Native Cattle Research Articles

Feeding Pellets Containing Agro-Industrial Waste Enhances Feed Utilization and Rumen Functions in Thai Beef Cattle.

The objective of this research was to investigate the effects of citric waste fermented with yeast waste pellet (CWYWP) supplementation on feed intake, rumen characteristics, and blood metabolites in native Thai beef cattle that are fed a rice-straw-based diet. Four native male Thai beef cattle (1.0-1.5 years old) with an initial body weight (BW) of 116 ± 16 kg were held in a 4 × 4 Latin square design within 21-day periods. The animals were assigned to receive CWYWP supplementation at 0%, 2%, 4%, and 6% of the total dry matter (DM) intake per day. The results indicate that feeding beef cattle with CWYWP leads to a linear increase in the total intake as well was the intake of crude protein (CP) and the digestibility of CP, with the maximum levels observed at 6% CWYWP supplementation (p < 0.05). Rumen characteristics, including pH, blood urea-nitrogen concentration, and protozoal population, showed no significant alterations in response to the varying CWYWP dosages (p > 0.05). In addition, the CWYWP supplementation resulted in no significant changes in the concentration of ammonia-nitrogen, remaining within an average normal range of 10.19-10.38 mg/dL (p > 0.05). The inclusion of 6% CWYWP resulted in the highest population of ruminal bacteria (p < 0.05). Additionally, the CWYWP supplementation led to a statistically significant increase in the mean propionic acid concentration as compared to the group that did not receive the CWYWP supplementation (p < 0.05). In conclusion, this experiment demonstrates that supplementing Thai native beef cattle with CWYWP at either 4% or 6% DM per day can enhance their total CP intake as well as the CP digestibility and rumen bacterial population, and can increase propionate concentration.

BADANIA PORÓWNAWCZE UŻYTKOWOŚCI ROZPŁODOWEJ I MIĘSNEJ LOKALNEJ RASY BYDŁA POLSKIEGO CZERWONEGO Z RASĄ LIMOUSIN POCHODZENIA POLSKIEGO I FRANCUSKIEGO

The aim of the study was to compare of the reproductive and meat performance of meat breeds, such as the local Polish Red cattle and the Limousine cattle breed, which is dominant in Poland. The examined individuals of the Limousine breed, which were divided into two groups depending on the origin of the parents, the so-called Polish and French. The criterion for assigning the animals to the group of Polish origin was that the tested bulls did not have in their pedigree a descendant of the French line for two generations. Three groups of fatteners with 138 Polish Red bulls and 447 French and 478 Polish Limousin bulls were used to assess meat performance. All animals were kept in an extensive production system, using the pasture at will throughout the year, during the so-called peak season. At the end, they were fed additionally with haylage and concentrated feed. Reproductive parameters (type of calving and viability of calves) were assessed in 348 Polish Limousin cows, 367 French cows and 289 Polish Red cows. Calves were observed and measured throughout their life cycle from birth to slaughter. In the as- sessment of the utility value of meat, reference features were taken into account, e.g. body weight after calving, body weight at 210 and 420 days of age and gains, height at withers and chest circumference, and conformation assessment. The PRC group showed significantly greater ease of calving and vitality of calves compared to both groups of limousines. Calf and adult body weight measurements at 210 and 420 days were significantly higher in French Limousine cattle. Differences in body weight and gain were significant. There was a slight difference in height between Polish and French bulls. Native breed cattle were characterized by very good reproductive parameters and satisfactory meat performance charac- teristics in relation to the use of grassland fodder. Beef producers can be successfully recommended to use Polish Red cattle for meat purposes in an extensive production system.

