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Ask-Gullstrand P, Strandberg E, Båge R, Rius-Vilarrasa E, Berglund B. The effect of genetic defects on pregnancy loss in Swedish dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2024; 107:2999-3005. [PMID: 37977438 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2023-24159] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/05/2023] [Accepted: 11/06/2023] [Indexed: 11/19/2023]
Abstract
The effect of carrier status of 10 lethal recessive genetic defects on pregnancy maintenance in Swedish dairy cattle was examined. The genetic defects were Ayrshire Haplotype 1, Ayrshire Haplotype 2, BTA12, BTA23, and Brown Swiss Haplotype 2 in Red Dairy Cattle (RDC), and Holstein Haplotype 1, 3, 4, 6, and 7 (HH1-HH7) in Holstein. Effects of carrier status of BTA12 and HH3 on conception rate (CR), interval from first to last service (FLS), and milk production were also examined. Data were obtained for 1,429 herds in the Swedish milk recording system, while information on carrier status of genetic defects was obtained from the Nordic Cattle Genetic Evaluation. In total, data on 158,795 inseminations in 28,432 RDC and 22,018 Holstein females were available. Data permitted separate analyses of BTA12 and HH3, but carrier frequencies of other defects were too low to enable further analysis. Pregnancy loss was defined as failure to maintain pregnancy, where pregnancy status was confirmed with manual and chemical pregnancy diagnosis, insemination, calving, sales and culling data. Odds ratios (OR) and probabilities of pregnancy loss and CR were estimated using generalized linear mixed models, while pregnancy loss, CR, FLS, milk, protein, and fat yields were analyzed using linear mixed models. Pregnancy losses were reported on average within the first month post-AI. At-risk matings were more prone to suffer pregnancy loss in BTA12 (OR = 1.79) and HH3 carriers (OR = 1.77) than not-at-risk matings. At-risk matings also had lower CR (OR = 0.62 and 0.63 for BTA12 and HH3, respectively) than not-at-risk matings. Carrier females of BTA12 had longer FLS and higher milk production than noncarriers. Conception rate and pregnancy maintenance could be improved by avoiding at-risk matings. This finding could help reduce pregnancy loss due to genetic defects in the breeding program for improved fertility.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Ask-Gullstrand
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - E Strandberg
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - R Båge
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - B Berglund
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Vinet A, Mattalia S, Vallée R, Bertrand C, Barbat A, Promp J, Cuyabano BCD, Boichard D. Effect of temperature-humidity index on the evolution of trade-offs between fertility and production in dairy cattle. Genet Sel Evol 2024; 56:23. [PMID: 38553689 PMCID: PMC10979633 DOI: 10.1186/s12711-024-00889-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/01/2023] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/02/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND In the current context of climate change, livestock production faces many challenges to improve the sustainability of systems. Dairy farming, in particular, must find ways to select animals that will be able to achieve sufficient overall production while maintaining their reproductive ability in environments with increasing temperatures. With future forecasted climate conditions in mind, this study used data from Holstein and Montbeliarde dairy cattle to: (1) estimate the genetic-by-temperature-humidity index (THI) interactions for female fertility, and (2) evaluate the production-fertility trade-off with increasing values of THI. RESULTS Two-trait random regression models were fitted for conception rate (fertility) and test-day protein yield (production). For fertility, genetic correlations between different THI values were generally above 0.75, suggesting weak genotype-by-THI interactions for conception rate in both breeds. However, the genetic correlations between the conception rate breeding values at the current average THI (THI = 50, corresponding to a 24-h average temperature of 8 °C at 50% relative humidity) and their slopes (i.e., potential reranking) for heat stress scenarios (THI > 70), were different for each breed. For Montbeliarde, this correlation tended to be positive (i.e., overall the best reproducers are less affected by heat stress), whereas for Holstein it was approximately zero. Finally, our results indicated a weak antagonism between production and fertility, although for Montbeliarde this antagonism intensified with increasing THI. CONCLUSIONS Within the range of weather conditions studied, increasing temperatures are not expected to exacerbate the fertility-production trade-off. However, our results indicated that the animals with the best breeding values for production today will be the most affected by temperature increases, both in terms of fertility and production. Nonetheless, these animals should remain among the most productive ones during heat waves. For Montbeliarde, the current selection program for fertility seems to be adequate for ensuring the adaptation of fertility traits to temperature increases, without adverse effects on production. Such a conclusion cannot be drawn for Holstein. In the future, the incorporation of a heat tolerance index into dairy cattle breeding programs would be valuable to promote the selection of animals adapted to future climate conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Aurélie Vinet
- Université Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France.
| | | | | | | | - Anne Barbat
- Université Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | | | - Beatriz C D Cuyabano
- Université Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
| | - Didier Boichard
- Université Paris Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, GABI, 78350, Jouy-en-Josas, France
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Zhu K, Li T, Liu D, Wang S, Wang S, Wang Q, Pan Y, Zan L, Ma P. Estimation of genetic parameters for fertility traits in Chinese Holstein of south China. Front Genet 2024; 14:1288375. [PMID: 38235000 PMCID: PMC10791758 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2023.1288375] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/04/2023] [Accepted: 11/28/2023] [Indexed: 01/19/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction: Chinese Holstein in South China suffer heat stress for a long period, which leads to evolutionary differences from Chinese Holstein in North China. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters of fertility traits for Chinese Holstein in South China. Methods: A total of 167,840 Chinese Holstein heifers and cows from Guangming Animal Husbandry Co., LTD farms were used in this study. The fertility traits analyzed were calving interval (CI), days open (DO), age of first service (AFS), age of first calving (AFC), calving to first insemination (CTFS), first insemination to conception (FSTC), gestation length (GL), non-return rate to 56 days (NRR), and number of services (NS). Results: The descriptive statistics revealed that the same trait in heifers performed better than in cows, which was consistent with the other studies. The heritabilities of fertility traits in this study ranged from close to 0 (for NS of cows) to 0.2474 (for AFC of heifers). The genetic correlation of NRR between heifers and cows was 0.9993, which indicates that the NRR for heifers and cows could be treated as one trait in this population. Conclusion: The heritabilities of fertility traits in Chinese Holstein in south China were quite different from the heritabilities of fertility traits in North China. NRR56, NS, AFC, and CI were suggested to be included into the selection index to improve fertility performance of Chinsese Holstein of south China. The results of this study could provide genetic parameters for the animal breeding program of Chinese Holstein in the south of China.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kai Zhu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- Bright Dairy & Food Co., Ltd., Shanghai, China
| | - Tuowu Li
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Dengying Liu
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Shiyi Wang
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
| | - Sihu Wang
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Qishan Wang
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yuchun Pan
- Department of Animal Science, College of Animal Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Linsen Zan
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
- National Beef Cattle Improvement Center, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, China
| | - Peipei Ma
- Shanghai Collaborative Innovation Center of Agri-Seeds, School of Agriculture and Biology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
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4
