Validation of selection signatures for coat color in the Podolica Italiana gray cattle breed.

Taurine and indicine gray cattle represent relevant livestock resources in many countries of the world. A gray coat color and pigmented skin, which are common in most of the gray cattle breeds, have been demonstrated to confer better adaptation to solar radiation and thermal stresses. In a previous study adopting the F-outlier approach with BayeScan v2.

Population structure and identification of genomic regions associated with productive traits in five Italian beef cattle breeds.

Italy has a long history in beef production, with local breeds such as Marchigiana, Chianina, Romagnola, Maremmana, and Podolica which produce high-quality meat. Selection has improved meat production, precocity, growth ability and muscle development, but the genetic determinism of such traits is mostly unknown. Using 33K SNPs-data from young bulls (N = 4064) belonging to these five Italian breeds, we demonstrated that the Maremmana and Podolica rustic breeds are closely related, while the specialised Marchigiana, Chianina, and Romagnola breeds are more differentiated.

A genomic biomarker for the rapid identification of the rob(1;29) translocation in beef cattle breeds.

Robertsonian translocations, specifically rob(1;29) translocation, have reportedly been the most prevalent chromosomal abnormalities in cattle, affecting various breeds and leading to a decrease in fertility and reproductive value. Currently, the identification of rob(1;29) carriers relies on cytogenetic analysis that has limitations in terms of accessibility, cost, and sample requirements. To address these limitations, a novel genomic biomarker was developed in this study for the rapid and precise identification of rob(1;29) carriers.

Identification of a common haplotype in carriers of rob(1;29) in 32 Italian cattle breeds.

Robertsonian translocation 1;29 (rob(1;29)), a widespread chromosomal anomaly affecting cattle fertility, appears to have originated from a common ancestor. This study utilizes routine SNP data to investigate the chromosomal region associated with rob(1;29) and confirm the presence of a shared haplotype among carriers in diverse Italian breeds. Three datasets were employed: Dataset 1 included 151 subjects from 5 beef cattle breeds genotyped with the GGP Bovine 33 k SNP chip; Dataset 2 encompassed 800 subjects from 32 Italian breeds genotyped with the Illumina 50 k SNP chip, sourced from the BOVITA dataset; Dataset 3 combined Dataset 2 with 21 karyologically tested subjects from breeds with a high carrier frequency, genotyped using the Affymetrix 65 K SNP chip.

Evaluation of Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) Associated with Genetic Resistance to Bovine Paratuberculosis in Beef Cattle, an Italian Native Breed.

ssp. (MAP) is the causative agent of paratuberculosis (PTB), a widespread chronic enteritis of ruminants. The progression of the infection depends on the containment action of innate and cell-mediated immunity (CMI), and it is related to environmental and genetic factors.

Evolution of inbreeding: a gaze into five Italian beef cattle breeds history.

In the last decades, intensive selection programs have led to sustained increases of inbreeding in dairy cattle, a feature that might have adverse consequences on the viability and phenotypic performance of their offspring. This study aimed to determine the evolution of inbreeding of five Italian beef cattle breeds (Marchigiana, Chianina, Romagnola, Maremmana, and Podolica) during a period of almost 20 years (2002-2019). The estimates of , and averaged across years (2002-2019) in the studied breeds fluctuated between 0.

KDM2B-associated paunch calf syndrome in Marchigiana cattle.

Background: Chianina, Romagnola, and Marchigiana are the 3 most important Italian breeds of cattle raised in the Apennine Mountains. Inherited disorders have been reported in the Chianina and Romagnola breeds but not in the Marchigiana breed. Recently, a case resembling recessively inherited KDM2B-associated paunch calf syndrome (PCS) in Romagnola cattle was identified in Marchigiana cattle.