English

The pathogenic bacterial infection is the main cause of decreased cow productivity. This study aimed to investigate the relationship of Natural Resistance Associated Macrophage Protein 1 (NRAMP1) gene polymorphisms with pathogenic bacterial resistance traits in Indonesian cattle. A total of seventeen (17) animals of mixed-breed cattle comprising two categories healthy (7 heads) and infected with bacteria (10 heads) were used in this study. Forward sequencing analysis was performed to detect single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the partial NRAMP1 gene (954 bp) using polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Results showed that a novel SNP of g.109Y (intron 5) and two common SNPs of g.221K (intron 5) and g.642R (intron 6) were detected in the NRAMP gene in Indonesian native cattle. In addition, these SNPs have a moderate polymorphic information content (PIC) value (0.30 - 0.50). Therefore, eight (8) haplotypes of the NRAMP1 gene were determined in the present study. Thus, the highest bacterial infection frequency was shown in the TT/GT/AG haplotype. In conclusion, three (3) nonsense SNP in the NRAMP1 gene have the potency as a genetic marker for bacterial resistance trait in Indonesian cattle

Role of microRNA, bta-miR-375 in Immune Sturdiness of Vechur: The Native Cattle Breed of Kerala, India #

In the present study, next generation sequencing was employed to identify and explore the differential expression profiles of microRNAs (miRNAs) in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of crossbred (B. taurus x B. indicus) and Vechur (B. indicus) cattle in response to the bacterial endotoxin-lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The PBMCs from adult apparently healthy female crossbred cows and Vechur cattle, a native cattle breed of Kerala, India were stimulated with 10 μg/mL of LPS for 6 h. Among the differentially expressed miRNAs, the expression of 13 miRNAs showed statistically significant up regulation while, significant decrease in the expression of 15 miRNAs was noticed in LPS treated PBMCs of Vechur cattle compared to crossbred cows. The expression profiling of miRNA, bta-miR-375, expression of which was found to be significantly down regulated in LPS treated PBMCs of Vechur cattle with respect to crossbred cattle by the NGS studies, is presented in the present manuscript. The decrease in expression of bta-miR-375 noticed by NGS was in accordance with the results of quantitative real time PCR assay. Functional gene enrichment analysis and pathway analysis revealed significant enrichment of predicted targets of bta-miR-375 in many immune related and cell signalling mechanisms. In addition, over representation of targets of bta-miR-375 was also noticed in pathogenesis of many of the bovine diseases. The study could also identify differences in the expression of cytokines, viz. Tumour Necrosis Factor Alpha (TNFα), Interleukin 4 (IL-4) and Interferon-γ (IFNγ) between LPS treated and untreated PBMCs of crossbred and Vechur cattle.

Demonstration of SARS-CoV-2 Exposure in Korean Native Cattle and Korean Native Black Goats in Korea.

The COVID-19 pandemic is caused by the zoonotic SARS-CoV-2 virus. A wide range of animals that interact with humans have been investigated to identify potential infections. As the extent of infection became more apparent, extensive animal monitoring became necessary to assess their susceptibility. This study analyzed nasal swabs and blood samples collected from randomly selected Korean native cattle and Korean native black goats. The tests conducted included real-time qPCR to detect SARS-CoV-2 antigens, an ELISA to detect antibodies, and a plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT) to determine the presence of neutralizing antibodies. Among the 1798 animals tested (consisting of 1174 Korean native cattle and 624 Korean native black goats), SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA was detected in one Korean native cattle and one Korean native black goat. ELISA testing revealed positive results for antibodies in 54 Korean native cattle (4.60%) and 16 Korean native black goats (2.56%), while PRNTs yielded positive results in 51 Korean native cattle (4.34%) and 14 Korean native black goats (2.24%). The presence of SARS-CoV-2 antigens and/or antibodies was identified in animals on farms where farmworkers were already infected. It is challenging to completely rule out the possibility of reverse zoonotic transmission from humans to livestock in Korea, although the transmission is not to the same extent as it is in highly susceptible animal species like minks, cats, and dogs. This is due to the limited geographical area and the dense, intensive farming practices implemented in these regions. In conclusion, continuous viral circulation between humans and animals is inevitable, necessitating ongoing animal monitoring to ensure public health and safety.

