Muturu Cattle Research Articles

PRELIMINARY STUDIES ON REPRODUCTIVE AND GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF MUTURU CATTLE IN SOUTHWEST NIGERIA

The Muturu cattle is a shorthorn, humpless and trypanotolerant breed of cattle found in parts of Southern and North Central Nigeria. Though small in size, it is highly valued for its meat quality, ease of management and as a traditional gift during important ceremonies. However, reliable information on reproductive and growth performance of the breed is scarce, hence, a preliminary analysis of data collected between 2016 and 2023 at a Muturu cattle ranch located in the humid zone of Southwest Nigeria was carried out. Parameters analysed were birthweight, secondary sex ratio, calving interval and liveweight. Results showed birthweight of 12.05 + 0.09 kg and 11.22 + 0.13 kg for male and female calves respectively (P<0.001). Calving interval averaged 469.3+31.4 days while calving pattern was significantly influenced by season with most calvings occuring in the late dry season (62.3%) and the least in the late wet season (1.9%). In conclusion, it is recommended that further studies with larger number of animals be carried out for more precise estimates of reproductive and growth parameters in Muturu cattle.

DETERMINANTS OF WILLINGNESS TO PAY FOR ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION (AI) AMONG MUTURU CATTLE FARMERS IN IPOKIA LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA, OGUN STATE, NIGERIA

This study examines the factors influencing willingness to pay (WTP) for artificial insemination (AI) in the Ipokia local government area. A two-stage sampling process was used to select 67 herders in Muturu. Descriptive statistics and logit regression models were used to analyze socioeconomic characteristics, willingness to pay, and related determinants. The results show that muturu cattle raising is mainly male farmers who are married and have relatively large families. The average size of a household is 8 people. The average age of muturu herders is 51 years old and their number of years of experience rearing muturu cattle is 14 years. More than half (56.7%) of farmers bought their own cattle. Only 58.2% participate in the semi-intensive production system. The average herd size is 5 Muturu. Most (77.6%) Muturu farmers have formal education and 70.1% of Muturu farmers are willing to pay for AI. The local name of the muturu in Ipokia is Oni. The factors that determine the willingness of muturu farmers to pay for AI are the muturu herds owned by them, their many years of experience with muturu cattle rearing, their husbandry methods, and their perceptions about the ease of handling muturu cattle. Farmers in Muturu should improve their production system and production scale. It is recommended to organize AI training for muturu cattle breeders because they are willing to pay for AI.

Spatial Distribution and Management of Muturu Cattle in Southwest Nigeria: Implications for genetic conservation

This study aimed to identify the production locations of the Muturu breed of cattle which is an indigenous breed in Nigeria. The breed is endangered as the population has been reducing with time. To reverse this trend and enhance its conservation and renew production, its distribution and production constraints need to be documented. A survey was conducted in sixteen communities in Southwest Nigeria where sixty-eight Muturu cattle farmers were interviewed using structured questionnaire. Data obtained were analyzed using simple statistics. Results revealed that the age range of the rearers was between 31 and 60 years and majority of them are males (88.2%) with over 20 years experience. Many of the farmers had no formal training in cattle rearing and management while 4.4% had training in cattle production. The primary occupation of the rearers (63.9%) is farming while 36.1% had other vocations apart from Muturu cattle farming. The farmers (55.8%) flock-mate their cattle while 27.9% of the farmers tether-mated their cattle. Average herd size was four, a low figure in relation to the few farmers rearing the Muturu breed in Southwest Nigeria. In order for this endangered cattle breed not to go extinct, efforts must be made towards its genetic conservation.
 
 
 
