Candidate genes for milk, growth and immune system traits in Brazilian Iberian: derived Locally Adapted cattle breeds.

Along decades of breeding in a variable ecosystem throughout the country, the first taurine animals arrived in Brazil became adapted to a wide range of environments with different levels of improved fitness. We analyzed three cattle breeds representative of Brazilian Iberianderived Locally Adapted cattle (Curraleiro Pé-Duro CUR with 17 animals, and both Caracu lineages, Caracu Caldeano selected for milk ? CCD with 55 animals, and Caracu selected for beef -?CCB with 24) aimed to evaluate runs of homozygosity (ROH), identify ROH islands and functionally analyse the identified genes. We observed the occurrence of short ROH islands in all breeds, suggesting a successful matting scheme. Genes located in ROH islands were evaluated and explored throughout their biological processes (e.g. PRLR related with milk and growth traits in CCD and CCB; and CAMKK2 related with immune system in CUR) providing information about the genetic architecture of the breeds

Genetic parameters and genetic trends of conformation and management traits in Dairy Gir cattle.

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters and genetic trends of different conformation and management traits regularly measured within the context of the National Dairy Gir Breeding Program (PNMGL). The estimation of genetic and residual variances for each trait was performed using average information restricted maximum likelihood (AI-REML) procedure in AIREMLF90 program software. The population was divided into three subpopulations constituted by measured females (with phenotype records), all females, and males. Linear regressions were applied for each trait, considering two periods of birth (1st period: 1938-1996; 2nd period: 1997-2012). The estimated heritability of conformation and management traits varied from 0.01 to 0.53, denoting a perspective of genetic improvement through selection and corrective matings for purebred Dairy Gir populations. The average genetic changes in conformation and management traits were, in general, variable and inexpressive, showing that the selection of Dairy Gir may have had been directed essentially to increase milk yield. The analysis of the two periods of birth indicated that some linear traits present progress (although inexpressive) in the 2nd period (more recent period)

Programa de melhoramento genético da raça girolando - Avaliação genética de vacas - junho/2016.

A Embrapa Gado de Leite e a Associação Brasileira dos Criadores de Girolando realizam anualmente avaliações genéticas de vacas e de touros, com dados obtidos do Programa de Melhoramento Genético da Raça Girolando (PMGG). Desde 2013 as avaliações genéticas das principais fêmeas Girolando passaram a ser divulgadas em Sumário de vacas, contendo as 1.000 vacas de maiores PTAs para a produção de leite. Dessa forma, os criadores terão conhecimento das vacas de maior potencial genético na população Girolando. Tal conhecimento certamente possibilitará selecionar, de modo mais eficiente, as vacas que poderão ser mães de touros e aquelas a serem submetidas a biotecnologias reprodutivas como a transferência de embriões (TE) e técnicas relacionadas, como a clonagem e transferência de genes.bitstream/item/145080/1/DOC-192-Sumario-Vacas-2016.pd

Assessment of copy number variants in three Brazilian locally adapted cattle breeds using whole-genome re-sequencing data.

Further characterization of genetic structural variations should strongly focus on small and endangered local breeds given their role in unraveling genes and structural variants underlying selective pressures and phenotype variation. A comprehensive genome-wide assessment of copy number variations (CNVs) based on whole-genome re-sequencing data was performed on three Brazilian locally adapted cattle breeds (Caracu Caldeano, Crioulo Lageano, and Pantaneiro) using the ARS-UCD1.2 genome assembly. Data from 36 individuals with an average coverage depth of 14.07× per individual was used. A total of 24?945 CNVs were identified distributed among the breeds (Caracu Caldeano = 7285, Crioulo Lageano = 7297, and Pantaneiro = 10 363). Deletion events were 1.75?2.07-fold higher than duplications, and the total length of CNVs is composed mostly of a high number of segments between 10 and 30?kb. CNV regions (CNVRs) are not uniformly scattered throughout the genomes (n = 463), and 105 CNVRs were found overlapping among the studied breeds. Functional annotation of the CNVRs revealed variants with high consequence on protein sequence harboring relevant genes, in which we highlighted the BOLA-DQB, BOLA-DQA5, CD1A, ?-defensins, PRG3, and ULBP21 genes. Enrichment analysis based on the gene list retrieved from the CNVRs disclosed over-represented terms (p?<?0.01) strongly associated with immunity and cattle resilience to harsh environments. Additionally, QTL associated with body conformation and dairy-related traits were also unveiled within the CNVRs. These results provide better understanding of the selective forces shaping the genome of such cattle breeds and identify traces of natural selection pressures by which these populations have been exposed to challenging environmental conditions.First online

Genetic characterization of Indubrasil cattle breed population.

Abstract The Indubrasil breed was developed in the Brazilian region called Triângulo Mineiro as a result of a cross between zebu cattle. Initially, it was used as a terminal cross and currently it represents approximately 4.45% of all the Brazilian zebu cattle. Studies were conducted to estimate genetic parameters in the Indubrasil using pedigree information, however, until now, no study has been developed using large-scale genomic markers in this breed. Pedigree information are widely used to investigate population parameters; however, they can neglect some estimates when compared to the use of genomic markers. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the population structure and the genetic diversity of Indubrasil cattle using a high-density Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) panel (Illumina BovineHD BeadChip 700k). Levels of genomic homozygosity were evaluated using three different approaches: Runs of homozygosity (FROH), % of homozygosis (FSNP), and inbreeding coefficient (Fx). Further, Runs of Homozygosity (ROH) segments conserved among the animals were investigated to identify possible regions associated with the breed characteristics. Our results indicate that even the Indubrasil breed having a small effective population size, the levels of homozygosity (FROH = 0.046) are still small. This was possibly caused by the cross conducted among different breeds for its development. It suggests no immediate risks associated with loss of genetic variation. This information might be used in breeding programs, for the breed conservation and for the expansion of the Indubrasil breed