PSXI-28 Nitrogen Footprint Assessment of Korean Native Beef Cattle Farms: Uncertainty Analysis and Mitigation Scenarios

Abstract Nitrogen (N) lost during beef cattle production accompanies various environmental impacts and has become an increasing concern among agricultural stakeholders. The objective of this study was to quantify the N footprint (NF) of Hanwoo beef cattle production in Korea at the farm gate through a life cycle assessment methodology. Field surveys were conducted on 106 farms across nine provinces to evaluate the NF of Hanwoo beef farms. N losses were calculated using emission factors using the refined Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) guideline and expressed as NF [g N lost/kg of live body weight (LBW)]. Uncertainty and sensitivity analyses were deployed to evaluate the precision of the results and to quantify the variability of the input data. The NF was averaged 132.8 (±61.9) g N/kg LBW. Volatilization was the greatest contributing factor, followed by leaching and denitrification, each representing 68.4, 21.4, and 10.1 percent of the NF, respectively. The uncertainty of the output data was found to be 46.6 percent and was highly associated with emission factors uncertainties. We simulated four feasible mitigation scenarios that are cost effective and do not penalize productivity, and evaluated their capacity for reducing NF of meat: dietary modifications to decrease animal N excretion rates by adjusting the CP and rumen undegradable protein content for steers and fattening cows (A), microorganism additives to reduce volatilization from housing and manure storages through processing excess ammonium to synthesize microbial protein (B), using manure as land fertilizer instead of synthetic fertilizers to decrease denitrification from rice cultivation, and leaching and volatilization from all field types(C), and distributing straw-derived biochar (10 to 20 ton/ha) to the field after fertilizer application to reduce losses from crop production (D).Combining these scenarios demonstrated the potential to reduce NF by 12.3 percent. Overall, our study provides a national metric that can be used to communicate the N uses impact of Korean beef production. The analyses indicate that more precise results could be achieved with future endeavors toward developing country-specific emission factors. Integrating all four scenarios was shown to be the most effective approach to reducing the NF of beef production.

Carcass characteristics, meat quality, sensory palatability and chemical composition of Thai native cattle grazing in lowland and Phu Phan mountain forest.

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of Thai native cattle grazing in the lowland or mountain forest on carcass characteristics, meat quality, sensory palatability, and chemical composition. Twelve male Thai native cattle with an average weight of 110±10 kg are allowed to be grazing in the lowland or Phu Phan mountain forest during the rainy season in northeastern Thailand. The carcass characteristics, meat pH, and meat color were unaffected by treatment (p>0.05). The boiling loss was lower in the cattle grazing on the mountain forest (p = 0.027). The cattle grazing in the mountain forest had increased shear force (p = 0.039), tenderness (p = 0.011), and flavor intensity (p = 0.003). The protein and fat were higher (p<0.001 and p = 0.035, respectively) in cattle grazing in the mountain forest. The different grazing systems of the cattle had no effect (p>0.05) fatty acids in meat, except for capric acid (C10:0) and lauric acid (C12:0), which were higher (p = 0.046 and p = 0.049, respectively) when the cattle were grazing in the mountain forest. The different grazing systems did not influence (p>0.05) the unsaturated fatty acids in meat. Thai native cattle grazing in the Phu Phan mountain forest in the rainy season improves meat quality, sensory evaluation, and chemical composition.

Effect of cyanide-utilizing bacteria and sulfur on feed utilization, microbiomes, and cyanide degradation in cattle supplemented with fresh cassava root