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Bouquet A, Slagboom M, Thomasen JR, Friggens NC, Kargo M, Puillet L. Combined mechanistic and genetic modelling to benchmark body reserve traits as proxies of dairy cows' lifetime efficiency in grass-based production systems. Animal 2024; 18:101035. [PMID: 38086280 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.101035] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/13/2023] [Revised: 11/09/2023] [Accepted: 11/10/2023] [Indexed: 01/17/2024] Open
Abstract
Improving lifetime lactation efficiency of dairy cows by selection is difficult due to the complexity of this trait and the existence of genotype-by-environment interactions. This study aimed at assessing the relevance of traits derived from body reserves as lifetime efficiency indicators under contrasting nutritional environments. Given the absence of large-scale datasets covering a panel of feeding regimes, phenotypes were simulated for populations of 20 000 dairy cows using a mechanistic bioenergetic model. Ten phenotypes were computed for third-lactation cows. Analysed phenotypes comprised total milk production, lactation efficiency, BW at calving (BWcalv), DM intake (DMI) and interval between first insemination and conception. Five traits described levels and changes of body reserves at different periods during lactation. Lifetime lactation efficiency was computed for all cows (Life_Eff). Three nutritional environments were defined considering a grass-based production system with seasonal calving: a high non-limiting scenario (HS) mimicking ad libitum access to feed and two limiting environments with moderate (MS) and low (LS) feed offer. Variance components were estimated for all traits within and between environments using REML. Heritabilities estimated for milk production, lactation efficiency, BWcalv and DMI were moderate in the different environments (0.27-0.35 ± 0.04). The heritability of body reserve levels and dynamics were moderate in the HS and MS scenarios (0.23-0.30 ± 0.03) and lower in the LS scenario (0.14-0.25 ± 0.03). The heritability of Life_Eff was low in the HS environment (0.07 ± 0.01) and slightly increased in the limiting environments. All genetic correlations estimated between environments were moderate to high (≥0.66 ± 0.07), suggesting low to moderate genotype-by-environment interactions. Estimated genetic correlations were moderate between Life_Eff and body reserve levels (from 0.39 to 0.51 ± 0.08) and moderate but negative between Life_Eff and change in body reserves traits (-0.27 to -0.37 ± 0.09) in the HS environment. The genetic correlations between Life_Eff and body reserve levels increased to higher values in the limiting environments. In contrast, genetic correlations between Life_Eff and the changes in body reserves were closer to zero. In conclusion, this study showed that body reserve levels were relevant proxies of lifetime irrespective of the environment. In contrast, changes in body reserves that reflected energy mobilisation in early lactation were less informative about lifetime efficiency in environments with severe feed restrictions.
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Affiliation(s)
- A Bouquet
- QGG Center, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark.
| | - M Slagboom
- QGG Center, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - J R Thomasen
- VikingGenetics, Ebeltoftvej 16, 8960 Randers SØ, Denmark
| | - N C Friggens
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants, 91120 Palaiseau, France
| | - M Kargo
- QGG Center, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark
| | - L Puillet
- Université Paris-Saclay, INRAE, AgroParisTech, UMR Modélisation Systémique Appliquée aux Ruminants, 91120 Palaiseau, France
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5
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Ask-Gullstrand P, Strandberg E, Båge R, Berglund B. Genetic parameters of pregnancy loss in dairy cows estimated from pregnancy-associated glycoproteins in milk. J Dairy Sci 2023; 106:6316-6324. [PMID: 37479576 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-23007] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/09/2022] [Accepted: 03/09/2023] [Indexed: 07/23/2023]
Abstract
This study examined the feasibility of using pregnancy-associated glycoproteins (PAG) in milk within breeding for pregnancy maintenance and assessed the genetic variation in pregnancy loss traits. A total of 374,206 PAG samples from 41,889 Swedish Red (SR) and 82,187 Swedish Holstein (SH) cows were collected at monthly test-day milkings in 1,119 Swedish herds. Pregnancy status was defined based on PAG levels and confirmed by data on artificial insemination (AI), calving, and culling from d 1 postinsemination to calving. Pregnancy loss traits were defined as embryonic loss (diagnosed 28 d to 41 d after AI), fetal loss (42 d after AI until calving), and total pregnancy loss. Least squares means (± standard error, %) and genetic parameters were estimated using mixed linear models. Heritability was estimated to be 0.02, 0.02, and 0.03 for embryonic loss, fetal loss, and total pregnancy loss, respectively. Cows with pregnancy loss had lower PAG concentrations than cows which successfully maintained pregnancy and calved. PAG recording was limited to monthly test-day milking, resulting in low estimated embryonic loss (17.5 ± 0.4 and 18.7 ± 0.4 in SR and SH, respectively) and higher fetal loss (32.8 ± 0.5 and 35.1 ± 0.5 in SR and SH, respectively). Pregnancy loss might have occurred earlier but remained undetected until the next test-day milking, when it was recorded as fetal loss rather than embryonic loss. Estimated genetic correlation between embryonic and fetal pregnancy loss traits and classical fertility traits were in general high. Identification of novel genetic traits from PAG data can be highly specific, as PAG are only secreted by the placenta. Thus, PAG could be useful indicators in selection to genetically improve pregnancy maintenance and reduce reproductive losses in milk production. Further studies are needed to clarify how these results could be applied in breeding programs concurrent with selection for classical fertility traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Ask-Gullstrand
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - E Strandberg
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - R Båge
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - B Berglund
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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6
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Hu HH, Li F, Mu T, Han LY, Feng XF, Ma YF, Jiang Y, Xue XS, Du BQ, Li RR, Ma Y. Genetic analysis of longevity and their associations with fertility traits in Holstein cattle. Animal 2023; 17:100851. [PMID: 37263130 DOI: 10.1016/j.animal.2023.100851] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/05/2022] [Revised: 04/28/2023] [Accepted: 05/02/2023] [Indexed: 06/03/2023] Open
Abstract
The increase of longevity is intended to reduce involuntary culling rates, not extend the life span, and it reflects the ability of animals to successfully cope with the environment and disease during production. Sire model, animal model and repeatability animal models were used to estimate the (co) variance components of longevity and fertility traits. Six longevity and thirteen fertility traits were analysed, including herd life (HL), productive life (PL), number of days between first calving and the end of first lactation or culling (L1); number of days between first calving and the end of the second lactation or culling (L2); number of days between first calving and the end of the third lactation or culling (L3); number of days between first calving and the end of the fourth lactation or culling (L4); age at first service, age at first calving (AFC), the interval from first to last inseminations in heifer (IFLh), conception rate of first insemination in heifer, days open (DO), calving interval, gestation length, interval from calving to first insemination (ICF), interval from first to last inseminations in cow (IFLc), conception rate of first insemination in cow, calving ease (CE), birth weight, and calf survival. The estimated heritabilities (±SE) were 0.018 (±0.003), 0.015 (±0.003), 0.049 (±0.004), 0.025 (±0.003), 0.009 (±0.002) and 0.011 (±0.002) for HL, PL, L1, L2, L3 and L4, respectively. Strong correlations were appeared in HL and PL; the genetic and phenotypic correlation coefficients were 0.998 and 0.985, respectively. There were high genetic and phenotypic correlations which were observed in L1 and L2, L2 and L3, L3 and L4, respectively. All fertility traits of heifer showed medium to high heritability, while the cow showed low heritability. All heifer fertility traits had low genetic associations with longevity traits, ranging from -0.018 (L2 and IFLh) to 0.257 (L3 and AFC). Most of the fertility traits showed negative correlations with longevity traits in different parities, and we recommend DO, ICF, IFLc and CE as indirect indicators of longevity traits in dairy cows, but we also need to take into account the differences between parities.