 
 Cette étude visait à identifier les lieux de production de la race bovine Muturu qui est une race indigène au Nigeria. La race est en voie de disparition car la population a diminué avec le temps. Pour inverser cette tendance et améliorer sa conservation et renouveler sa production, ses contraintes de distribution et de production doivent être documentées. Une enquête a été menée dans seize communautés du sud-ouest du Nigeria où soixante-huit éleveurs de bétail Muturu ont été interrogés à l'aide d'un questionnaire structuré. Les données obtenues ont été analysées à l'aide de statistiques simples. Les résultats ont révélé que la tranche d'âge des éleveurs se situait entre 31 et 60 ans et que la majorité d'entre eux étaient des hommes (88,2 %) ayant plus de 20 ans d'expérience. Beaucoup d'agriculteurs n'avaient aucune formation formelle en élevage et gestion de bétail tandis que 4,4% avaient une formation en production bovine. L'occupation principale des éleveurs (63,9%) est l'agriculture tandis que 36,1% ont d'autres vocations en dehors de l'élevage bovin Muturu. Les agriculteurs (55,8 %) s'accouplent avec leur bétail tandis que 27,9 % des agriculteurs s'accouplent avec leur bétail. La taille moyenne des troupeaux était de quatre, un chiffre faible par rapport aux quelques agriculteurs élevant la race Muturu dans le sud-ouest du Nigeria. Pour que cette race bovine menacée ne disparaisse pas, des efforts doivent être faits pour sa conservation génétique.

Spatial Distribution and Management of Muturu Cattle in Southwest Nigeria: Implications for genetic conservation

This study aimed to identify the production locations of the Muturu breed of cattle which is an indigenous breed in Nigeria. The breed is endangered as the population has been reducing with time. To reverse this trend and enhance its conservation and renew production, its distribution and production constraints need to be documented. A survey was conducted in sixteen communities in Southwest Nigeria where sixty-eight Muturu cattle farmers were interviewed using structured questionnaire. Data obtained were analyzed using simple statistics. Results revealed that the age range of the rearers was between 31 and 60 years and majority of them are males (88.2%) with over 20 years experience. Many of the farmers had no formal training in cattle rearing and management while 4.4% had training in cattle production. The primary occupation of the rearers (63.9%) is farming while 36.1% had other vocations apart from Muturu cattle farming. The farmers (55.8%) flock-mate their cattle while 27.9% of the farmers tether-mated their cattle. Average herd size was four, a low figure in relation to the few farmers rearing the Muturu breed in Southwest Nigeria. In order for this endangered cattle breed not to go extinct, efforts must be made towards its genetic conservation.
 
 
 Cette étude visait à identifier les lieux de production de la race bovine Muturu qui est une race indigène au Nigeria. La race est en voie de disparition car la population a diminué avec le temps. Pour inverser cette tendance et améliorer sa conservation et renouveler sa production, ses contraintes de distribution et de production doivent être documentées. Une enquête a été menée dans seize communautés du sud-ouest du Nigeria où soixante-huit éleveurs de bétail Muturu ont été interrogés à l'aide d'un questionnaire structuré. Les données obtenues ont été analysées à l'aide de statistiques simples. Les résultats ont révélé que la tranche d'âge des éleveurs se situait entre 31 et 60 ans et que la majorité d'entre eux étaient des hommes (88,2 %) ayant plus de 20 ans d'expérience. Beaucoup d'agriculteurs n'avaient aucune formation formelle en élevage et gestion de bétail tandis que 4,4% avaient une formation en production bovine. L'occupation principale des éleveurs (63,9%) est l'agriculture tandis que 36,1% ont d'autres vocations en dehors de l'élevage bovin Muturu. Les agriculteurs (55,8 %) s'accouplent avec leur bétail tandis que 27,9 % des agriculteurs s'accouplent avec leur bétail. La taille moyenne des troupeaux était de quatre, un chiffre faible par rapport aux quelques agriculteurs élevant la race Muturu dans le sud-ouest du Nigeria. Pour que cette race bovine menacée ne disparaisse pas, des efforts doivent être faits pour sa conservation génétique.

Correction to: Seroprevalence, hematological and biochemical alterations in Brucella-seropositive Muturu cattle in Nigeria

Correction to: Seroprevalence, hematological and biochemical alterations in Brucella-seropositive Muturu cattle in Nigeria

Seroprevalence, hematological and biochemical alterations in Brucella-seropositive Muturu cattle in Nigeria.