This study aimed to compare the effects of adding cyanide-utilizing bacteria (CUB) and sulfur on rumen fermentation, the degradation efficiency of hydrogen cyanide (HCN), feed utilization, and blood metabolites in beef cattle fed two levels of fresh cassava root (CR). A 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a 4 × 4 Latin square design was used to distribute four male purebred Thai native beef cattle (2.5–3.0 years old) with an initial body weight (BW) of 235 ± 15.0 kg. Factor A was Enterococcus faecium KKU-BF7 oral direct fed at 108 CFU/ml and 3% dry matter (DM) basis of pure sulfur in concentrate diet. Factor B was the two levels of CR containing HCN at 300 and 600 mg/kg on DM basis. There was no interaction effect between CUB and sulfur supplementation with CR on feed utilization (p > 0.05). Similarly, CUB and sulfur supplementation did not affect (p > 0.05) DM intake and apparent nutrient digestibility. However, the high level of CR supplementation increased (p < 0.05) feed intake and neutral detergent fiber digestibility. The ruminal pH, microbial population, ammonia–nitrogen, blood urea nitrogen, and blood thiocyanate concentrations were unaffected by the addition of CUB and sulfur at two CR concentrations (p > 0.05). The addition of CUB or sulfur had no effect on the efficiency of HCN degradation in the rumen (p > 0.05). However, cattle given CR with HCN at 600 mg/kg DM had considerably higher degradation efficiency than those fed CR containing HCN at 300 mg/kg DM (p < 0.05). The group fed CUB had a considerably greater CUB population (p < 0.05) than the sulfur group. Cyanide-utilizing bacteria or sulfur supplementation with CR had no interaction effect between total VFAs and their profiles (p > 0.05). However, the study observed a significant positive correlation between the amount of CR and the concentration of propionate in the rumen (p < 0.05). The levels of nitrogen absorption and nitrogen retention did not differ significantly among the treatments (p > 0.05). Hence, it may be inferred that the administration of a high concentration of CR at a dosage of 600 mg/kg DM HCN could potentially provide advantageous outcomes when animals are subjected to oral CUB incorporation.

Epidemiology and molecular characterization of Theileria annulata in ticks collected from cattle in the central part of Tamil Nadu, India.

Tick-borne diseases are the most common in cattle in the tropical and subtropical regions of India and lead to substantial economic losses to small and marginal farmers. This study aimed to identify the diverse species of ticks infesting cattle in the central part of Tamil Nadu, India, and to assess the prevalence of Theileria annulata infection in various species of ticks through PCR. Out of 123 cross-bred and 105 native breed cattle examined for tick infestation, 40 (18%) and 29 (12.7%) cattle were infested with Ixodid ticks, respectively. The most prevalent tick species identified was Rhipicephalus microplus (n=589), followed by Hyalomma anatolicum (n=532), Hyalomma marginatum (n=145), Haemaphysalis intermedia (n=79), and Rhipicephalus haemophysaloides (n=1) found in the study area. The prevalence and intensity of the tick infestation were found to be higher in cross-bred (71.04%) than native breed cattle (28.96%), and there was no significant difference between the studied breeds (chi-square value =24; df =20; p value =0.24) was observed. However, a significant difference in the H. anatolicum tick infestation was observed between the Cauvery Delta (14.30%) and the North-Western (20%) zones of Tamil Nadu (p<0.05). DNA fragments of 193 bp derived from 18S rRNA gene sequences of T. annulata were amplified using species-specific primers. Of these, 16 out of 37 (43.2%) and 10 out of 39 (29%) pooled samples of H. anatolicum and 4 out of 18 (22.2%) and 1 out of 5 (20%) pooled samples of H. marginatum were found positive for T. annulata from the Cauvery Delta and North-Western zones, respectively. R. microplus, H. intermedia, and R. haemaphysaloides from these regions were negative. These findings confirm that H. anatolicum (52.17%) is the predominant vector for T.annulata rather than H. marginatum (18.84%), and the PCR is a useful method of determining the infection rates in ticks collected from animals carrying low levels of T. annulata piroplasms.

Genome-wide screening for selection signatures in native and cosmopolitan cattle breeds reared in Türkiye.

Via long-term natural and artificial selection pressure, homozygosity may extend across the genome, leaving genomic patterns called selection signatures. This study is the first attempt to assess genome-wide selection signatures in six native Turkish and two cosmopolitan cattle breeds by 211.119 bi-allelic SNPs recovered using the double digest restriction associated DNA sequencing method. The integrated haplotype score (iHS) statistic was utilised to reveal selection signatures within populations, whereas the cross-population extended haplotype homozygosity (XP-EHH) and fixation index (FST ) approaches were preferred to reveal differently fixed genomic regions between native Turkish and cosmopolitan cattle breeds. Selection signatures in 142 genomic regions containing 305 genes were detected within eight cattle breeds by iHS statistics. The XP-EHH and FST approaches revealed that 197 and 114 SNPs were under selection pressure, respectively, which overlapped with 144 and 190 genes, respectively. A total of 18 genes were detected by at least two approaches. Six genes related to disease resistance (TTP2), meat yield (DIAPH3 and METTL21C), meat quality (ZNF24 and ZNF397) and first calving interval (ZSCAN30) turned out to be differently fixed between native Turkish and cosmopolitan cattle breeds, as they were identified by both XP-EHH and FST approaches. In addition, the iHS approach revealed that eight genes associated with visual modality (LSGN), olfaction (MOXD2, OR4C1F and OR4C1F), and immune response (TRBV3-1 and CLDN10) were under selection pressure in both native and cosmopolitan cattle breeds. Owing to their being significantly related to survival traits, these regions may have played a key role in cattle genome evolution. Future studies utilising denser genetic data are required to obtain deeper knowledge on effects of natural and artificial selection in Anatolian cattle breeds. © 2023 Stichting International Foundation for Animal Genetics.