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Affiliation(s)
- H H Hu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - F Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - T Mu
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - L Y Han
- Ningxia Agriculture Reclamation Helanshan Dairy Co. Ltd, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - X F Feng
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Y F Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Y Jiang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction Shaanxi Province, College of Animal Science and Technology, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi 712100, China
| | - X S Xue
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - B Q Du
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - R R Li
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China
| | - Y Ma
- College of Animal Science and Technology, Ningxia Key Laboratory of Ruminant Molecular and Cellular Breeding, Ningxia University, Yinchuan 750021, China.
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7
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Tamargo C, Salman A, Caamaño JN, Martínez-Pastor F, Fernández Á, Muiño R, Carbajo MT, Hidalgo CO. Characterization of the Germplasm Bank for the Spanish Autochthonous Bull Breed "Asturiana de la Montaña". Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13081402. [PMID: 37106966 PMCID: PMC10135365 DOI: 10.3390/ani13081402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2023] [Revised: 04/08/2023] [Accepted: 04/16/2023] [Indexed: 04/29/2023] Open
Abstract
Semen cryobanks are critical for preserving autochthonous and rare breeds. Since sperm cryopreservation has been optimized for commercial breeds, non-commercial ones (often endangered) must be characterized to ensure the germplasm's viability. This study reports an investigation of the "Asturiana de la Montaña" breed (AM), a valuable Spanish autochthonous cattle breed adapted to the mountainous Atlantic environment. The survey included cryopreserved semen doses from 40 bulls stored at the Principado de Asturias Germplasm Bank. Data were obtained from the routine fresh semen analysis, CASA (motility), and flow cytometry analyses of fresh and post-thawing semen, and the 56-day non-return-rate (NRR) in heifers and cows (all results as 1st and 3rd quartiles). Fresh samples (artificial vagina) were within the normal range for cattle (4-6 mL, 5-10 × 109/mL; mass motility 5). Post-thawing results showed motility below typical for commercial breeds (total motility 26-43%, progressive 14-28%), with higher values for viability (47-62%). Insemination results showed a good performance for this breed (NRR: 47-56%; higher for heifers). Sperm volume increased with age, with little or no effects on sperm quality. Few associations were found between post-thawing quality or freezability and NRR, LIN being the variable more strongly associated (positively). The AM semen bank shows a good prospect for preserving and disseminating the genetics of this breed. This survey indicates that dedicated research is needed to adapt freezing protocols to this breed, optimizing post-thawing results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carolina Tamargo
- Selección y Reproducción Animal-SERIDA, Principado de Asturias, 33394 Gijón, Spain
| | - Amer Salman
- INDEGSAL and IMAPOR, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Jose Néstor Caamaño
- Selección y Reproducción Animal-SERIDA, Principado de Asturias, 33394 Gijón, Spain
| | - Felipe Martínez-Pastor
- INDEGSAL and IMAPOR, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
- Department of Molecular Biology (Cell Biology), Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
| | - Ángel Fernández
- Selección y Reproducción Animal-SERIDA, Principado de Asturias, 33394 Gijón, Spain
| | - Rodrigo Muiño
- Department of Animal Patology, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, 15705 Santiago de Compostela, Spain
| | - María Teresa Carbajo
- Department of Medicine, Surgery and Veterinary Anatomy, Universidad de León, 24071 León, Spain
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Ghavi Hossein-Zadeh N. A meta-analysis of the genetic contribution estimates to major indicators for ketosis in dairy cows. Res Vet Sci 2022; 153:8-16. [PMID: 36272179 DOI: 10.1016/j.rvsc.2022.10.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2022] [Revised: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 10/10/2022] [Indexed: 11/09/2022]
Abstract
The present study aimed to perform a meta-analysis using the random-effects model to merge published genetic parameter estimates for major indicators of ketosis [milk concentrations of acetone (ACETm) and β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBAm), and blood concentration of β-hydroxybutyrate (BHBAb)] in dairy cows. Overall, 51 heritability estimates and 130 genetic correlations from 19 papers published between 2012 and 2022 were used in this study. The average heritability estimates for ACETm, BHBAm, and BHBAb were 0.164, 0.123, and 0.141, respectively. The genetic correlation estimates between BHBAm and milk yield (MY), milk protein percentage (PP), and body condition score (BCS) were negative and moderate (-0.252, -0.200, and - 0.314, respectively). Genetic correlation estimates between BHBAm and milk fat percentage (FP), milk fat to protein ratio (FPR), and ketosis (KET) were moderate to high (0.411, 0.512, and 0.614, respectively). The genetic correlation estimates between BHBAb and MY and FP were low and equal to 0.128 and 0.035, respectively. The genetic correlation estimates between ACETm-MY and ACETm-PP were negative and moderate (-0.374 and - 0.398, respectively). Estimates of genetic correlation between ACETm and FP, FPR, and KET were moderate to high (0.455, 0.626, and 0.876, respectively). The results of this meta-analysis indicated the existence of additive genetic variation for ketosis indicator metabolites which could be exploited in genetic selection programs to reduce ketosis in dairy cows. Moreover, the results propose that selection for lower concentrations of indicator traits could be an effective plan for indirect improvement of production and reproduction performance, and health in dairy cows.