This study evaluated the prevalence, hematological and some biochemical alterations in Brucella seropositive Muturu breed of cattle which may change the narratives of multi-disease tolerance of the breed. Sera from 33 Muturu cattle herds chosen by snow ball sampling were screened for Brucella antibodies with modified Rose Bengal test (RBT) supported with the cELISA. Eighteen (18) seropositive samples matched to18 sero-negatives, with regard to age and sex of the animals and chosen by simple random sampling, were analyzed for hematological and biochemical changes, following standard procedures. Individual seroprevalence of 38% and 10% were recorded with the RBT and cELISA respectively, while herd seroprevalence of 52% was recorded with the RBT and none with the cELISA. Seropositivity to brucellosis was significantly associated with farm origin (OR = 16.67; 95%CI = 1.56-153.85; p = 0.019). There was significantly lower packed cell volume (PCV) (p = 0.048) and absolute eosinophil count (p = 0.006), and significantly higher absolute lymphocyte count (p = 0.014) in the seropositive than the negative Muturu cattle. In addition, plasma fibrinogen (p<0.001), serum albumin (p = 0.037), urea (p = 0.001) and cholesterol (p = 0.032) were significantly lower while serum globulin (p = 0.004), alanine aminotransferase (ALT) activity (p = 0.012) and bilirubin (p = 0.012) were significantly higher in the seropositive than sero-negative Muturu cattle. No significant variations were observed in the rest of the parameters assayed. These findings suggest that Muturu cattle are apparently susceptible to brucellosis and experience active organism-host interactions with resultant clinicopathological effects and therefore could be passive harbingers of Brucella for other animals as well as humans.

Muturu Cattle Breed in Benin: Distribution, Phenotypic Diversity, Perception of Cattle Keepers and Implications for the Breed conservation

The present work involved updating information on the Muturu cattle breed in Benin, in order to design a sustainable breeding management scheme for its conservation. A total of 108 farmers were interviewed and 216 adult cattle physically looking like Muturu cattle as described previously were sampled in 6 departments of Southern Benin spread over 4 agro-ecological zones. Forty-one (41) qualitative traits were assessed and 10 to 11 morphometric measurements were carried out using the Animal Genetic Resources Characterisation, Inventory and Management Tool. The proportions and means obtained were analysed respectively by analysis of variance and two-tailed Z tests contained in the Agricola package of the R analysis software. The results showed that the lowest morphometric measurements were obtained from the animals of the department of Ouémé. These values were similar to those reported earlier in Muturu cattle. However, the highest values were obtained on animals from Mono and Couffo departments and were close to the values reported on taurine zebu cattle previously. Herd clustering results revealed the existence of subgroups in the populations of Muturu cattle of the Atlantic and Mono departments. Subject to confirmation by molecular testing, this study revealed that currently, Muturu cattle are found in the departments of Ouémé, Plateau and Atlantic in Benin where populations from Ouémé department are physically the closest to breed as described previously. The department of Zou has almost no Muturu cattle, and the departments of Couffo and Mono are dominated by Zebu x Muturu crossbreds. It is important therefore to design a conservation programme for the breed where it’s still found, as its existence would probably be linked to the preferences of the cattle keepers and the local communities and to its capacity to overcome the challenges of these ecosystems.

Prediction of body weight from linear body measurement in two breeds of cattle

The study compared live weight and linear body measurements of two breeds of cattle (White Fulani and Muturu Cattle) and regressed linear body measurements on live weight. A total of eighty-six cattle of forty-three per a breed were reared at the cattle production unit of the Teaching and Research Farm, Akwa Ibom State University – Obio Akpa Campus, Nigeria in a semi intensive management system. Parameters measured were; live weight (LW), face length (FCL), head circumference (HC), ear length (EL), neck length(NL), neck circumference(NC), height at wither(HW), body length(BL), body circumference(BC), hind limb(HL), fore limb(FL), and tail length(TL). The data obtained were subjected to statistical analysis for morphometric traits and prediction was done through linear model regression method using SPSS statistical software package. Breed of cattle significantly (P&gt;0.05) affected all linear body measurements and live weight exception of NL .Linear body Parameters of both breeds were compared. The mean live weight of White Fulani and Muturu were 251.28kg and 149.81kg, respectively. Means of FL, EL, NL, BL, HL, TL and BC, NC and HW of White Fulani were significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher than Muturu breed but the HC of Muturu was significantly (P&lt;0.01) higher than White Fulani breed. Muturu breed had higher R2 of 0.98 in BL and BC than White Fulani breed. In conclusion, White Fulani was considered a larger breed than Muturu cattle. Live weight can be accurately predicted from linear body measurements through BC and BL in both breeds.

