Genetical analysis of mastitis and reproductive traits in first-parity Holstein cows using standard and structural equation modelling

The present study aimed to investigate the causal relationships between clinical mastitis and some reproductive traits, including success at first insemination (SFI), the number of inseminations to pregnancy (INS), the interval from calving to first service (CTFS), first and last service interval (IFL), and open days (OD) in first-parity Holstein cows. For this purpose, the records of 58 281 first parity Holstein cows were analysed. These data sets were collected from 17 large dairy herds from 2008 to 2017. Recursive Mixed Models (RMMs) were applied and compared with the estimations under Standard Mixed Models. Then, one trivariate and three bivariate Gaussian-threshold models were used for the analyses. Recursive models were applied, considering that clinical mastitis can influence fertility traits. Mastitis is considered a covariate for the reproductive traits to determine their causal relationship. The results of this study indicated that causal effects of mastitis on SFI (on the observed scale, %), CTFS, IFL, OD, and INS were -5.7%, 3.3 days, 12.27 days, seven days, and 0.26 services, respectively. The estimated structural coefficients of the recursive models in the first parity imply that mastitis significantly lengthened the fertility interval and decreased the conception rate. In addition, genetic, residual, and phenotypic correlations between mastitis and the reproductive traits under both models were statistically significant. Results of genetic correlations between mastitis and fertility traits suggest that more incidence of mastitis during lactation is related to the delays in the heat show and pregnancy rate after insemination. In summary, considering the causal effects under RMMs may be advantageous to comprehend complicated relationships between complex traits better.

Genetic correlations and causal effects of fighting ability on fitness traits in cattle reveal antagonistic trade-offs

Complex genetic and phenotypic relationships are theorized to link different fitness components but revealing the correlations occurring among disparate traits requires large datasets of pedigreed populations. In particular, the association between traits beneficial to social dominance with health and fitness could be antagonistic, because of trade-offs, or positive, because of greater resource acquisition by dominant individuals. Studies investigating these relationships found some empirical evidence in support of both theories, mainly using multiple trait models (MTM). However, if a trait giving a social advantage is suspected to affect the expression of other traits, MTM could provide some bias, that structural equation models (SEM) could highlight. We used Aosta Chestnut-Black Pied cattle to investigate whether the fighting ability of cows (the capability of winning social dominance interactions) is genetically correlated with health and fitness traits. We ran both MTM and SEM using a Gibbs sampling algorithm to disentangle the possible causal effects of fighting ability from the genetic correlations that this trait shares with other traits: individual milk yield, somatic cells (representing mammary health), fertility, and longevity. We found antagonistic genetic correlations, similar under both approaches, for fighting ability vs. milk, somatic cells, and fertility, Accordingly, we found only a slight causal effects of fighting ability on these traits (–0.012 to 0.059 in standardized value). However, we found genetic correlations opposite in sign between fighting ability and longevity under MTM (0.237) and SEM (–0.183), suggesting a strong causal effect (0.386 standardized) of fighting ability on longevity. In other words, MTM found a positive correlation between longevity and fighting ability, while SEM found a negative correlation. The explanation could be that for economic reasons dominant cows are kept in this population for longer, thus attaining greater longevity: using MTM, the economic importance of competitions probably covers the true genetic correlation among traits. This artificially simulates a natural situation where an antagonistic genetic correlation between longevity and fighting ability appears positive under MTM due to a non-genetic advantage obtained by the best fighters. The use of SEM to properly assess the relationships among traits is suggested in both evolutionary studies and animal breeding.