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9
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Sigdel A, Bisinotto RS, Peñagaricano F. Genetic analysis of fetal loss in Holstein cattle. J Dairy Sci 2022; 105:9012-9020. [PMID: 36175228 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2022-22000] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/21/2022] [Accepted: 06/27/2022] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
Pregnancy loss is recognized as one of the major factors contributing to poor reproductive performance in dairy cattle. Here, we performed a comprehensive genetic analysis of fetal loss, defined as a pregnancy loss that occurs after detection of a viable embryo around 42 d of gestation. The objectives of this study were to reveal (1) whether fetal loss is heritable and, hence, whether it will respond to selection, and (2) to what extent current fertility traits, such as daughter pregnancy rate, are associated with fetal loss. Data consisted of 59,308 confirmed pregnancy or fetal loss records distributed across nulliparous heifers and primiparous and multiparous cows. We defined fetal loss as a binary trait (yes vs. no) or as an ordinal trait (pregnancy maintenance, early fetal loss ≤150 d of gestation, and late fetal loss >150 d of gestation), and we assessed both linear and threshold models. Heritability estimates for fetal loss ranged from 1 to 18%, depending upon parity, trait definition, and statistical model used. Heritability estimates were greater for lactating cows than for nonlactating nulliparous heifers. Threshold models were able to capture more additive genetic variance and, thus, yielded higher heritability estimates than linear models. Notably, fetal loss traits were highly genetically correlated with each other but only weakly correlated with current fertility traits included in the national genetic evaluation. Overall, our study provides evidence that fetal loss is heritable enough to make genetic selection for reducing fetal loss and improving pregnancy maintenance feasible. In addition, our results suggest that fetal loss is largely independent from current traits used to select for cow fertility, and thus current breeding efforts have unfortunately little effect on reducing the incidence of fetal loss.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anil Sigdel
- Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison 53706
| | - Rafael S Bisinotto
- Department of Large Animal Clinical Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611
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Otwinowska-Mindur A, Ptak E, Jagusiak W, Zarnecki A. Estimation of Genetic Parameters for Female Fertility Traits in the Polish Holstein-Friesian Population. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12121485. [PMID: 35739822 PMCID: PMC9219430 DOI: 10.3390/ani12121485] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/17/2022] [Revised: 05/26/2022] [Accepted: 06/06/2022] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Female fertility is an important functional trait in dairy cattle. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for some fertility traits of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. The results indicate that a few analyzed traits could be of use in genetic evaluation of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. Abstract The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for the analyzed fertility traits of Polish Holstein-Friesian primiparous and multiparous cows, as a step toward the incorporation of new traits into routine genetic evaluation. Lactation records of 116,836 Polish Holstein-Friesian cows were studied. The records cover the first three lactations of all cows. The cows, daughters of 2884 sires, were calved from 2006 to 2020. The conception rate for heifers (CRh) and for cows in the second (CR2) and third parity (CR3), the interval from first calving to first insemination (CTFI), the days open (DO), and the interval from first to successful insemination for heifers (FSh) and for cows in second (FS2) and third (FS3) parity were analyzed. The BLUPf90 package and a Bayesian method via Gibbs sampling were used to estimate (co)variance components. In general, all heritabilities were low and ranged from 0.013 (CTFI) to 0.038 (FS2). The heritability of conception rate and interval from first to successful insemination was slightly lower for heifers than for cows. Genetic correlations were moderate to high with two exceptions: correlation of CTFI with CRh (0.033) and with FSh (−0.051). The results indicate that a few analyzed traits could be used in genetic evaluation of Polish Holstein-Friesian cows. It is suggested to complement the selection index with traits for both heifers and cows, such as the interval from first to successful insemination (i.e., FSh, FS2 and FS3), in order to enable effective improvement of female fertility scores in the Polish Holstein-Friesian population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Agnieszka Otwinowska-Mindur
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
| | - Ewa Ptak
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
| | - Wojciech Jagusiak
- Department of Genetics, Animal Breeding and Ethology, University of Agriculture in Krakow, al. Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
| | - Andrzej Zarnecki
- National Research Institute of Animal Production, ul. Krakowska 1, 32-083 Balice, Poland
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Chen SY, Schenkel FS, Melo ALP, Oliveira HR, Pedrosa VB, Araujo AC, Melka MG, Brito LF. Identifying pleiotropic variants and candidate genes for fertility and reproduction traits in Holstein cattle via association studies based on imputed whole-genome sequence genotypes. BMC Genomics 2022; 23:331. [PMID: 35484513 PMCID: PMC9052698 DOI: 10.1186/s12864-022-08555-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/05/2021] [Accepted: 04/12/2022] [Indexed: 02/06/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Genetic progress for fertility and reproduction traits in dairy cattle has been limited due to the low heritability of most indicator traits. Moreover, most of the quantitative trait loci (QTL) and candidate genes associated with these traits remain unknown. In this study, we used 5.6 million imputed DNA sequence variants (single nucleotide polymorphisms, SNPs) for genome-wide association studies (GWAS) of 18 fertility and reproduction traits in Holstein cattle. Aiming to identify pleiotropic variants and increase detection power, multiple-trait analyses were performed using a method to efficiently combine the estimated SNP effects of single-trait GWAS based on a chi-square statistic. Results There were 87, 72, and 84 significant SNPs identified for heifer, cow, and sire traits, respectively, which showed a wide and distinct distribution across the genome, suggesting that they have relatively distinct polygenic nature. The biological functions of immune response and fatty acid metabolism were significantly enriched for the 184 and 124 positional candidate genes identified for heifer and cow traits, respectively. No known biological function was significantly enriched for the 147 positional candidate genes found for sire traits. The most important chromosomes that had three or more significant QTL identified are BTA22 and BTA23 for heifer traits, BTA8 and BTA17 for cow traits, and BTA4, BTA7, BTA17, BTA22, BTA25, and BTA28 for sire traits. Several novel and biologically important positional candidate genes were strongly suggested for heifer (SOD2, WTAP, DLEC1, PFKFB4, TRIM27, HECW1, DNAH17, and ADAM3A), cow (ANXA1, PCSK5, SPESP1, and JMJD1C), and sire (ELMO1, CFAP70, SOX30, DGCR8, SEPTIN14, PAPOLB, JMJD1C, and NELL2) traits. Conclusions These findings contribute to better understand the underlying biological mechanisms of fertility and reproduction traits measured in heifers, cows, and sires, which may contribute to improve genomic evaluation for these traits in dairy cattle. Supplementary Information The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12864-022-08555-z.
