Belgian Blue Research Articles

Physiological responses of several beef cattle breeds based on environmental conditions in Beef Cattle Research Station

Physiological conditions were one factors that can affect the growth of cattle. The study aimed to determine the physiological responses of several beef cattle breeds that are reared in Beef Cattle Research Station (BCRS), Grati District, Pasuruan Regency, East Java Indonesia, was carried out by measure temperature, humidity, Temperature Humidity Index (THI), rectal temperature, respiration frequency, body temperature, Head Tolerance Coefficient (HTC) and heart rate of 159 cows consisting of Bali, Madura, Jabres, Galekan, Rambon, Peranakan Ongole (PO), Belgian Blue x PO cross, PO x Bali cross (POBA) which were observed during 4 months in pens. Data were analysed descriptively. The result of the study were ambient temperature and relative humidity of the pen ranged from 25-34.12°C and 54.88-84.27%, THI ranged from 74.92-84.97, body temperature ranged from 35.06-38.53°C, respiration frequency ranged from 20-54 times/minute, HTC ranged from 1.81-3.34, and heart rate ranged from 65-92 times/minute. It was concluded that several breeds of beef cattle in BCRS have mild to severe heat stress, high heat tolerance, respiration rate and heart rate. This condition does not cause production problem in several beef cattle, but in BB x PO cross it has potential to low productivity.

Exploring the microbial composition of Holstein Friesian and Belgian Blue colostrum in relation to the transfer of passive immunity.

For centuries, multicellular organisms have lived in symbiosis with microorganisms. The interaction with microorganisms has been shown to be very beneficial for humans and animals. During a natural birth, the initial inoculation with bacteria occurs when the neonate passes through the birth canal. Colostrum and milk intake are associated with the acquisition of a healthy gut flora. However, little is known about the microbial composition of bovine colostrum and the possible beneficial effects for the neonatal calf. In this prospective cohort study, the microbial composition of first-milking colostrum was analyzed in 62 Holstein Friesian (HF) and 46 Belgian Blue (BB) cows by performing amplicon sequencing of the bacterial V3-V4 region of the 16S rRNA gene. Calves received, 3 times, 2 L of their dam's colostrum within 24 h after birth. Associations between colostral microbial composition and its IgG concentration, as well as each calf's serum IgG levels, were analyzed. Colostrum samples were dominated by the phyla Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, and Actinobacteria. The 10 most abundant genera in the complete data set were Acinetobacter (16.2%), Pseudomonas (15.1%), a genus belonging to the Enterobacteriaceae family (4.9%), Lactococcus (4.0%), Chryseobacterium (3.9%), Staphylococcus (3.6%), Proteus (1.9%), Streptococcus (1.8%), Enterococcus (1.7%), and Enhydrobacter (1.5%). The remaining genera (other than these top 10) accounted for 36.5% of the counts, and another 8.7% were unidentified. Bacterial diversity differed significantly between HF and BB samples. Within each breed, several genera were found to be differentially abundant between colostrum of different quality. Moreover, in HF, the bacterial composition of colostrum leading to low serum IgG levels in the calf differed from that of colostrum leading to high serum IgG levels. Results of the present study indicate that the microbes present in colostrum are associated with transfer of passive immunity in neonatal calves.

Unaffected semen quality parameters in Neospora caninum seropositive Belgian Blue bulls