Application of Discriminant Analysis on the Forest Muturu Cattle in Different Locations in Southern Zone of Nigeria

About 238 mature Forest Muturu cattle were sampled from Southern Nigeria (Enugu, Imo, Delta, Anambra and Ebonyi) States. Discriminant analysis was performed on the effects of location using body weight and body linear parameters. Horn length was the only parameter selected for stepwise discriminant analysis to separate the populations of forest Muturu bulls. Horn length, muzzle circumference, body length, chest girt and ear length were the selected parameters by stepwise discriminant analysis to separate the forest Muturu cows populations. The strength of the canonical correlation model to explain the variations between the groups 0.615, 0.450, 0.364 and 0.335 for functions 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively among cows and 0.71, 0.59, 0.50 and 0.29 for functions 1, 2, 3 and 4 respectively among bulls. Location was found to influence body parameters. There is need to carry out further study to assess performance characterization of the Forest Muturu cattle in Nigeria to identify the superior genetic grades base on economic traits which may be useful in establishing necleous breeding center.

PRELIMINARY OBSERVATIONS ON GESTATION LENGTH, AGE AT FIRST CALVING AND BIRTH WEIGHT OF MUTURU CATTLE

The gestation length, age at first calving and birth weight of muturu cattle were studied in a small herd of Muturu hiefers maintained at the Research Farm. The animals were grazed twice daily from 0830hr to 1200 hr and 1430 hr to 1800 hr either in open natural grassland mixture of guinea grass (Panicum maximum) and giant star grass. (Cynodon dactylon). During the dry season, all animals received nutritional supplementation consisting of a mixture of brewer’s spent grain and palm kernel cake in a ratio of 3:1. When the heifers were between the age of 16 and 18 months, a mature, fertile Muturu bull was introduced into the herd and the mating activity of the animals was closely monitored daily. No attempt was made to limit the number of services which a heifer on heat received from the bull. Results showed that gestation length average 280.0 ± 2.34 days, mean age of first calving was 29.39 ± 1.5 months and mean birth weight was 11.3 ± 0.68 kg. There were no significant differences (P &gt; 0.05) in the gestation length and birth weight of male and female calves.

The grazing pattern of Muturu cattle under range system

Eighty Muturu cattle were grazed on rangeland, twice daily for two years to determine their grazing pattern. Twenty bulls and cows each between two to four years and forty calves between one to three months were used. The field grazing time (FGT), active grazing time (GT) and grazing travel time (GTT) were monitored. The density of the grazing area was also determined. The result showed that as the body increase, GT increased significantly, while travel distance (TD) decreased. The body weight (BW) correlated positively with GT, with expression BW = 39.14 + 11.31Gt and BW = 7.12 + 8.76Gt for morning and afternoon respectively. The grazing time (GT) increased while TD decreased with increase in forage density. However, GT and TD decreased significantly at higher density with D+326.2 + 114Gt, r =4.7 and D=203.15 + 156GT,r= 3.2 for morning and afternoon respectively. The results showed that TD was highest when the forage species are scarce (Jan and Feb in South East, Nigeria). The grazing pattern of Muturu cattle was affected by the age of animal, forage availability and temperature of the day.

Haematology of normal and trypanosome infected Muturu cattle in southeastern Nigeria

Blood parameters of 23 Muturu cattle in a herd were studied between April and August 1998 by monthly examination of their blood samples. Fourteen of a total of 110 blood samples analysed (5 samples were unsuitable for analysis) were infected with Trypanosoma vivax. Data from the trypanosome-infected blood were included to evaluate the role of trypanosome infection. The blood values of infected animals were except for the erythrocyte indices of MCH and MCHC indistinguishable from those of uninfected animals. There were variations due to age and physiological status (Open heifer, pregnant and lactating). Mean RBC and WBC count, MCV and monocyte count were lower in calves than older animals. Open heifers had higher mean RBC and monocyte count, and lower WBC count, MCV and MCH than pregnant and suckling cows.