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Affiliation(s)
- Shi-Yi Chen
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, 270 S. Russell Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2041, USA.,Farm Animal Genetic Resources Exploration and Innovation Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Agricultural University, Chengdu, 611130, Sichuan, China
| | - Flavio S Schenkel
- Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Ana L P Melo
- Department of Reproduction and Animal Evaluation, Rural Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Seropédica, RJ, 23897-000, Brazil
| | - Hinayah R Oliveira
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, 270 S. Russell Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2041, USA.,Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada
| | - Victor B Pedrosa
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, 270 S. Russell Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2041, USA.,Department of Animal Sciences, State University of Ponta Grossa, Ponta Grossa, PR, 84030-900, Brazil
| | - Andre C Araujo
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, 270 S. Russell Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2041, USA
| | - Melkaye G Melka
- Department of Animal and Food Science, University of Wisconsin River Falls, River Falls, WI, 54022, USA
| | - Luiz F Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, 270 S. Russell Street, West Lafayette, IN, 47907-2041, USA. .,Centre for Genetic Improvement of Livestock, Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
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12
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Fathoni A, Boonkum W, Chankitisakul V, Duangjinda M. An Appropriate Genetic Approach for Improving Reproductive Traits in Crossbred Thai-Holstein Cattle under Heat Stress Conditions. Vet Sci 2022; 9:vetsci9040163. [PMID: 35448661 PMCID: PMC9031002 DOI: 10.3390/vetsci9040163] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 03/19/2022] [Accepted: 03/26/2022] [Indexed: 01/16/2023] Open
Abstract
Thailand is a tropical country affected by global climate change and has high temperatures and humidity that cause heat stress in livestock. A temperature−humidity index (THI) is required to assess and evaluate heat stress levels in livestock. One of the livestock types in Thailand experiencing heat stress due to extreme climate change is crossbred dairy cattle. Genetic evaluations of heat tolerance in dairy cattle have been carried out for reproductive traits. Heritability values for reproductive traits are generally low (<0.10) because environmental factors heavily influence them. Consequently, genetic improvement for these traits would be slow compared to production traits. Positive and negative genetic correlations were found between reproductive traits and reproductive traits and yield traits. Several selection methods for reproductive traits have been introduced, i.e., the traditional method, marker-assisted selection (MAS), and genomic selection (GS). GS is the most promising technique and provides accurate results with a high genetic gain. Single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) has higher accuracy than the multi-step equivalent for fertility traits or low-heritability traits.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akhmad Fathoni
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (A.F.); (W.B.); (V.C.)
- Department of Animal Breeding and Reproduction, Faculty of Animal Science, Universitas Gadjah Mada, Yogyakarta 55281, Indonesia
| | - Wuttigrai Boonkum
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (A.F.); (W.B.); (V.C.)
- Network Center for Animal Breeding and OMICS Research, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Vibuntita Chankitisakul
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (A.F.); (W.B.); (V.C.)
- Network Center for Animal Breeding and OMICS Research, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
| | - Monchai Duangjinda
- Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand; (A.F.); (W.B.); (V.C.)
- Network Center for Animal Breeding and OMICS Research, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen 40002, Thailand
- Correspondence: ; Tel.: +66-81-872-4207
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13
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Chen Z, Brito LF, Luo H, Shi R, Chang Y, Liu L, Guo G, Wang Y. Genetic and Genomic Analyses of Service Sire Effect on Female Reproductive Traits in Holstein Cattle. Front Genet 2021; 12:713575. [PMID: 34539741 PMCID: PMC8446201 DOI: 10.3389/fgene.2021.713575] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/03/2021] [Indexed: 12/19/2022] Open
Abstract
Fertility and reproductive performance are key drivers of dairy farm profitability. Hence, reproduction traits have been included in a large majority of worldwide dairy cattle selection indexes. The reproductive traits are lowly heritable but can be improved through direct genetic selection. However, most scientific studies and dairy cattle breeding programs have focused solely on the genetic effects of the dam (GED) on reproductive performance and, therefore, ignored the contribution of the service sire in the phenotypic outcomes. This study aimed to investigate the service sire effects on female reproductive traits in Holstein cattle from a genomic perspective. Genetic parameter estimation and genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were performed for the genetic effect of service sire (GESS) on conception rate (CR), 56-day non-return rate (NRR56), calving ease (CE), stillbirth (SB), and gestation length (GL). Our findings indicate that the additive genetic effects of both sire and dam contribute to the phenotypic variance of reproductive traits measured in females (0.0196 vs. 0.0109, 0.0237 vs. 0.0133, 0.0040 vs. 0.0289, 0.0782 vs. 0.0083, and 0.1024 vs. 0.1020 for GESS and GED heritability estimates for CR, NRR56, CE, SB, and GL, respectively), and these two genetic effects are positively correlated for SB (0.1394) and GL (0.7871). Interestingly, the breeding values for GESS on insemination success traits (CR and NRR56) are unfavorably and significantly correlated with some production, health, and type breeding values (ranging from -0.449 to 0.274), while the GESS values on calving traits (CE, SB, and GL) are usually favorably associated with those traits (ranging from -0.493 to 0.313). One hundred sixty-two significant single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their surrounding protein-coding genes were identified as significantly associated with GESS and GED, respectively. Six genes overlapped between GESS and GED for calving traits and 10 genes overlapped between GESS for success traits and calving traits. Our findings indicate the importance of considering the GESS when genetically evaluating the female reproductive traits in Holstein cattle.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ziwei Chen
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Luiz F. Brito
- Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, United States
| | - Hanpeng Luo
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Rui Shi
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Yao Chang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
| | - Lin Liu
- Beijing Dairy Cattle Center, Beijing, China
| | - Gang Guo
- Beijing Sunlon Livestock Development Company Limited, Beijing, China
| | - Yachun Wang
- Key Laboratory of Animal Genetics, Breeding and Reproduction, MARA, National Engineering Laboratory of Animal Breeding, College of Animal Science and Technology, China Agricultural University, Beijing, China
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14
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Þórarinsdóttir Þ, Eriksson S, Albertsdóttir E. Genetic parameters and genetic trends of female fertility in Icelandic dairy cattle. Livest Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104628] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/20/2022]
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15
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Zamorano-Algandar R, Sánchez-Castro MA, Hernández-Cordero AI, Enns RM, Speidel SE, Thomas MG, Medrano JF, Rincón G, Leyva-Corona JC, Luna-Nevárez G, Reyna-Granados JR, Luna-Nevárez P. Molecular marker prediction for days open and pregnancy rate in Holstein cows managed in a warm climate. Livest Sci 2021. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2021.104536] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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16
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Martinez-Castillero M, Pegolo S, Sartori C, Toledo-Alvarado H, Varona L, Degano L, Vicario D, Finocchiaro R, Bittante G, Cecchinato A. Genetic correlations between fertility traits and milk composition and fatty acids in Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Simmental cattle using recursive models. J Dairy Sci 2021; 104:6832-6846. [PMID: 33773778 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19694] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 02/01/2021] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
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.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Martinez-Castillero
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, viale dell' Università 16 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
| | - S Pegolo
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, viale dell' Università 16 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy.