Functional in silico analysis of a non-synonymous SNP located in the coding region of the FASN gene in Korean native cattle

Bovine fatty acid synthase, an enzyme encoded by the FASN gene in cattle, is a multi-enzyme protein that catalyses fatty acid synthesis. This cytosolic enzyme catalyzes the synthesis of palmitate from acetylcoenzyme A and malonyl-coenzyme A in the presence of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH). However, there is no previous verification study that each allele of SNPs related to lipid synthesis were impact on protein function in Korean native cattle and nsSNPs for the FASN gene have not yet been verified by computer analysis. Given the role of the FASN gene in beef quality traits in cattle, the study aimed to use computational analysis to narrow down the candidate nsSNPs for FASN that may affect protein structure and/or function, which may play an important role in lipid synthesis. These results predicted that the g.16039 T&gt;C nsSNP at position R1957Y of FASN was functionally 'Deleterious' and 'PROBABLY DAMAGING' in non-synonymous SNP functional analysis, and the g.16039 T&gt;C and g.17924 A&gt;G nsSNPs at positions R1957Y and T2266A decrease the stability of a FASN protein and have two PTM sites for proteolytic cleavage and amidation. In addition, the R1957Y and T2266A variants of FASN were shown to have a direct effect on altering the protein structure. Therefore, we suggested that our results could be used as fundamental data for further studies related to functional verification of nsSNPs based on bovine cells.

출생 성비와 명절 시기를 고려한 월별 한우 도축두수 예측모형 개발

The number of Korean native cattle, Hanwoo, has exceeded 3.5 million, the historical largest one, in May 2022. As a result, the Hanwoo industry are in a state of oversupply and are concerned about the risk of a price collapse. The main objective of this study is to develop medium- and long-term forecasting models for monthly Hanwoo supply as a way to reduce the risk of imbalance between supply and demand. To construct the forecasting models, the empirical histogram of the month-specific rate for Hanwoo is applied. The monthly data of Hanwoo in 2014-2022 are obtained from the Animal Product Traceability System in Korea. The results are as follows: A forecasting model for the number of monthly Hanwoo at 6-month-old with considering the birth sex ratio outperforms the other models. Also, adjusting the slaughter rate based on holiday season made the forecast more accurate. The forecasting models were evaluated based on multiple accuracy measures such as mean absolute percentage error(MAPE) and root mean square percentage error (RMSPE). The MAPE for the monthly slaughtered Hanwoo females and males were 9.37% and 8.98%, respectively. Therefore, the forecasting model developed in this study is expected to be useful as a tool to reduce the risk faced by those in the Hanwoo industry.

Copy Number Variation Frequency Analysis by Regions of Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle) Using Hanwoo SNP 50K Chip