Neospora caninum is a protozoan parasite that causes abortion, perinatal mortality, and subfertility in cattle worldwide. Despite the presence of the DNA of the parasite in semen of infected bulls, the effect on semen quality has not been extensively studied. This study aimed to investigate the effect of a natural Neospora caninum infection on fresh and frozen semen quality parameters in Belgian Blue bulls. Two hundred and fourteen bulls were serologically screened with an indirect ELISA-test specific for anti-Neospora caninum antibodies, every two months during one year. In addition to serological screening, semen was collected twice weekly using an artificial vagina. The following semen quality parameters were assessed: ejaculate volume, concentration, total motility of fresh semen samples, as well as morphology, total and progressive motility for frozen/thawed semen samples. Bulls were semen sampled throughout the whole year, but only semen samples of bulls that had six consecutive positive or negative ELISA-test results were included in our dataset (n = 98). Generalized linear and binomial mixed models were used for statistical analysis of each outcome variable. In these models the explanatory variables were defined as: age, barn location, mean Temperature Humidity Index (THI) during sperm production (14–42 days before sampling), maximum daily THI at collection, season of sperm production, season at collection and the Neospora caninum antibody test results. Initially, individual explanatory variables were tested in univariable models for each outcome variable. Akaike information criterion (AIC) values were used to select explanatory variables to build a multivariable model, where the Neospora caninum test result was forced in all models. The present study reveals an overall apparent seroprevalence of Neospora caninum of 9,2% in the study population. No significant associations were detected between natural neosporosis, substantiated by ELISA-antibody levels, and any of our tested outcome variables on fresh and frozen/thawed semen samples. Based on the results of the present study, we conclude that Neospora caninum seropositive bulls do not have lower semen quality parameters compared with seronegative bulls.

A genomic breed assignment test for traceability of meat of Dual-Purpose Blue

Assigning meat to its breed of origin for traceability purposes is not always straightforward if the breed from which products are derived is closely related to another one. The objective of this study was to determine if a genomic breed assignment test could distinguish meat of Dual-Purpose Blue, a local endangered breed, from meat of Beef Belgian Blue, a heavily used breed in the Belgian meat industry which is related to Dual-Purpose Blue. For this purpose, a genomic breed assignment test based on a panel of 2,005 SNPs and the nearest shrunken centroids method was used to classify 32 meat samples from Dual-Purpose Blue (n = 16), Beef Belgian Blue (n = 8) and Holstein (n = 8) into their breed of origin. From this SNP panel, 167 SNPs allowed to detect meat of Dual-Purpose Blue and 173 SNPs allowed to detect meat of Beef Belgian Blue. The genomic breed assignment test correctly allocated all the meat samples to their breed of origin with a probability of one. Therefore, the use of the genomic breed assignment test in routine as one step of the certification process of Dual-Purpose Blue meat seemed possible.

Runs of Homozygosity and Quantitative Trait Locus/Association for Semen Parameters in Selected Chinese and South African Beef Cattle.

Simple SummaryGenome-wide runs of homozygosity (ROH) are excellent in understanding population history, estimating genomic inbreeding, and deciphering genetic architecture of complex traits and diseases, as well as identifying genes of agro-economic traits. ROH are defined as continuous region on the chromosome where an individual is homozygous across the genome. This study identified distribution of ROH in the six selected beef cattle breeds, Chinese Simentaler (CSI), Belgian Blue (BEL), and South African Angus (ANG), Nguni (NGU), Bonsmara (BON), and Simentaler (SIM), using Bovine BeadChip markers. Furthermore, nine candidate genes, CDF9, MARCH1, WDR19, SLOICI, ST7, DOP1B, CFAF9, INHBA, and ADAMTS1, were suggested to be associated with semen QTL traits and reported moderate inbreeding in some breeds with high to low correlation inbreeding between breeds. The study findings will allow proper guidelines for breeder’s societies.In this study, runs of homozygosity (ROH) and quantitative trait locus/association (QTL) for semen parameters in selected Chinese and South African beef cattle breed were estimated. The computed results showed 7516 ROH were observed between classes 0–5 Mb with no ROH observed in classes >40 Mb. Distribution of ROH showed high level of genomic coverage for ANG, NGU, CSI, and BEL breeds. Approximately 13 genomic regions with QTL were controlling sperm motility, sperm concentration, semen volume, sperm count, sperm head abnormalities, sperm tail abnormalities, sperm integrity, and percentage of abnormal sperm traits. Nine candidate genes, CDF9, MARCH1, WDR19, SLOICI, ST7, DOP1B, CFAF9, INHBA, and ADAMTS1, were suggested to be associated with above mentioned QTL traits. The results for inbreeding coefficient showed moderate correlation between FROH vs FHOM at 0.603 and high correlation between FROH 0–5 Mb 0.929, and lowest correlation for 0–>40 Mb 0.400. This study suggested recent inbreeding in CSI, BEL, ANG, BON, SIM, and NGU breeds. Furthermore, it highlighted varied inbreeding levels and identified QTL for semen traits and genes of association. These results can assist in implementation of genetic improvement strategies for bulls and provide awareness and proper guidelines in developing breeding programs.