| | - C Sartori
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, viale dell' Università 16 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
| | - H Toledo-Alvarado
- Department of Genetics and Biostatistics, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria 3000, Mexico City 04510, Mexico
| | - L Varona
- Unidad de Genética Cuantitativa y Mejora Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle de Miguel Servet 177, 50013 Zaragoza, Spain
| | - L Degano
- Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Razza Pezzata Rossa Italiana (ANAPRI), Udine 33100, Italy
| | - D Vicario
- Associazione Nazionale Allevatori Razza Pezzata Rossa Italiana (ANAPRI), Udine 33100, Italy
| | - R Finocchiaro
- Associazione Nazionale Allevatori bovini della razza Frisona e Jersey Italiana (ANAFIJ), Via Bergamo 292, 26100 Cremona, Italy
| | - G Bittante
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, viale dell' Università 16 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
| | - A Cecchinato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, viale dell' Università 16 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
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Ask-Gullstrand P, Strandberg E, Båge R, Christensen JM, Berglund B. Genetic parameters for reproductive losses estimated from in-line milk progesterone profiles in Swedish dairy cattle. J Dairy Sci 2020; 104:3231-3239. [PMID: 33358783 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19385] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/02/2020] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
This study assessed the extent of reproductive losses and associated genetic parameters in dairy cattle, using in-line milk progesterone records for 14 Swedish herds collected by DeLaval's Herd Navigator. A total of 330,071 progesterone samples were linked to 10,219 inseminations (AI) from 5,238 lactations in 1,457 Swedish Red and 1,847 Swedish Holstein cows. Pregnancy loss traits were defined as early embryonic loss (1-24 d after AI), late embryonic loss (25-41 d after AI), fetal loss (42 d after AI until calving), and total pregnancy loss (from d 1 after AI until calving). The following classical fertility traits were also analyzed: interval from calving to first service, interval from calving to last service, interval between first and last service, calving interval, and number of inseminations per service period. Least squares means with standard error (LSM ± SE), heritabilities, and genetic correlations were estimated in a mixed linear model. Fixed effects included breed, parity (1, 2, ≥3), estrus cycle number when the AI took place, and a linear regression on 305-d milk yield. Herd by year and season of AI, cow, and permanent environmental effect were considered random effects. Extensive (approximately 45%) early embryonic loss was found, but with no difference between the breeds. Swedish Red was superior to Swedish Holstein in the remaining pregnancy loss traits with, respectively: late embryonic loss of 6.1 ± 1.2% compared with 13.3 ± 1.1%, fetal loss of 7.0 ± 1.2% compared with 12.3 ± 1.2%, and total pregnancy loss of 54.4 ± 1.4% compared with 60.6 ± 1.4%. Swedish Red also had shorter calving to first service and calving to last service than Swedish Holstein. Estimated heritability was 0.03, 0.06, and 0.02 for early embryonic, late embryonic, and total pregnancy loss, respectively. Milk yield was moderately genetically correlated with both early and late embryonic loss (0.52 and 0.39, respectively). The pregnancy loss traits were also correlated with several classical fertility traits (-0.46 to 0.92). In conclusion, Swedish Red cows had lower reproductive loss during late embryonic stage, fetal stage, and in total, and better fertility than Swedish Holstein cows. The heritability estimates for pregnancy loss traits were of the same order of magnitude as previously reported for classical fertility traits. These findings could be valuable in work to determine genetic variation in reproductive loss and its potential usefulness as an alternative fertility trait to be considered in genetic or genomic evaluations.
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Affiliation(s)
- P Ask-Gullstrand
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - E Strandberg
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | - R Båge
- Department of Clinical Sciences, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7054, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden; Växa Sverige, PO Box 30204, SE-104 25 Stockholm, Sweden
| | | | - B Berglund
- Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, PO Box 7023, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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Poppe M, Bonekamp G, van Pelt ML, Mulder HA. Genetic analysis of resilience indicators based on milk yield records in different lactations and at different lactation stages. J Dairy Sci 2020; 104:1967-1981. [PMID: 33309360 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-19245] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/08/2020] [Accepted: 09/18/2020] [Indexed: 01/04/2023]
Abstract
Resilience is the ability of cows to cope with disturbances, such as pathogens or heat waves. To breed for improved resilience, it is important to know whether resilience genetically changes throughout life. Therefore, the aim was to perform a genetic analysis on 2 resilience indicators based on data from 3 periods of the first lactation (d 11-110, 111-210, and 211-340) and the first 3 full lactations, and to estimate genetic correlations with health traits. The resilience indicators were the natural log-transformed variance (LnVar) and lag-1 autocorrelation (rauto) of daily deviations in milk yield from an expected lactation curve. Low LnVar and rauto indicate low variability in daily milk yield and quick recovery, and were expected to indicate good resilience. Data of 200,084 first, 155,784 second, and 89,990 third lactations were used. Heritabilities were similar based on different lactation periods (0.12-0.15 for LnVar, 0.05-0.06 for rauto). However, the heritabilities of the resilience indicators based on full first lactation were higher than those based on lactation periods (0.20 for LnVar, 0.08 for rauto), due to lower residual variances. Heritabilities decreased from 0.20 in full lactation 1 to 0.19 in full lactation 3 for LnVar and from 0.08 to 0.06 for rauto. For LnVar, as well as for rauto, the strongest genetic correlation between lactation periods was between period 2 and 3 (0.97 for LnVar, 0.96 for rauto) and the weakest between period 1 and 3 (0.81 for LnVar, 0.65 for rauto). Similarly, for both traits the genetic correlation between full lactations was strongest between lactations 2 and 3 (0.99 for LnVar, 0.95 for rauto) and weakest between lactations 1 and 3 (0.91 for LnVar, 0.71 for rauto). For LnVar, genetic correlations with resilience-related traits, such as udder health, ketosis, and longevity, adjusted for correlations with milk yield, were almost always favorable (-0.59 to 0.02). In most cases these genetic correlations were stronger based on full lactations than on lactation periods. Genetic correlations were similar across full lactations, but the correlation with udder health increased substantially from -0.31 in lactation 1 to -0.51 in lactation 3. For rauto, genetic correlations with resilience-related traits were always favorable in lactation period 1 and in most full lactations, but not in the other lactation periods. However, correlations were weak (-0.27 to 0.15). Therefore, as a resilience indicator for breeding, LnVar is preferred over rauto. A multitrait index based on estimated breeding values for LnVar in lactations 1, 2, and 3 is recommended to improve resilience throughout the lifetime of a cow.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Poppe
- Wageningen University & Research, Animal Breeding and Genomics, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands.