Incidence of trypanosomosis in a Muturu herd at Nsukka, South-Eastern Nigeria

A herd of 38 Muturu cattle under semi-intensive system of management at the University of Nigeria, Nsukka Agricultural Farm, southeastern, Nigeria, was examined for the presence of trypanosome infection over a one year period (April, 1998 - March, 1999). The aim was to assess the incidence of trypanosoniosis and factors that may affect its occurrence variation. Infection was widespread in the herd (67.9%) during the period. Out of the factors (season, sex and age) only season showed a significant effect on the occurrence of trypanosomosis. The incidence was highest in the third quarter of the year corresponding 10 the late rainy season period, followed by the fourth quarter (early dry season, and was least in the first quarter (late dry season). This seasonal incidence varied between 2.6% (CI, 0.3 - 9.196) to 20.396 (CI,12.0-30.8%) 411 the infections were due to Trypanosoma vivax and the principal tsetse vector was Glossina tachinoides. Parasitaemic animals were able to control anaemia as their PCPs vere similar to those of uninfected animals (P&gt;0.05). The importance of these findings in relation to the general epizootiology of trypanosomosis and animal production in the area is discussed.

Milk yield and composition of Muturu cattle under the semi intensive system of management

Milk was once obtained daily for 98 days from Muturu cows in their 3r lactation and analysed for yield and composition. Results showed that milk yield was generally low but there were highly significant (P &lt; 0.01) individual variations in milk output. The butter fat content of the milk appeared relatively high (4.72 +0.08%). However, all the milk constituents were within the values reported for other tropical breeds. There was a significant inverse relationship (r = -0.87; P&lt;0.05) between butterfat and milk protein, while the relationship between milk protein and lactose was positive and significant (r = 0.81; p &lt; 0.05). Even though the milk yield of Muturu cattle is low, resource-poor rural farmers can readily extract some fresh milk from their cows for immediate family use in order to improve the family nutrition.

Herd simulation model of muturu cattle under sedentary pastoral farming in derived savannah, Southeast, Nigeria

Herd simulation model was adopted to assess the productivity of Muturu cattle under sedentary pastoral system within southeast, Nigeria. The model involved biomass and other productivity investigations of the Muturu herds on field-gazed and stall-fed management within the wet and dry season period. Biological entities of Muturu herds from 500 Muturu cattle holders (MCH) and Non-Pastoral holders (NPH) surveyed from year 2010 to 2019 were studied. The sedentary production system was simulated and statistically analyzed. The results showed 70 percent MCH and 30 percent NPH, with60 percent of the Muturu stock sourced through donation/leasing arrangement by the NPH, while only 5 percent of the stock for the study was through purchase arrangement by the MCH. Sedentary pastoral system in southeast Nigeria operates at a very low commercial level. There were significant differences (P&lt;0.05) in some of the biological entities such as live weight at 12 and 24 months, which were better in the wet season than in the dry season. The stall-fed management was relatively better than the field grazed management. Simulated values were higher than the actual values in some of the biological entities but fit in with field grazed and stall-fed management. The efficiency of Livestock/forage production under the sedentary system was very low with 13.02, 15.32 and 17.35 percent respectively for field-grazed, stall-fed management and simulation model. The herd biomass and productivity values of Muturu herd under the sedentary pastoral system in the Southeast region were very low with 25.00 and 33.33 percent for field grazed and stall-fed management respectively. Un modèle de simulation de troupeau a été adopté pour évaluer la productivité des bovins Muturu sous système pastoral sédentaire dans le sud-est du Nigeria. Le modèle impliquait des études sur la biomasse et d'autres études de productivité des troupeaux de Muturu sur la gestion surveillée sur le terrain et nourrie en stabulation pendant la période de saison humide et sèche. Les entités biologiques des troupeaux Muturu de 500 éleveurs Muturu (le 'MCH') et non pastoraux (le 'NPH') enquêtés de 2010 à 2019 ont été étudiées. Le système de production sédentaire a été simulé et analysé statistiquement. Les résultats ont montré 70 pour cent de 'MCH' et 30 pour cent de 'NPH', avec 60 pour cent du stock de Muturu provenant d'un accord de don / location par le 'NPH', tandis que seulement 5 pour cent du stock de l'étude provenait d'un accord d'achat par le 'MCH'. Le système pastoral sédentaire du sud-est du Nigéria fonctionne à un niveau commercial très bas. Il y avait des differences significatives (P &lt;0.05) dans certaines des entités biologiques telles que le poids vif à 12 et 24 mois, qui étaient meilleures pendant la saison des pluies que pendant la saison sèche. La gestion des étables était relativement meilleure que la gestion des pâturages sur le terrain. Les valeurs simulées étaient plus élevées que les valeurs réelles dans certaines des entités biologiques, mais cadraient avec la gestion des pâturages sur le terrain et des stalles. L'efficacité de la production de bétail / fourrage dans le système sédentaire était très faible avec 13.02, 15.32 et 17.35 pour cent respectivement pour le modèle de gestion et de simulation sur pâturage au champ, en stabulation. Les valeurs de la biomasse et de la productivité du troupeau deMuturu sous le système pastoral sédentaire dans la région du Sud-Est étaient très faibles avec 25.00 et 33.33pour centrespectivement pour la gestion des pâturages au champ et des stalles.