The efficiency of obtaining twins by replanting embryos in preinseminated animals

The purpose of our work was to determine the effectiveness of using of dairy cows as recipients for obtaining twin calves of the meat direction of produc-tivity. The study was conducted in LLC "Agricultural enterprise" Nikolaevskoe", Lugovets village, Mglinsky district. For the experiment cows and first-calf heifers (n=50) were selected and divided into three groups according to the breed princi-ple. In group I (n=22) Swiss breed animals were selected, in group II (n=13) - black-and-white cows, in group III (n=15) - crossbred cattle. All animals selected for the experiment were previously subjected to hormonal stimulation in order to synchronize the sexual cycles. The synchronization scheme included the injection of GnRh analogues at a dose of 10 ml IM and PgF2a cloprostenol at a dose of 500 mg per animal. With the manifestation of symptoms of estrus, all animals were arti-ficially inseminated with the sexed semen of a Belgian blue bull. On the seventh day of the sexual cycle, all inseminated animals had the procedure of replanting a frozen-thawed embryo into the contralateral uterine horn relative to the corpus lu-teum diagnosed on the ovary. To avoid freemartinism of heifers, the recipients were implanted with sexed embryos which were previously obtained from donor cows of the Hereford breed. During the study, it was found that the recipients in groups I, II and III had twins in 45.46% (10/22), 15.39% (2/13) and 20.0% (3/15) cases of joint application of biotechnological methods. The birth of one transplant calf was recorded in group I in 18.18% (4/22) of cows, in group II - 23.08% (3/13) and in group III - 33.33% (5/15) respectively. The birth of one calf obtained from artificial insemination was noted in group I in 31.82% (7/22) of animals, in group II - 38.46% (5/13) and in group III - 40.0% (6/15) respectively. The rest of the cows had no calves. Thus, it was found that the percentage of twins in the progeny was significantly higher (P?0.01) in group I compared with groups II and III. In groups I, II and III the total yield of calves was 140.92% (31/22), 92.32% (12/13) and 113.33% (17/15), respectively.

Supplementing mineral selenium and vitamin e in diets on in vivo digestibility, blood glucose, and urea levels of cows

In such condition as of mating, pregnant and delivering calves, cows were often having deficiency in micro minerals, causing their reproductive functions to be less than optimal. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of Selenium and Vitamin E (SeVE) addition in diets on in vivo digestibility, blood glucose and urea levels. A total of 30 Ongole Crossbred cows (I3-I4 Aged, Body Weight 423.8 ☐ 75.0 kg, and Body Condition Score 3.1 ☐ 0.2) were used in this experiment. The study was conducted for 13 weeks. Animals were prepared to be inseminated by the Belgian Blue straws. They were kept in individual cages and were divided into two treatments, namely (P0) = basal diets and (P1) = basal diets + SeVE. The diets given were elephant grass and concentrate (3% of body weight). The results showed that addition SeVE increased digestibility of organic matter and crude protein, increased blood Se and urea levels, but did not show significant effect on blood glucose levels. In subsequent observations, SeVE addition turned out to have a positive effect on the incidence of pregnancy.