Genetic correlations between fertility traits and milk composition and fatty acids in Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Simmental cattle using recursive models

This study aimed to investigate the genetic and putative causal relationships between fertility traits [i.e., days open (DO) and calving rate (CR)] and milk quality, composition, and fatty acid contents (milk composition traits) in Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Simmental cattle, using recursive models within a Bayesian framework. Trivariate animal models were run, each including one fertility trait, one milk composition trait, and, in all models, milk yield. The DO and CR data were merged with the test days closest to the insemination date for milk composition traits. After editing, 16,468 to 23,424 records for Holstein-Friesian, 23,424 to 46,660 for Brown Swiss, and 26,105 to 35,574 for Simmental were available for the analyses. Recursive animal models were applied to investigate the possible causal influences of milk composition traits on fertility and the genetic relationships among these traits. The results suggested a potential cause-and-effect relationship between milk composition traits and fertility traits, with the first trait influencing the latter. We also found greater recursive effects of milk composition traits on DO than on CR, the latter with some putative differences among breeds in terms of sensitivity. For instance, the putative causal effects of somatic cell score on CR (on the observed scale, %) varied from -0.96 to -1.39%, depending on the breed. Concerning fatty acids, we found relevant putative effects of C18:0 on CR, with estimates varying from -7.8 to -9.9%. Protein and casein percentages, and short-chain fatty acid showed larger recursive effects on CR, whereas fat, protein, and casein percentages, C16:0, C18:0, and long-chain fatty acid had larger effects on DO. The results obtained suggested that these milk traits could be considered as effective indicators of the effects of animal metabolic and physiological status on fertility.

Genetics and genomics of reproductive disorders in Canadian Holstein cattle

In Canada, reproductive disorders known to affect the profitability of dairy cattle herds have been recorded by producers on a voluntary basis since 2007. Previous studies have shown the feasibility of using producer-recorded health data for genetic evaluations. Despite low heritability estimates and limited availability of phenotypic information, sufficient genetic variation has been observed for those traits to indicate that genetic progress, although slow, can be achieved. Pedigree- and genomic-based analyses were performed on producer-recorded health data of reproductive disorders, including retained placenta (RETP), metritis (METR), and cystic ovaries (CYST) using traditional BLUP and single-step genomic BLUP. Genome-wide association studies and functional analyses were carried out to unravel significant genomic regions and biological pathways, and to better understand the genetic mechanisms underlying RETP, METR, and CYST. Heritability estimates (posterior standard deviation in parentheses) were 0.02 (0.003), 0.01 (0.004), and 0.02 (0.003) for CYST, METR, and RETP, respectively. A moderate to strong genetic correlation of 0.69 (0.102) was found between METR and RETP. Averaged over all traits, sire proof reliabilities increased by approximately 11 percentage points with the incorporation of genomic data using a multiple-trait linear model. Biological pathways and associated genes underlying the studied traits were identified and will contribute to a better understanding of the biology of these 3 health disorders in dairy cattle.

Metabolic profiles using (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy in postpartum dairy cows with ovarian inactivity

To understand the differences in metabolic changes between cows with ovarian inactivity and estrus cows, we selected cows at 60-90 days postpartum from an intensive dairy farm. According to clinical manifestations, B-ultrasound scan, rectal examination, 10 cows were assigned to the estrus group (A) and 10 to the ovarian inactivity group (B). All plasma samples were analyzed by (1)H-nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to compare plasma metabolomic profiles between the groups. We used multivariate pattern recognition to screen for different metabolites in plasma of anestrus cows. Compared with normal estrous cows, there were abnormalities in 12 kinds of metabolites in postpartum cows with ovarian inactivity (|r|> 0.602), including an increase in acetic acid (r = -0.817), citric acid (r = -0.767), and tyrosine (r = -0.714), and a decrease in low-density lipoprotein (r = 0.820), very low-density lipoprotein (r = 0.828), lipids (r = 0.769), alanine (r = 0.816), pyruvate (r = 0.721), creatine (r = 0.801), choline (r = 0.639), phosphorylcholine (r = 0.741), and glycerophosphorylcholine (r = 0.881). These metabolites were closely related to abnormality of glucose, amino acid, lipoprotein and choline metabolism, which may disturb the normal estrus. The decrease in plasma creatine and the increase in tyrosine were new changes for ovarian inactivity of postpartum cows. The decrease in plasma creatine and choline and the increase in tyrosine and p-hydroxyphenylalanine in cows with ovarian inactivity provide new directions for research on the mechanism of ovarian inactivity in cows.