Prevalence of Trypanosoma vivax Infection of Cattle in south-west, Nigeria

In south-west Nigeria, several Trypanosoma species are prevalent. These parasites cause trypanosomosis in livestock and man with cellular changes and tissue damages resulting in great loss in production and sometimes death. Hence, continuous surveillance is very necessary for monitoring and control of trypanosomosis. This study concentrated on the survey of trypanosome infection and its effect on both weight and haematological indices of Nigerian cattle. One hundred and eighty cattle were used in the study. The sex of cattle was noted while the age of cattle was determined using dentition and weight was determined using weigh-band. Blood sample was collected from 180 cattle, DNA was extracted from each cattle blood sample and PCR technique was adopted as a molecular diagnostic tool for prevalence study. Reference primer specific for Trypanosoma vivax (Variant Surface Glycoprotein (VSG) gene) was used as a probe for the detection of the presence of parasite while gene amplification on argarose gel was considered positive for the cattle under consideration. The haematological analysis was also carried out using Auto-haemoanalyser. The prevalence rate of Trypanosoma vivax based on sex, age and breed of cattle was determined. The result revealed a prevalence rate of 87.22%. About 19.44% was due to infection in the males while 67.78% of the infection was recorded in the female cattle. For the prevalence within the age group; 0 -1 year was 21.11%, &gt;1≤ 2 years was 21.11%, &gt;2 ≤ 3 years was 32.22%, &gt;3 years was 12.78%. There was no significant (p&gt;0.05) difference between the weight, haematological parameters determined and the infection status. In the phase of infection, the hosts were able to maintain their red blood cell counts from a perceived compensatory response which was revealed in the erythrocycitc indices an packed cell volume. Though the prevalence rate recorded was high, the hosts were able to maintain the haematimetric indices, it can then be concluded that Muturu cattle has displayed trypanotolerant property

Muturu cattle breed management in the smallholder farming area of the Ouémé district in the south of Benin: rearing practices, objectives, and constraints.

An exploratory survey was conducted to understand breeding practices and breeding objectives as well as the constraints as a first step towards developing breeding strategies for the conservation of Muturu cattle breed in Ouémé smallholder farming area of South Benin. Data were generated through randomly interviewing 100 selected Muturu cattle keepers in the municipalities of Adjarra, Adjohoun, Akpro-Missérété, and Bonou using an electronic animal genetic resource characterization, inventory, and monitoring tool. Results indicated that the Muturu cattle were mainly kept for their meat. The mean herd sizes of 3, 5, 4, and 33 were obtained in Adjarra, Adjohoun, Akpro-Misserete, and Bonou respectively. Cattle keepers were exclusively male in the various municipalities surveyed except for Adjohoun, where 28.57% of cattle keepers were female. Preference was given to this breed because it is less demanding in terms of inputs and well adapted to the local environment. Mating was generally uncontrolled. The animals were fed on a natural pasture exclusively irrespective of the season. Robustness and vigor were the most frequently reported traits in selecting breeding bulls, while breeding females were kept based on their offspring's growth and conformation. The decline in the number of Muturu cattle in the region was largely attributed to the competition for land used for other purposes such as crop cultivation and animal theft. Considering the devastating threat on the Muturu cattle breed, it is recommended that a participatory management scheme be designed and implemented for in situ conservation of the Muturu cattle breed in Benin.