A New SNPs at 3’UTR Region of calpain 1 gene and its association with growth and meat quality traits in beef cattle

The objective of this study was to evaluate single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) in the 3'UTR region of CAPN1 gene by direct sequencing technique in beef cattle and its influence on growth and meat quality of the contrast mode ultrasound image in Bali cattle. The numbers of beef cattle used were Bali cattle (n=52 heads) which compared to purebred Belgian Blue (n=30 heads), Limousine (n=14 heads), Wagyu (n=7 heads), and PO (n=10 heads). Genetic diversity data were obtained from calculations by PopGen 1.32 software. Ultrasound imaging of the thoracic longissimus dorsi muscle in Bali cattle was carried out between the 12 − 13 ribs, and the sonogram was analyzed by Image-J NIH software. The result shown that 3’UTR of CAPN1 gene was found in six discovery SNPs that polymorphic in Bali cattle, they were g.15284 C>T, g.15347 T>G, g.15525 G>A, g.15853 G>A, g.15905 G>A, g.15915 G>A and Indel mutation was polymorphic in Bali cattle, Belgian Blue, Limousine, and PO. There was no association between these SNPs and growth traits. However, SNP g.15525 G>A was significantly associated (P<0.05) with a backfat thickness (BFT) in Bali cattle. In conclusion, the CAPN1 gene in Bali cattle is a candidate for Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) related to meat quality.

Characteristics and Pre-Weaning Growth of Crossbred between Belgian Blue and Wagyu Bulls with Brahman Cross Dams

Characteristics and Pre-Weaning Growth of Crossbred between Belgian Blue and Wagyu Bulls with Brahman Cross Dams

Expression of Myostatin Gene in Belgian Blue and Ongole Grade Crossbred Cattle

Investigating Myostatin (MSTN) as a potent inhibitor of skeletal muscle growth and development to produce excessive muscles is extremely essential for livestock breeding. This study aimed to analyze the expression of the MSTN gene and its relationships with genotype and phenotype (normal-muscled vs double-muscled) of Belgian Blue (BB) x Ongole Grade (PO) crossbred cattle. For that purpose, 12 animals from BB, PO, BB x PO F1, and BB x PO F2 cattle (3 animals each) raised at Balai Embrio Ternak (BET) Cipelang Bogor, West Java were used for blood sample collection. Genotyping analysis was performed using the PCR-RFLP method withprimer F: 5’-CTC TTC TTT CCT TTC CAT ACA GAC-3’ and R: 5’-AGG GGA AGA CCT TCC ATG TT-3’, while the MSTN gene expression was analyzed using the qPCR technique. As results, three genotypes: del.11/del.11, +/del.11, and +/+ were detected. The del.11/del.11 genotype, which showed a double-muscled phenotype was found in BB cattle and BB x PO F2 cattle. The +/del.11 genotype was found in BB x PO F1 cattle and BB x PO F2 cattle. The +/+ genotype, which showed a normal phenotype was only detected in PO cattle. There was a significant difference of the MSTN gene expression in the sampled animals among genotypes and between phenotypes (normal-muscled vs double muscled). The MSTN expression in animals with del.11/del.11 genotype was higher than that in animals with +/del11 and +/+ genotypes (P<0.05). Animals with +/+ genotype showed the lowest MSTN expression. It was concluded that double-muscled animals showed higher MSTN expression than normal-muscled animals.

Myostatin mutation causing double muscling could affect increased psoroptic mange sensitivity in dual purpose Belgian Blue cattle

Belgian Blue cattle are known for their high degree of muscling and good carcass qualities. This high degree of muscling is mainly caused by a mutation in the myostatin gene (MSTN). Although the MSTN mutation is considered as fixed in the Belgian Blue breed, segregation is occurring in a sub-population bred for dual purpose. In the latter population, we observed an association between the mutation in MSTN and susceptibility to psoroptic mange, a skin disease caused by Psoroptes ovis mites that heavily plagues Belgian Blue cattle. In total, 291 animals were sampled and screened for their susceptibility for mange lesions and their MSTN genotype. Via linear mixed modelling, we observed that homozygous mutant animals had a significant increase in the size of mange lesions (+2.51% lesion extent) compared to homozygous wild type. These findings were confirmed with zero-inflated modelling, an animal model and odds analysis. Risk ratios for developing severe mange lesions were 5.9 times as high for homozygous mutant animals. All analyses confirmed an association between the MSTN genotype and psoroptic mange lesion size.