| | - G Bonekamp
- Wageningen University & Research, Animal Breeding and Genomics, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands
| | - M L van Pelt
- Cooperation CRV, Animal Evaluation Unit, PO Box 454, 6800 AL Arnhem, the Netherlands
| | - H A Mulder
- Wageningen University & Research, Animal Breeding and Genomics, PO Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands
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Martinez-Castillero M, Toledo-Alvarado H, Pegolo S, Vazquez AI, de Los Campos G, Varona L, Finocchiaro R, Bittante G, Cecchinato A. Genetic parameters for fertility traits assessed in herds divergent in milk energy output in Holstein-Friesian, Brown Swiss, and Simmental cattle. J Dairy Sci 2020; 103:11545-11558. [PMID: 33222858 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-18934] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/21/2020] [Accepted: 09/02/2020] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
In this study, we aimed to investigate differences in the genetics of fertility traits (heritability of traits and correlations between traits in divergent environments) in dairy cows of different production levels defined on the basis of the herd-average daily milk energy output (herd-dMEO). Data were obtained from Holstein-Friesian (n = 37,359 for fertility traits, 381,334 for dMEO), Brown Swiss (n = 79,638 for fertility traits, 665,697 for dMEO), and Simmental cows (n = 63,048 for fertility traits, 448,445 for dMEO) reared in northeastern Italy. Fertility traits under study were interval from calving to first service, interval from first service to conception, days open, calving interval, calving rate, and nonreturn rate at d 56. We classified herds into low and high productivity based on the herd-average dMEO (inferred using mixed effects models). We estimated genetic parameters using Bayesian bivariate animal models, where expressions of a phenotype in the low and high dMEO herds were taken as being different-albeit correlated-traits. Fertility traits were more favorable in Simmental than in Holstein-Friesian cows, whereas for all traits, Holstein-Friesian had the highest estimates of intraherd heritability [ranging from 0.021 (0.006-0.038) to 0.126 (0.10-0.15)] and Simmental the lowest [ranging from 0.008 (0.001-0.017) to 0.101 (0.08-0.12)]. The genetic correlations between fertility traits and dMEO were moderate and unfavorable, ranging, in absolute values, from 0.527 (0.37-0.68) to 0.619 (0.50-0.73) in Holstein-Friesian; from 0.339 (0.20-0.47) to 0.556 (0.45-0.66) in Brown Swiss; and from 0.340 (0.10-0.60) to 0.475 (0.33-0.61) in Simmental cattle. The only exception was the nonreturn rate at d 56, which had weak genetic correlations with dMEO in all 3 breeds. The herd correlations between fertility and dMEO tended to be modest and favorable and the residual correlations modest and variable. The heritability of fertility traits tended to be greater in the low dMEO than in the high dMEO herds in the case of the Holstein-Friesians, but not in the case of the Brown Swiss or Simmentals. The additive genetic correlations between fertility traits in the low and high dMEO herds were always lower than 1 [0.329 (-0.17 to 0.85) to 0.934 (0.86 to 0.99)] for all traits considered in all breeds. The correlation was particularly low for the threshold characters and the interval from first service to conception in Holstein-Friesian, suggesting that the relative performances of genotypes vary significantly between herds of different dMEO levels. Although there was large variability in the estimates, results might support making separate genetic evaluations of fertility in the different herd production groups. Our results also indicate that Simmental, a dual-purpose breed, has higher fertility and lower environmental sensitivity than Holstein-Friesian, with Brown Swiss being intermediate.
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Affiliation(s)
- M Martinez-Castillero
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell' Università 16, 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
| | - H Toledo-Alvarado
- Department of Genetics and Biostatistics, School of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics, National Autonomous University of Mexico, Ciudad Universitaria, 0451, Mexico City, México
| | - S Pegolo
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell' Università 16, 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy.
| | - A I Vazquez
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, 909 Fee Road, East Lansing 48824; Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, 775 Woodlot Drive, East Lansing 48824
| | - G de Los Campos
- Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Michigan State University, 909 Fee Road, East Lansing 48824; Institute for Quantitative Health Science and Engineering, Michigan State University, 775 Woodlot Drive, East Lansing 48824; Department of Statistics and Probability, Michigan State University, 619 Red Cellar Road, East Lansing 48824
| | - L Varona
- Unidad de Genética Cuantitativa y Mejora Animal, Instituto Agroalimentario de Aragón (IA2), Universidad de Zaragoza, Calle de Miguel Servet, 177, 50013, Zaragoza, Zaragoza, Spain
| | - R Finocchiaro
- Associazione Nazionale Allevatori bovini della razza Frisona e Jersey Italiana (ANAFIJ), Via Bergamo 292, 26100 Cremona, Italy
| | - G Bittante
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell' Università 16, 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
| | - A Cecchinato
- Department of Agronomy, Food, Natural Resources, Animals and Environment (DAFNAE), University of Padova, Viale dell' Università 16, 35020, Legnaro PD, Italy
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20
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Karlsson J, Lindberg M, Åkerlind M, Holtenius K. Whole-lactation feed intake, milk yield, and energy balance of Holstein and Swedish Red dairy cows fed grass-clover silage and 2 levels of byproduct-based concentrate. J Dairy Sci 2020; 103:8922-8937. [PMID: 32747115 DOI: 10.3168/jds.2020-18204] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2020] [Accepted: 05/18/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022]
Abstract
Ruminants can produce meat and milk from fibrous feed and byproducts not suitable for human consumption. However, high-yielding dairy cows are generally fed a high proportion of cereal grain and pulses, which could be consumed directly by humans. If high production of dairy cows could be maintained with ingredients of low human interest, the sustainability of dairy production would improve. In the present study, 37 multiparous [Holstein (n = 13) and Swedish Red (n = 24)] dairy cows were followed over a whole lactation. A low-concentrate diet of up to 6 kg concentrate per day (6kgConc) was fed to 27 cows, whereas 10 cows were fed a high-concentrate diet of up to 12 kg concentrate per day (12kgConc). The concentrate was mainly based on byproducts (sugar beet pulp, wheat bran, rapeseed meal, distiller's grain). Grass-clover silage of high digestibility was offered ad libitum. Over the whole lactation, cows on the 6kgConc diet had lower dry matter intake and higher forage intake than cows on the 12kgConc diet. Milk yield and energy balance were not influenced by dietary treatment. However, the cows on the 6kgConc diet numerically produced 2.4 kg less energy-corrected milk than cows on 12kgConc diet. The study lacked the statistical power to identify treatment effects on daily yield below 2.8 kg of milk due to low number of animals per treatment. Feed efficiency (as energy-corrected milk yield/dry matter intake or residual feed intake), body weight change, body condition change, milk fatty acid concentration in total milk fatty acids, plasma nonesterified fatty acids, glucose, β-hydroxybutyrate, and fertility measurements were not affected by diet, supporting the energy balance results. However, higher plasma concentrations of insulin-like growth factor-1 and insulin were observed in cows fed the 12kgConc diet. These findings show that cows can adapt to a high-forage diet virtually without human-grade ingredients, without compromising feed efficiency or energy balance, thereby contributing to sustainable food production.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Karlsson
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7024, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden.
