Association study between SNP markers located in meat quality candidate genes with intramuscular fat content in an endangered dual-purpose cattle population.

The aim of this study was to associate single nucleotide polymorphisms () of the bovine calcium-activated neutral protease µ-calpain, calpastatin, diacylglycerol--acyltransferase, adipose fatty acid binding protein, retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor C (), and thyroglobulin () gene with intramuscular fat content (). Therefore, 542 animals of the cattle breed "Rotes Höhenvieh" () were phenotyped for IMF. Genotyping of the animals was performed using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism tests for six SNP from candidate genes for meat quality traits.

Effects of prenatal heat stress on birth weight and birth weight genetic parameters in German Holstein calves.

The aim of this study was to infer the effects of heat stress (HS) during late gestation of dams on phenotypes and on direct and maternal genetic parameters for birth weight (BiW). We considered 171,221 Holstein calves kept in 56 large-scale co-operator herds. For a clear separation of maternal effects, only calves from dams with at least 3 offspring were included in the analyses.

Effects of temperature-humidity index on blood metabolites of German dairy cows and their female calves.

Heat stress (HS) impairs productivity, health, and welfare in dairy cows, and additionally causes metabolic changes. Hence, specific metabolites could be used as HS biomarkers. Consequently, the aim of the present study was to compare blood metabolite concentrations of German Holstein dairy cows and of their female calves suffering from high temperature-humidity index (THI) during late gestation (cows) or during their first week of life (calves) or not.

A Pilot Study on Across-Generation Impacts of Maternal Heat Stress on Blood Metabolites of Female Holstein Dairy Calves.

Heat stress (HS) during late gestation implies unfavorable effects on dairy cows and their in-utero heat stressed offspring. The objective of the present study was to elucidate the effect of intrauterine (maternal) HS during the last week of gestation on blood metabolite concentrations of female dairy calves during their first week of life. We defined the mean temperature humidity index (mTHI) during the last gestation week of ≥60 as threshold for maternal HS.

Direct genetic effects, maternal genetic effects, and maternal genetic sensitivity on prenatal heat stress for calf diseases and corresponding genomic loci in German Holsteins.

The aim of this study was to infer the effects of heat stress (HS) of dams during late gestation on direct and maternal genetic parameters for pneumonia (PNEU, 112,563 observations), diarrhea (DIAR, 176,904 observations), and omphalitis (OMPH, 176,872 observations) in Holstein calves kept in large-scale co-operator herds. The genotype dataset included 41,135 SNPs from 19,247 male and female cattle. Temperature-humidity indices (THI) during the last 8 wk of pregnancy were calculated, using the climate data from the nearest public weather station for each herd.

Estimation of direct and maternal genetic effects and annotation of potential candidate genes for weight and meat quality traits in a genotyped outdoor dual-purpose cattle breed.

With regard to potential applications of genomic selection in small numbered breeds, we evaluated genomic models and focused on potential candidate gene annotations for weight and meat quality traits in the local Rotes Höhenvieh (RHV) breed. Traits included 6,003 birth weights (BWT), 5,719 200 d-weights (200dw), 4,594 365 d-weights (365dw), and 547 records for intramuscular fat content (IMF). A total of 581,304 SNP from 370 genotyped cattle with phenotypic records were included in genomic analyses.

Why and How European Farmers Are Dedicated to Breeding the Dwarf Dahomey Cattle.

This study investigates the motivations and breeding practices of farmers keeping Dahomey cattle in European countries. Data were collected using a web-based open-closed questionnaire survey targeting 55 farmers from Germany, Switzerland and Austria. Descriptive analyses revealed that the earliest European Dahomey herds were established in 2005.

Genome-wide associations for heat stress response suggest potential candidate genes underlying milk fatty acid composition in dairy cattle.

Contents of milk fatty acids (FA) display remarkable alterations along climatic gradients. Detecting candidate genes underlying such alterations might be beneficial for the exploration of climate sensitivity in dairy cattle. Consequently, we aimed on the definition of FA heat stress indicators, considering FA breeding values in response to temperature-humidity index (THI) alterations.

Identification of candidate genes on the basis of SNP by time-lagged heat stress interactions for milk production traits in German Holstein cattle.

The aim of this study was to estimate genotype by time-lagged heat stress (HS) variance components as well as main and interaction SNP-marker effects for maternal HS during the last eight weeks of cow pregnancy, considering milk production traits recorded in the offspring generation. The HS indicator was the temperature humidity index (THI) for each week. A dummy variable with the code = 1 for the respective week for THI ≥ 60 indicated HS, otherwise, for no HS, the code = 0 was assigned.

Genotype by heat stress interactions for production and functional traits in dairy cows from an across-generation perspective.

The aim of this study was to analyze time-lagged heat stress (HS) effects during late gestation on genetic co(variance) components in dairy cattle across generations for production, female fertility, and health traits. The data set for production and female fertility traits considered 162,492 Holstein Friesian cows from calving years 2003 to 2012, kept in medium-sized family farms. The health data set included 69,986 cows from calving years 2008 to 2016, kept in participating large-scale co-operator herds.

Across-generation effects of maternal heat stress during late gestation on production, female fertility and longevity traits in dairy cows.

This research paper focuses on time-lagged heat stress (HS) effects from an across-generation perspective. Temperature × humidity indexes (THI) from the last 8 weeks of pregnancy were associated with subsequent female offspring performances. The offspring dataset considered 172 905 Holstein dairy cows from calving years 2002-2013 from 1,968 herds, located in the German federal state of Hesse.

Heat stress during late pregnancy and postpartum influences genetic parameter estimates for birth weight and weight gain in dual-purpose cattle offspring generations.

Impact of direct heat stress (HS) on genetic parameter estimates, i.e., HS close to the trait recording date, was verified in several previous studies conducted in dairy and beef cattle populations.

Time-lagged and acute impact of heat stress on production and fertility traits in the local dual-purpose cattle breed "Rotes Höhenvieh" under pasture-based conditions.

Climate change causes rising temperatures and extreme weather events worldwide, with possible detrimental time-lagged and acute impact on production and functional traits of cattle kept in outdoor production systems. The aim of the present study was to infer the influence of mean daily temperature humidity index (mTHI) and number of heat stress days (nHS) from different recording periods on birth weight (BWT), 200 d- and 365 d-weight gain (200 dg, 365 dg) of calves, and on the probability of stillbirth (SB), and calving interval (CINT) of their dams. Data recording included 4,362 observations for BWT, 3,136 observations for 200 dg, 2,502 observations for 365 dg, 9,293 observations for the birth status, and 2,811 observations for CINT of the local dual-purpose cattle breed "Rotes Höhenvieh" (RHV).

Quantification of Liver Fat with mDIXON Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Comparison with the Computed Tomography and the Biopsy.

Introduction: Accurate, non-invasive method of fat estimation is a valuable test for evaluation of diseases with abnormal hepatic fat.

Aim: To determine the accuracy of mDixon MR technique in assessment of liver fat over CT and to correlate the CT and MRI findings with biopsy.

Materials And Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted at Imaging Services of Narayana Multispeciality Hospital between March 2011- December 2012.