In Memory of Peacekeepers: Belgian Blue Helmets and Belgian Politics

ABSTRACT This article explores the interactions between the memories of Belgian peacekeepers killed in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda, the weight of the colonial past, and the Belgian foreign policy. Using interviews with Belgian politicians and diplomats, families of peacekeepers, former blue helmets, as well as a corpus of official speeches, this article finds that the memorialization of blue helmets has influenced Belgian political choices on three levels, namely: domestic politics, its bilateral relationship with Rwanda, and more broadly its position in international peacekeeping. In doing so, this article contributes to interdisciplinary debates on the role of collective memory in domestic and international politics.

The effect of season of birth on the morphometrics of newborn Belgian Blue calves.

Breed type and environmental factors such as breeding season may have a significant impact on neonatal morphometrics. We followed a total of 236 elective cesarean sections in Belgian Blue (BB) cows, from which neonatal calves were morphometrically assessed (in cm) within the first 72 h of delivery using a strictly standardized protocol. The effect of the season of birth on each calf measurement was analyzed using mixed linear regression models, including the farm of origin as a random effect. Calves born in spring had a longer diagonal length (69.7 ± 1.24; P = 0.05) than those born in autumn (66.9 ± 1.16). The tibial length of calves born in spring (35.8 ± 0.48) was longer (P < 0.02) than of those born in autumn (33.1 ± 0.57) or summer (34.1 ± 0.49). Calves born in autumn have a shorter head diameter (12.9 ± 0.23; P < 0.02) than those born in summer (12.6 ± 0.29) or winter (13.5 ± 0.22). For all other parameters, no differences were found (P > 0.08). Based on the results of this study, it can be concluded that the birth season influences the morphometrics of neonatal BB calves, with a tendency for spring to be associated with the largest body size. The latter is important to avoid dystocia when BB cattle are crossed with other breeds.

Genetic polymorphisms of the 5' untranslated regions of the HSP70 gene in Indonesian cattle populations.

Background and Aim:Heat shock proteins (HSPs) are a group of proteins that play a significant role in protecting cells against cellular stress. HSP70 is a conserved, sensitive, and abundant gene associated with heat stress’s physiological adaptability. The objective of this study was to reveal the polymorphisms of the partial sequences of the HSP70 gene (5’ untranslated region [UTR]) in seven cattle populations in Indonesia.Materials and Methods:Polymerase chain reaction products (551 bp) of the HSP70 gene amplified from 102 animals representing seven cattle populations (Bali, Belgian Blue x Peranakan Ongole [PO] cross, Galekan, Jabres, Madura, PO, and Rambon) were sequenced by DNA sequencing method.Results:Fourteen single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), generally found at a low frequency, were detected. Among these SNPs, only 1117G>A, 1125A>C, and 1204T>C were polymorphic in all the analyzed breeds. A Chi-square test showed that the majority of the loci were in Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (p>0.05). Varying levels of observed (0.050-0.571) and expected heterozygosity (0.049-0.500) were noted. The polymorphism information content values (0.048-0.375) indicated that the SNPs in the HSP70 gene showed low-to-moderate polymorphism in the studied populations. Thirty-six haplotypes were defined according to the identified SNPs, of which haplotype Hap5 (CGACGAGAGTGTCC) and Hap4 (CGACGAGAGTGCCC) were generally dominant in the studied samples. The phylogenetic tree showed a close relationship between Bali and Rambon cattle and between Galekan and Jabres cattle, while the Belgian Blue x PO crossbred cattle were farther apart.Conclusion:The polymorphisms in the 5’ UTR of the HSP70 geneidentified in this study should be further investigated in a larger population to unravel the association between the SNPs and thermotolerance in Indonesian local cattle populations.