| | - Mikaela Lindberg
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7024, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
| | | | - Kjell Holtenius
- Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7024, SE-750 07 Uppsala, Sweden
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21
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Mehtiö T, Mäntysaari P, Negussie E, Leino AM, Pösö J, Mäntysaari EA, Lidauer MH. Genetic correlations between energy status indicator traits and female fertility in primiparous Nordic Red Dairy cattle. Animal 2020; 14:1588-1597. [PMID: 32167447 PMCID: PMC7369375 DOI: 10.1017/s1751731120000439] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 01/27/2020] [Accepted: 02/14/2020] [Indexed: 12/12/2022] Open
Abstract
Inclusion of feed efficiency traits into the dairy cattle breeding programmes will require considering early lactation energy status to avoid deterioration in health and fertility of dairy cows. In this regard, energy status indicator (ESI) traits, for example, blood metabolites or milk fatty acids (FAs), are of interest. These indicators can be predicted from routine milk samples by mid-IR reflectance spectroscopy (MIR). In this study, we estimated genetic variation in ESI traits and their genetic correlation with female fertility in early lactation. The data consisted of 37 424 primiparous Nordic Red Dairy cows with milk test-day records between 8 and 91 days in milk (DIM). Routine test-day milk samples were analysed by MIR using previously developed calibration equations for blood plasma non-esterified FA (NEFA), milk FAs, milk beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and milk acetone concentrations. Six ESI traits were considered and included: plasma NEFA concentration (mmol/l) either predicted by multiple linear regression including DIM, milk fat to protein ratio (FPR) and FAs C10:0, C14:0, C18:1 cis-9, C14:0 * C18:1 cis-9 (NEFAFA) or directly from milk MIR spectra (NEFAMIR), C18:1 cis-9 (g/100 ml milk), FPR, BHB (mmol/l milk) and acetone (mmol/l milk). The interval from calving to first insemination (ICF) was considered as the fertility trait. Data were analysed using linear mixed models. Heritability estimates varied during the first three lactation months from 0.13 to 0.19, 0.10 to 0.17, 0.09 to 0.14, 0.07 to 0.10, 0.13 to 0.17 and 0.13 to 0.18 for NEFAMIR, NEFAFA, C18:1 cis-9, FPR, milk BHB and acetone, respectively. Genetic correlations between all ESI traits and ICF were from 0.18 to 0.40 in the first lactation period (8 to 35 DIM), in general somewhat lower (0.03 to 0.43) in the second period (36 to 63 DIM) and decreased clearly (-0.02 to 0.19) in the third period (64 to 91 DIM). Our results indicate that genetic variation in energy status of cows in early lactation can be determined using MIR-predicted indicators. In addition, the markedly lower genetic correlation between ESI traits and fertility in the third lactation month indicated that energy status should be determined from the first test-day milk samples during the first 2 months of lactation.
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Affiliation(s)
- T. Mehtiö
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Tietotie 2, FI-31600Jokioinen, Finland
| | - P. Mäntysaari
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Tietotie 2, FI-31600Jokioinen, Finland
| | - E. Negussie
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Tietotie 2, FI-31600Jokioinen, Finland
| | - A.-M. Leino
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Tietotie 2, FI-31600Jokioinen, Finland
| | - J. Pösö
- Faba Co-op, PO Box 40, FI-01301Vantaa, Finland
| | - E. A. Mäntysaari
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Tietotie 2, FI-31600Jokioinen, Finland
| | - M. H. Lidauer
- Production Systems, Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Tietotie 2, FI-31600Jokioinen, Finland
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22
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Martikainen K, Koivula M, Uimari P. Identification of runs of homozygosity affecting female fertility and milk production traits in Finnish Ayrshire cattle. Sci Rep 2020; 10:3804. [PMID: 32123255 PMCID: PMC7052207 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-020-60830-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/20/2019] [Accepted: 02/17/2020] [Indexed: 11/09/2022] Open
Abstract
Inbreeding gives rise to continuous lengths of homozygous genotypes called runs of homozygosity (ROH) that occur when identical haplotypes are inherited from both parents. ROHs are enriched for deleterious recessive alleles and can therefore be linked to inbreeding depression, defined as decreased phenotypic performance of the animals. However, not all ROHs within a region are expected to have harmful effects on the trait of interest. We aimed to identify ROHs that unfavourably affect female fertility and milk production traits in the Finnish Ayrshire population. The estimated effect of ROHs with the highest statistical significance varied between parities from 9 to 17 days longer intervals from calving to first insemination, from 13 to 38 days longer intervals from first to last insemination and from 0.3 to 1.0 more insemination per conception. Similarly, for milk production traits ROHs were associated with a reduction of 208 kg for milk yield, 7 kg for protein yield and 16 kg for fat yield. We also found regions where ROHs displayed unfavourable effects across multiple traits. Our findings can be exploited for more efficient control of inbreeding depression, for example by minimizing the occurrence of unfavourable haplotypes as homozygous state in breeding programmes.
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Affiliation(s)
- K Martikainen
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 28, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland.
| | - M Koivula
- Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke), Green Technology, FI-31600, Jokioinen, Finland
| | - P Uimari
- Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, P.O. Box 28, FI-00014, Helsinki, Finland
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