistics, and to compare the practicability between different models. We used test‐day records with the mastitis incidence and SCS collected from Holstein cows calving from 1988 to 2015 in Hokkaido, Japan. As indicators of mastitis, the average SCS (avSCS), the standard deviation of SCS (sdSCS), and the maximum SCS (maxSCS) were calculated using test‐day records up to the first 305 days in milk within a lactation. We compared a four‐trait repeatability animal model (MTRP) with a four‐trait multiple‐lactation animal model (MTML). The heritability for mastitis was equal to or lower than 0.05 in all the models. Genetic correlations between lactations with MTML within the same trait were positive and close to 1. With MTRP, the estimated genetic correlations of the mastitis incidence with avSCS, sdSCS, and maxSCS were 0.66, 0.79, and 0.82, respectively. A joint evaluation with SCS statistics is expected to give an extra reliability for mastitis because of high and positive genetic correlations among the traits.     

冀东地区奶牛隐性乳房炎病原菌的分离鉴定

通过LMT法、乳汁pH检验法和体细胞直接计数等方法相结合,对冀东地区3个大型奶牛场、8个奶牛养殖户选取的1 021头奶牛进行隐性乳房炎流行病学调查与病菌分离鉴定。结果表明,隐性乳房炎发病率为60.63%(619/1021),乳房炎阳性乳样品中细菌分离率达88.21%(546/619)。从543头隐性乳房炎患牛的阳性乳区乳样中分得细菌共4类14种菌82株,其中葡萄球菌36株,占43.90%;链球菌33株,占40.24%;肠杆菌类8株,占9.76%;棒状杆菌5株,占6.10%。冀东地区奶牛隐性乳房炎主要病原菌为金黄色葡萄球菌和无乳链球菌。     

中国荷斯坦牛CXCR1基因第二外显子新SNPs与乳腺炎的关联分析

通过研究中国荷斯坦牛趋化因子受体1(Chemokine(C-X-C motif)receptor1,CXCR1)基因多态性与乳腺炎间的相关性,找到对乳腺炎性状有显著影响的基因型和单倍型组合,为从遗传角度上解决奶牛乳腺炎问题提供参考。采用巢氏PCR、DNA测序和CRS-PCR-RFLP方法,对中国荷斯坦牛的CXCR1外显子2进行遗传多态性研究,分别利用SHEsis软件和PHASE软件进行配对连锁不平衡分析和单倍型分析。结果表明,找到了4个新SNPs,分别为291(C/T)、333(C/T)、337(A/G)和365(C/T)。各SNPs与中国荷斯坦牛体细胞评分(SCS)和产奶量的关联分析表明:337(A/G)和365(C/T)位点的等位基因G、C均为低SCS、高产奶量的优秀等位基因;另外,H3 H7(CCCTGGCC)单倍型杂合个体为低SCS、高产奶量的优秀单倍型组合。CXCR1基因的单倍型H3 H7(CCCTGGCC)在SCS和产奶量方面是优良的单倍型,可作为选择抗乳腺炎的分子标记。     

浅谈奶牛乳房炎

乳房炎是奶牛群中花费最多的疾病。本文介绍了乳房炎的表现和成因病菌、乳房炎的控制手段，还介绍了乳房炎的标记。体细胞仍然是今天可以获得的最可靠的监测乳房炎的方法。     

Genetic relationships of alternative somatic cell count traits with milk yield,composition and udder type traits in Italian Jersey cows

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic associations between alternative somatic cell count (SCC) traits and milk yield, composition and udder type traits in Italian Jersey cows. Alternative SCC traits were test‐day (TD) somatic cell score (SCS) averaged over early lactation (SCS_150), standard deviation of SCS of the entire lactation (SCS_SD), a binary trait indicating absence or presence of at least one TD SCC >400,000 cells/ml in the lactation (Infection) and the ratio of the number of TD SCC >400,000 cells/ml to total number of TD in the lactation (Severity). Heritabilities of SCC traits, including lactation‐mean SCS (SCS_LM), ranged from 0.038 to 0.136. Genetic correlations between SCC traits were moderate to strong, with very few exceptions. Unfavourable genetic associations between milk yield and SCS_SD and Infection indicated that high‐producing cows were more susceptible to variation in SCC than low‐producing animals. Cows with deep udders, loose attachments, weak ligaments and long teats were more susceptible to an increase of SCC in milk. Overall, results suggest that alternative SCC traits can be exploited to improve cow's resistance to mastitis in Italian Jersey breed.     

Genetic associations between somatic cell score and pathogen‐specific subclinical mastitis in Norwegian Red cows

The aim of this study was to estimate heritabilities of and genetic correlations between pathogen‐specific subclinical mastitis (SCM) traits and lactation mean somatic cell score (LSCS) in Norwegian Red cattle. Based on data from 130 733 first‐lactation cows four binary pathogen‐specific SCM traits, Staphylococcus aureus, Streptococcus dysgalactiae, Streptococcus uberis and coagulase‐negative staphylococci SCM, were analysed together with unspecific SCM and LSCS using a multivariate sire model with threshold models for binary traits and a linear model for LSCS. Posterior means (SD) of heritabilities were 0.17 (0.01) for LSCS, 0.11 (0.01) for liability to unspecific SCM and ranged from 0.04 (Staph. aureus) to 0.14 (Strep. dysgalactiae) for liability to pathogen‐specific SCM. Genetic correlations were positive and moderate to high, ranging from 0.37 to 0.98. All genetic correlations except the one between LSCS and unspecific SCM were lower than 1, indicating that SCM caused by different pathogens can be considered as partly different traits.     

Association of the amino acid motifs of BoLA-DRB3 alleles with mastitis pathogens in Japanese Holstein cows

The association of the polymorphism of bovine leukocyte antigen ( BoLA-DRB3 ) genes, identified by the polymerase chain reaction sequence-based typing (PCR-SBT) method, with resistance and susceptibility to mastitis caused by Streptococci , coagulase-negative Staphylococci, Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus was investigated. Blood samples for DNA extraction were collected from 170 Holstein cows (129 mastitis and 41 healthy cows) from 5 districts in Chiba prefecture, Japan. Susceptibility or resistance to the mastitis-causing pathogens was thought to vary by the presence of amino acid substitutions at the 9, 11, 13, and 30 positions. DRB3*0101 and DRB3*1501 had amino acid motifs of Glu⁹, Ser¹¹, Ser¹³, and Tyr³⁰, and they were considered to have susceptibility to all 4 mastitis pathogens. In contrast, DRB3*1101 and DRB3*1401 had amino acid motifs of Gln⁹, His¹¹, Gly¹³, and His³⁰ in these positions, and they also had Val⁸⁶, so these alleles were considered to have resistance to Streptococcal and coagulase-negative Staphylococcal mastitis. However, in the case of Escherichia coli mastitis, amino acid substitutions at the 9, 11, 13, and 30 positions had little effect, but rather substitutions at the 47, 67 positions of pocket 7, and at the 71, 74 positions of pocket 4, Tyr⁴⁷, Ile⁶⁷, Ala⁷¹, and Ala⁷⁴, were associated with resistance. This motif was present in DRB3*1201 .