Efficiency of cross-breeding of Belgian blue cattle in Ukraine

Efficiency of cross-breeding of Belgian blue cattle in Ukraine

Effects of transport age and calf and maternal characteristics on health and performance of veal calves

The objective of this study was to investigate effects of calf transport age (14 vs. 28 d) and calf (e.g., sex and breed) and dam characteristics (e.g., parity and ease of birth) on health and performance of veal calves until slaughter age. Calves (n = 683) originated from 13 dairy farms in the Netherlands and were transported at either 14 or 28 d of age from the dairy farm to 8 Dutch veal farms. A health assessment of calves was performed on a weekly basis at the dairy farm and in wk 2, 10, 18, and 24 at the veal farm. Body weight of calves was measured on a weekly basis at the dairy farm and upon arrival at the veal farm. At the veal farm, use of antibiotics and other medicines during the rearing period (both at herd and individual level) was recorded and carcass weights were obtained from the slaughterhouse. Body weight upon arrival (Δ = 11.8 kg) and carcass weight at slaughter (Δ = 14.8 kg) were greater, and mortality risk (Δ = -3.1%) and prevalence of animals treated with medicines other than antibiotics (e.g., antiinflammatories, multivitamins, and anticoccidial drugs; Δ = -5.4%) were lower in calves transported at 28 d compared with calves transported at 14 d. Crossbreds other than Belgian Blue × Holstein Friesian received a higher number of individual treatments with antibiotics and other medicines (Δ = 14.8% and Δ = 15.1%, respectively) at the veal farm compared with Belgian Blue × Holstein Friesian calves. These findings suggest that calves transported at 28 d were more robust compared with calves transported at 14 d.

The pattern of linkage disequilibrium in Dual-Purpose Belgian Blue cattle.

Quantifying the level of linkage disequilibrium (LD), non-random association of alleles at two or more loci, is important to determine the number of markers needed for genomic selection. The aims of this study were to evaluate the extent of LD in Dual-Purpose Belgian Blue (DPBB) and to compare the level of LD in DPBB with that of Walloon Holstein. Data of 28,427 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP), located on 29 Bos taurus autosomes(BTA), of 639 DPBB and 398 Holstein bulls were used. The level of LD between pairwise SNPs separated by up to 10Mb was evaluated, separately for each breed, using the squared correlation of the alleles at two loci. The analysis of molecular variance showed that the percentage of variation within populations (85.48%) was higher than between populations (14.52%). However, permutation tests showed a significant genetic differentiation between the two studied populations (p<.01). The average LD found between adjacent SNP pairs in DPBB (0.16 (SD=0.22)) was generally lower than in Holstein (0.23 (SD=0.27)). The proportion of SNPs in useful LD (r2 >0.30) within a genomic distance of ≤0.10Mb between SNPs was 18.58% and 28.23% in DPBB and Holstein bulls, respectively. In both breeds, the effective population size decreased over generations; however, the decline was greater in DPBB than that in Holstein. Based on results, it can be concluded that at least 68,000 SNPs are needed for implementing genomic selection in DPBB cattle with enough accuracy.

Enhancing muscle fatty acid profile by pasture finishing within a dairy-origin calf-to-steer beef production system and its potential to authenticate the dietary history of the cattle

The influence of modifying a traditional 24-mo dairy steer calf to beef production system on the fatty acid composition of the longissimus muscle and its potential to authenticate beef provenance was examined. Fifty-four male calves (n = 18 per sire breed), progeny of Holstein-Friesian cows mated with Holstein-Friesian (HF), Aberdeen Angus (AA) and Belgian Blue (BB) bulls were at pasture from March until August of their second year when they were assigned to a 3 (breed types) × 3 (finishing strategies) factorial experiment. The three finishing strategies were (i) pasture only for a further 94 d prior to slaughter (21 mo of age) (Grass), (ii) concentrates ad libitum indoors for 94 d prior to slaughter (21 mo of age) (EC) and (iii) pasture only for a further 94 d followed by concentrates ad libitum indoors for 98 d prior to slaughter (24 mo of age) (LC). Compared to EC, muscle from Grass had a lower intramuscular fat concentration and omega-6: omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratio and higher proportion of conjugated linoleic acid. A longer period at pasture pre-concentrate finishing increased the concentration of omega-3 PUFA which was still lower than in Grass. To maximise the omega-3 PUFA concentration, a late-maturing breed is more appropriate while to maximise conjugated linoleic acid, an early-maturing breed is more appropriate and both should be finished on grass. Chemometric analysis confirmed that the fatty acid profile can authenticate “Grass-Finished” beef per se and has potential to distinguish “Concentrate-Finished” beef based on the length of grazing prior to finishing, but not distinguish between sire breeds.