Recently another type of genetic polymorphism, called copy number variation (CNV), has been discovered in the whole genome variation. SNP chips have also been used for CNVs analysis, making them a useful analytical tool. In this study, we evaluated CNVs and identified the relationship between CNV regions (CNVRs) in Hanwoo (n=1500) using the Illumina Hanwoo SNP 50K BeadChip in four South Korean regions. PennCNV software was used to identify CNVs, followed by CNV Ruler software to locate diverse CNVRs. We identified 8686 CNVs (6666 gains; 2020 loss), with lengths varying from 2,182 to 2,957,803 bp. Additionally, 689 CNVRs (480 gains; 153 losses; 56 both) were identified, with lengths varying from 2,820 to 2,957,803 bp, with an average of 124,881 bp, encompassing 86,042,896 bp (3.48%). Bioinformatic analysis was conducted using Biomart tools, gene ontology analysis, and the DAVID program. We identified 27 genes that were associated with IGF2, INS, SOCS3, and TH and found that they were related to insulin (GO:0046626, GO:1900076, bta04917). In conclusion, CNVs were identified using the HanwooSNP50k chip, CNVR with characteristics for each region was identified, and a part overlapping with the gene was verified. It is essential to verify that insulin-related genes differ by region and to understand the relationship between regional economic traits and CNV.

한우 수정란이식에 의한 쌍자 생산

This study investigated two blastocyst fertilized eggs of Korean native cattle (Hanwoo) developed in vitro for 3 years in 18 farm houses. The fertilized eggs were transferred into 208 cattle recipients in 7~8 days of estrous cycle. Then, their pregnancy rate, delivery rate, calf crop rate, twin crop rate and miscarriage / stillbirth rate were investigated. As a result of transferring Hanwoo blastocyst fertilized eggs developed in vitro to 208 cattle recipients, the pregnancy rate was found 53.8% (112/208); and delivery rate, 92.9% (104/112), showing no significant yearly variation. Twin delivery rate in 1st and 2nd years was 45.2% (14/31) and 47.9% (23/48), respectively, significantly higher than the 3rd-year rate of 8.0% (2/25) (P&lt; .05). The average twin delivery rate was 37.5% (39/104). Calves produced based on pregnancy accounted for 108.1% (121/112). In the 1st year and 2nd year, the rate was 115.2% (38/33) and 114.0% (57/50), respectively, significantly higher than the 3rd year rate of 96.3% (27/26) (P&lt; .05). The average twin calf production after Hanwoo embryo transfer was 32.2% (39/121), recording 36.8% (14/38) in the 1st year and 40.4% (23/57) in the 2nd year. In the 3rd year, 26 calves were produced including 2 twins, accounting for 7.7%. This number in 3rd year is significantly lower than the 1st and 2nd-year results (P&lt; .05). Among the 31 calves delivered in the 1st year, 4 were stillbirths; and 4, miscarriage. The male-female cattle ratio was 10:28. Female calves accounted for 26.3%. Among the 48 calves produced in the 2nd year, 10 were miscarriage; and 4, stillbirth. A cow produced triplets. Male-female cattle ratio was 21:36. Female cattle accounted for as high as 36.8%. Among the 25 calves produced in the 3rd year, 2 were stillbirth. Male-female cattle ratio was 12:14. Female cattle accounted for 46.2%, representing good improvement result. In all of the years, the male-female ratio was 43:78. Female cattle accounted for as high as 35.5%. Miscarriage/stillbirth ratio was as high as 21.4% (24/112).&#x0D; The results above showed no remarkable difference in pregnancy rate and delivery rate after embryo transfer to 208 cattle recipients for 3 years. This study also found higher miscarriage/stillbirth rate than those of other studies. With respect to twin production, the 1st and 2nd-year Hanwoo embryo transfer showed significantly higher results of twin production than that in the 3rd year (P&lt; .05). Regarding male-female ratio, female caves were found to account for larger part with time. Based on the findings, it is deemed necessary to establish improvement foundation earlier as a way to homogenize Hanwoo genetic traits and secure fattening cattle for quality meat production. Moreover, for higher income of farm houses, embryo transfer-based twin production technology will need to be developed through continued research.

