Background: The history of African indigenous cattle and their adaptation to environmental and human selection pressure is at the root of their remarkable diversity. Characterization of this diversity is an essential step towards understanding the genomic basis of productivity and adaptation to survival under African farming systems.
Results: We analyze patterns of African cattle genetic variation by sequencing 48 genomes from five indigenous populations and comparing them to the genomes of 53 commercial taurine breeds. We find the highest genetic diversity among African zebu and sanga cattle. Our search for genomic regions under selection reveals signatures of selection for environmental adaptive traits. In particular, we identify signatures of selection including genes and/or pathways controlling anemia and feeding behavior in the trypanotolerant N'Dama, coat color and horn development in Ankole, and heat tolerance and tick resistance across African cattle especially in zebu breeds.
Conclusions: Our findings unravel at the genome-wide level, the unique adaptive diversity of African cattle while emphasizing the opportunities for sustainable improvement of livestock productivity on the continent.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|---|
| http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5319050 | PMC |
| http://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s13059-017-1153-y | DOI Listing |
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Treatment of cattle with ivermectin and its effect on dung degradation and larval abundance in a tropical savanna setting.
One Health
June 2025
Department of Entomology, Virgina Polytechnic Institute & State University, Blacksburg, VA 24061, USA.
When ingested as part of a blood meal, the antiparasitic drug ivermectin kills mosquitoes, making it a candidate for mass drug administration (MDA) in humans and livestock to reduce malaria transmission. When administered to livestock, most ivermectin is excreted unmetabolized in the dung within 5 days post administration. Presence of ivermectin, has been shown to adversely affect dung colonizers and dung degradation in temperate settings; however, those findings may not apply to, tropical environment, where ivermectin MDA against malaria would occur.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPolycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Burden of Meats Singed with Different Fuel Sources from Abattoirs in Ghana and Associated Cancer Risk Assessment.
Environ Health Insights
January 2025
African Centre of Excellence for Public Health and Toxicological Research, University of Port Harcourt, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.
This study evaluated the concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and the carcinogenic risks of cattle and goat meats singed with either firewood, Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) or tyres from five cities in Ghana. The meat samples, before and after singeing, as well as after scraping and washing, were collected from abattoirs and sent to Clinical Analysis Laboratory (Can-Lab) of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) for PAH analysis. Tyre-singed meats exhibit significantly higher PAHs concentrations ( = .
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDevelopment of a novel Haemabiome tool for the high-throughput analysis of haemopathogen species co-infections in African livestock.
Front Vet Sci
December 2024
Centre for Tropical Livestock Genetics and Health (CTLGH), Roslin Institute, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, United Kingdom.
One of the principal limitations on livestock productivity in sub-Saharan Africa is the constraining effect of infectious diseases, including tick-borne blood pathogens. Currently, diagnostic markers for these pathogens are species or genus specific, making it challenging to implement high-throughput screening methods. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a novel high-throughput diagnostic tool capable of detecting a range of important haemopathogens in livestock.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFA knowledge, attitude and practices assessment of control measures for bovine tuberculosis and brucellosis towards a more effective approach to national control programs in South Africa.
Trop Anim Health Prod
January 2025
Department of Veterinary Tropical Diseases, Faculty of Veterinary Science, Onderstepoort, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, South Africa.
Bovine brucellosis and bovine tuberculosis are zoonotic diseases with economic and public health importance across the world, especially in developing countries where the diseases are endemic. The diseases are classified as neglected diseases in developing nations with poor resources despite good control measures in some developed countries. The purpose of this study is to assess the knowledge, attitudes and perceptions (KAP) of stakeholders towards control measures for bovine brucellosis (BR) and bovine tuberculosis (bTB) at a livestock-wildlife interface.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFGeospatial Analysis of Multilevel Socioenvironmental Factors Impacting the Campylobacter Burden among Infants in Rural Eastern Ethiopia: A One Health Perspective.
Am J Trop Med Hyg
December 2024
Emerging Pathogens Institute, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida.
Increasing attention has focused on health outcomes of Campylobacter infections among children younger than 5 years in low-resource settings. Recent evidence suggests that colonization by Campylobacter species contributes to environmental enteric dysfunction, malnutrition, and growth faltering in young children. Campylobacter species are zoonotic, and factors from humans, animals, and the environment are involved in transmission.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFWant AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!