Variations in Interleukin-10 Gene Underlying Trypanotolerance in Nigerian Indigenous Cattle

This study looked into trypanotolerance as one of the interesting physiological traits of indigenous Nigerian cattle (Muturu) which has been well adapted to the tsetse infested zone of the middle belt and southern parts of Nigeria. Interleukin-10 gene amplification, sequencing and bioinformatics methods were applied to the genetic data of the Nigerian Muturu cattle to detect the genetic divergence that may be associated with trypanotolerance in the Muturu cattle as compared to the White Fulani cattle. Trypanosomosis in livestock and man is characterized by cellular changes and damages resulting in great loss in production and sometimes death. IL-10 has been implicated as a candidate gene in trypanotolerance in N’Dama. Thus, to uncover Muturu genetic signatures underlying trypanotolerance, this study compared variations in IL-10 gene of Muturu and White Fulani cattle. Variations in IL-10 gene (exon 1) were identified using DNA sequence polymorphism programme (DnaSP) version 5.10.01 to estimate haplotype frequencies, nucleotide diversity and sequence conservation. The results revealed twenty-four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) present in White Fulani while only one SNP was present in Muturu, showing that IL-10 gene was more conserved in the Muturu cattle. Eight haplotypes were present in exon 1 of IL-10 gene of White Fulani while that of Muturu was one. Three motifs were common to the two cattle breeds, while two others were found in White Fulani population alone. Prediction of secondary protein structure showed that the gene is a mixed folding protein in White Fulani while it is not in Muturu. The study concluded that the Muturu displayed clear genetic differences compared to White Fulani breed. SNPs (24) detected in White Fulani and one in Muturu could serve as useful marker for association studies with trypanotolerance while improvement of trypanotolerance in susceptible breeds can be achieved through gene manipulation using IL-10 gene.

An Investigation of Polymorphism in &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;SMO&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; and &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;LMF&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt;1 Genes and Their Association with Body Size in White Fulani and Muturu Cattle Breeds

Cattle production is integral to the people of Africa and her economy. To improve cattle productivity, there is a need to inculcate molecular marker-assisted selection into current breeding practices. In this study, we investigated, in White Fulani and Muturu cattle breeds, polymorphism of two candidate genes (Smoothened—SMO and Lipase Maturation Factor 1—LMF1) that have been reported to influence body size in cattle. The SMO gene encodes for the SMO (smoothened) receptor protein; a membrane signal transducer that plays a role in the control of bone formation and adipogenesis. LMF1 encodes for the LMF1 protein which regulates post-translational maturation of vascular lipases. Desired regions of the genes were amplified and genotyped by direct DNA sequencing or Polymerase chain reaction—Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism. For association study, linear body measurements traits (BMTs) that can be used to predict body size were measured on each animal and values of BMTs measured were compared between both breeds. Very significant (P SMO while LMF1 was monomorphic at the expected (T > C) exon 4 mutation site. Association analysis revealed that polymorphism on G21234C, C22424T, T22939C and T23458G loci significantly affected BMTs (P SMO gene could be a useful candidate gene to facilitate marker assisted selection for body size while LMF1 is monomorphic in the cattle breeds.

Identification of BoLA DRB3.2 Alleles Present in White Fulani and Muturu Cattle Breeds

Cattle production is an important aspect of animal agriculture. Disease predisposition in cattle can lead to lowered productivity and poor animal welfare. To select and breed for the fittest cattle population, it is expedient that we understand the genetic basis of disease tolerance/resistance. Major histocompatibility complex (MHC) is a vital component of the immune system in vertebrates. Its genes are crucial determinants for immune response and resistance to infectious diseases. The bovine MHC is referred to as Bovine Lymphocyte antigen (BoLA) with its most functional and highly variable region located in the exon 2 (BoLA-DRB3.2). Over 100 alleles of BoLA-DRB3.2 have been identified in cattle and many studies have associated polymorphism in this region with disease resistance/susceptibility. In this study, we investigated the polymorphic nature of BoLA-DRB3.2 in the White Fulani and Muturu cattle breeds using a single PCR-sequence based typing. We identified 26 and 25 alleles in White Fulani and Muturu breeds, respectively, with only six alleles being mutual in the two breeds. Some of the alleles identified in this study have been noted as markers for disease status in cattle. BoLA-DRB3*014:01:01, BoLA-DRB3*011:01, and BoLA-DRB3*008:01 alleles have been associated with Bovine leukemia virus (BLV) resistance in cattle. BoLA-DRB3*014:01:01, BoLA-DRB3*001:01, and BoLA-DRB3*011:01 were linked with mastitis resistance in Japanese Holstein cows. While no inference can be drawn in terms of association with disease status, this study confirms the highly polymorphic and diverse nature of BoLA-DRB3 in White Fulani and Muturu cattle breeds.