Assessing major genes allele frequencies and the genetic diversity of the native Aosta cattle female population

The Aosta cattle breeds have a key role in the economy of the Aosta Valley. In addition to the meat and milk production these autochthonous breeds are important for their cultural value, and for their role in the maintenance of the mountain environment. The knowledge of their genetic makeup represents a fundamental asset to managing the reproduction of the population in order to maintain the existing genetic diversity and, as a possible input, to apply genomic selection in a small population. A total of 3195 Aosta cows were genotyped with the GeneSeek Genomic Profiler® (GGP) Bovine 100K by Neogen in the framework of the DUALBREEDING-2 project. The Aosta Black-Chestnut and Chestnut-Herèn resulted to be a unique population. The Aosta female population had shorter ROH than bulls and shared ROH_islands that harbour adaptative and functional genes. Allele frequencies of major genes highlight the possibility for selection for both milk and meat quality variants and that the Aosta cattle population is free from the known Mendelian inheritance diseases found in cosmopolitan breeds (e.g. BLAD, CVM, HCD).

Divergent proinflammatory immune responses associated with the differential susceptibility of cattle breeds to tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis (TB) in the bovine is one of the most predominant chronic debilitating infectious diseases primarily caused by Mycobacterium bovis. Besides, the incidence of TB in humans due to M. bovis, and that in bovines (bovine TB, bTB) due to M. tuberculosis- indicates cattle as a major reservoir of zoonotic TB. While India accounts for the highest global burden of both TB and multidrug-resistant TB in humans, systematic evaluation of bTB prevalence in India is largely lacking. Recent reports emphasized markedly greater bTB prevalence in exotic and crossbred cattle compared to indigenous cattle breeds that represent more than one-third of the total cattle population in India, which is the largest globally. This study aimed at elucidating the immune responses underlying the differential bTB incidence in prominent indigenous (Sahiwal), and crossbred (Sahiwal x Holstein Friesian) cattle reared in India. Employing the standard Single Intradermal Tuberculin Test (SITT), and mycobacterial gene-targeting single as well as multiplex-PCR-based screening revealed higher incidences of bovine tuberculin reactors as well as Mycobacterium tuberculosis Complex specific PCR positivity amongst the crossbred cattle. Further, ex vivo mycobacterial infection in cultures of bovine peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from SITT, and myco-PCR negative healthy cattle exhibited significantly higher intracellular growth of M. bovis BCG, and M. tuberculosis H37Ra in the crossbred cattle PBMCs compared to native cattle. In addition, native cattle PBMCs induced higher pro-inflammatory cytokines and signaling pathways, such as interferon-gamma (IFN-γ), interleukin-17 (IL-17), tank binding kinase-1 (TBK-1), and nitric oxide (NO) upon exposure to live mycobacterial infection in comparison to PBMCs from crossbred cattle that exhibited higher expression of IL-1β transcripts. Together, these findings highlight that differences in the innate immune responses of these cattle breeds might be contributing to the differential susceptibility to bTB infection, and the resultant disparity in bTB incidence amongst indigenous, and crossbred cattle.

Effect of Different Roughage Sources in Fermented Total Mixed Ration and Energy Intake on Meat Quality, Collagen Solubility, Troponin T Degradation, and Fatty Acids of Native Thai Cattle Longissimus Muscle.

The effects of roughage sources in the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) and the level of energy intake on meat quality, collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of native Thai cattle (NTC) were investigated. Results showed that roughage source affected fatty acid composition in the LT muscle (p < 0.05), as NTC fed Pakchong 1-Napier-based FTMR had higher monounsaturated fatty acid content and ω 6:ω 3 ratio. The high-energy ad libitum group had lower drip loss, lower shear force, and higher percent collagen solubility (p < 0.05). However, energy intake had no effect on troponin T degradation and fatty acid composition (p > 0.05). Longer aging of 14 days showed lower shear force values, higher collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation rate but higher cooking loss (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the meat quality of NTC could be improved by ad libitum feeding with NG-FTMR, as their meat had higher MUFA content, lower drip loss, lower shear force, and higher collagen solubility. In addition, the tenderness of NTC meat could be further improved by longer aging of 14 days post-mortem.