KCNG1-Related Syndromic Form of Congenital Neuromuscular Channelopathy in a Crossbred Calf.

Inherited channelopathies are a clinically and heritably heterogeneous group of disorders that result from ion channel dysfunction. The aim of this study was to characterize the clinicopathologic features of a Belgian Blue x Holstein crossbred calf with paradoxical myotonia congenita, craniofacial dysmorphism, and myelodysplasia, and to identify the most likely genetic etiology. The calf displayed episodes of exercise-induced generalized myotonic muscle stiffness accompanied by increase in serum potassium. It also showed slight flattening of the splanchnocranium with deviation to the right side. On gross pathology, myelodysplasia (hydrosyringomielia and segmental hypoplasia) in the lumbosacral intumescence region was noticed. Histopathology of the muscle profile revealed loss of the main shape in 5.3% of muscle fibers. Whole-genome sequencing revealed a heterozygous missense variant in KCNG1 affecting an evolutionary conserved residue (p.Trp416Cys). The mutation was predicted to be deleterious and to alter the pore helix of the ion transport domain of the transmembrane protein. The identified variant was present only in the affected calf and not seen in more than 5200 other sequenced bovine genomes. We speculate that the mutation occurred either as a parental germline mutation or post-zygotically in the developing embryo. This study implicates an important role for KCNG1 as a member of the potassium voltage-gated channel group in neurodegeneration. Providing the first possible KCNG1-related disease model, we have, therefore, identified a new potential candidate for related conditions both in animals and in humans. This study illustrates the enormous potential of phenotypically well-studied spontaneous mutants in domestic animals to provide new insights into the function of individual genes.

98 What We Think We “know” About Beef X Dairy Crossbred Cattle in the Feedlot

Abstract To increase profitably, dairy farms across the United States have rapidly adopted breeding a portion of their cows to beef sires, generating crossbred progeny. The resulting progeny have, in some cases, increased the value of the calf to the dairy, due to their perceived potential for improved growth, feed efficiency, and carcass characteristics for beef production. U.S. research is behind our European counterparts in recommending the appropriate beef sires for dairy matings, and U.S. semen trends show Angus sales over many other breeds. However, Kempster et al. (1982) reported that calves sired by British breed bulls were actually at a disadvantage in growth performance compared to even purebred Holstein calves. Finnish researchers agreed, reporting that the resulting crossbreds from Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bulls were extremely variable, making them undesirable for beef production. However, resulting crossbred calves from late maturing breed types (Charolais, Limousine, and Simmental) had better average daily gain and carcass characteristics than their counterparts from early maturing breeds (Huuskonen et al., 2013). A comprehensive review of early crossbred systems similarly suggested that calves sired by Continental breeds, like Charolais, had an advantage in the feedlot and the packing house (Shank, 2003). Going a bit further, another European study examined the used of 3 beef breeds (Belgian Blue, Limousine, and Galacian Blonde) known for heavy muscling, but not common in the United States, for use as crossbreeding sires (Fouz et al., 2012). Holstein cows bred to Belgian Blue sires had the greatest difficulty calving; however, calving difficulties were reduced with increasing dam age (Fouz et al., 2012). Unfortunately, that trial did not go on to evaluate feedlot performance. Thus, there remains a dearth of scientific references for crossbred mating decisions as well as subsequent growth performance and carcass outcomes.