Chromosome-level genome assembly of Korean native cattle and pangenome graph of 14 Bos taurus assemblies

This study presents the first chromosome-level genome assembly of Hanwoo, an indigenous Korean breed of Bos taurus taurus. This is the first genome assembly of Asian taurus breed. Also, we constructed a pangenome graph of 14 B. taurus genome assemblies. The contig N50 was over 55 Mb, the scaffold N50 was over 89 Mb and a genome completeness of 95.8%, as estimated by BUSCO using the mammalian set, indicated a high-quality assembly. 48.7% of the genome comprised various repetitive elements, including DNAs, tandem repeats, long interspersed nuclear elements, and simple repeats. A total of 27,314 protein-coding genes were identified, including 25,302 proteins with inferred gene names and 2,012 unknown proteins. The pangenome graph of 14 B. taurus autosomes revealed 528.47 Mb non-reference regions in total and 61.87 Mb Hanwoo-specific regions. Our Hanwoo assembly and pangenome graph provide valuable resources for studying B. taurus populations.

Genome-wide association study on abdomen depth, head width, hip width, and withers height in native cattle of Guilan (Bos indicus).

Native breeds in any country are a national capital, and their preservation is of great importance. Native Cattle of Guilan (NCG) is one of the few pure native breeds in Iran and the West Asia region. During the last decade, NCG population has decreased by more than 40%. This study aimed to identify significant single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and candidate genes associated with meat production traits in NCG using a genome-wide association study (GWAS). The blood and hair samples were collected from 72 NCG individuals and genotyped using the Illumina Bovine SNP50 chip. The results of the genomic scan showed that several SNPs were associated with abdominal depth, head width, hip width, and withers height in NCG. Several candidate genes were identified, including multiple epidermal growth factor-like domains 11 (MEGF11), Methionine Sulfoxide Reductase A (MSRA), chondroitin sulfate synthase 3 (CHSY3), Cyclin-Dependent Kinase 7 (CDK7), and Parkin (PRKN) genes, which are involved in muscle growth, meat tenderness, differentiation of fat cells, fat metabolism, and adipogenesis. These genes can contribute to meat quantity and quality in NCG. This study provided valuable insights into the genetics of NCG and the identification of effective genes associated with meat production traits. The results of this study could be used for the preservation and sustainable use of this breed of native cattle, as an important genetic resource in Iran.

Indigenous cattle of Sri Lanka: Genetic and phylogeographic relationship with Zebu of Indus Valley and South Indian origin.

The present study reports the population structure, genetic admixture and phylogeography of cattle breeds of Sri Lanka viz. Batu Harak, Thawalam and White cattle. Moderately high level of genetic diversity was observed in all the three Sri Lankan zebu cattle breeds. Estimates of inbreeding for Thawalam and White cattle breeds were relatively high with 6.1% and 7.2% respectively. Genetic differentiation of Sri Lankan Zebu (Batu Harak and White cattle) was lowest with Red Sindhi among Indus Valley Zebu while it was lowest with Hallikar among the South Indian cattle. Global F statistics showed 6.5% differences among all the investigated Zebu cattle breeds and 1.9% differences among Sri Lankan Zebu breeds. The Sri Lankan Zebu cattle breeds showed strong genetic relationships with Hallikar cattle, an ancient breed considered to be ancestor for most of the Mysore type draught cattle breeds of South India. Genetic admixture analysis revealed high levels of breed purity in Lanka White cattle with >97% Zebu ancestry. However, significant taurine admixture was observed in Batu Harak and Thawalam cattle. Two major Zebu haplogroups, I1 and I2 were observed in Sri Lankan Zebu with the former predominating the later in all the three breeds. A total of 112 haplotypes were observed in the studied breeds, of which 50 haplotypes were found in Sri Lankan Zebu cattle. Mismatch analysis revealed unimodal distribution in all the three breeds indicating population expansion. The sum of squared deviations (SSD) and raggedness index were non-significant in both the lineages of all the three breeds except for I1 lineage of Thawalam cattle (P<0.01) and I2 lineage of Batu Harak cattle (P<0.05). The results of neutrality tests revealed negative Tajima's D values for both the lineages of Batu Harak (P>0.05) and White cattle (P>0.05) indicating an excess of low frequency polymorphisms and demographic expansion. Genetic dilution of native Zebu cattle germplasm observed in the study is a cause for concern. Hence, it is imperative that national breeding organizations consider establishing conservation units for the three native cattle breeds to maintain breed purity and initiate genetic improvement programs.