Presented by Raphael Mrode at the Third Research Coordination Meeting, Joint FAO/IAEA Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture, Vienna, 7-11 June 2021
Understanding perception and drivers to change food safety condition of pork ...ILRI
Poster by Hai Hoang Tuan Ngo, Phuc Pham-Duc, Luong Nguyen-Thanh, Sinh Dang-Xuan, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Hung Pham-Van, Nga Nguyen-Thi-Duong, Huyen Nguyen-Thi-Thu, Delia Grace and Fred Unger presented at the virtual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week 2021, 29 June – 1 July 2021.
Aflatoxin M1-related health risk for milk consumers in dairy farms in rural a...ILRI
Poster by Filipe Maximiano Sousa, Apollinaire Nombre, Amos Miningou, SyAppolinaireTraore, Johanna Lindahl, Augustine Ayantunde, Javier Sanchez and Silvia Alonso presented at the virtual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week 2021, 29 June – 1 July 2021. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
Presentation by Delia Grace at the 8th multi-stakeholder partnership meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 11–15 June 2018.
Understanding perception and drivers to change food safety condition of pork ...ILRI
Poster by Hai Hoang Tuan Ngo, Phuc Pham-Duc, Luong Nguyen-Thanh, Sinh Dang-Xuan, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Hung Pham-Van, Nga Nguyen-Thi-Duong, Huyen Nguyen-Thi-Thu, Delia Grace and Fred Unger presented at the virtual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week 2021, 29 June – 1 July 2021.
Aflatoxin M1-related health risk for milk consumers in dairy farms in rural a...ILRI
Poster by Filipe Maximiano Sousa, Apollinaire Nombre, Amos Miningou, SyAppolinaireTraore, Johanna Lindahl, Augustine Ayantunde, Javier Sanchez and Silvia Alonso presented at the virtual Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week 2021, 29 June – 1 July 2021. Nairobi, Kenya: ILRI.
Presentation by Delia Grace at the 8th multi-stakeholder partnership meeting of the Global Agenda for Sustainable Livestock, Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, 11–15 June 2018.
The future of food safety in Africa: Research perspectiveILRI
Keynote presentation by Delia Grace, Silvia Alonso, Kebede Amenu, Elizabeth Cook, Michel Dione, Theo Knight-Jones, Johanna Lindahl, Florence Mutua, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Kristina Roesel and Lian Thomas at the virtual Food Safety Conference for Africa, 10–11 November 2021.
Rapid integrated assessment of food safety related to pork in Vietnam: A cons...ILRI
Presentation by Hung Nguyen-Viet, Nguyen Tien Thanh, Dang Xuan Sinh, Luu Quoc Toan, Pham Van Hung and Delia Grace at the First African Regional Conference of the International Association on Ecology and Health (Africa 2013 Ecohealth), Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire, 1-5 October 2013.
Animal-source foods and maternal and child nutrition in resource-limiting set...ILRI
Presentation by Paula Dominguez-Salas and Julia de Bruyn at the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 20-24 June 2016.
Food safety related to pork consumption: A rapid integrated assessment in Hun...ILRI
Poster prepared by Hung Nguyen-Viet, Nguyen Tien Thanh, Luu Quoc Toan, Dang Xuan Sinh, Pham Duc Phuc and Delia Grace for the 6th Asian Pig Veterinary Society Congress, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 23-25 September 2013.
Animal health Product development & adoption Partnership organisation
A not-for-profit Public-Private Partnership – registered charity
Sponsored by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and with projects funded by BMGF, DFID and EC.
Pro-poor focus: working with key partners to make a sustainable difference in access to animal health products for poor livestock keepers
Risk-based approach for food safety applied to pork value chain in VietnamILRI
Poster prepared by Hung Nguyen-Viet, Sinh Dang-Xuan, Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh, Pham Duc Phuc, Delia Grace, Fred Unger and Kohei Makita for the Safe Pork conference, Porto, Portugal, 7-10 September 2015.
Value chain actors’ practices associated with the spread of African swine fev...ILRI
Paper presented by Michel Dione, Emily Ouma, Felix Opio, Peter Lule, Brian Kawuma and Danilo Pezo (ILRI) at the Joint International Conference of the Association of Institutions for Tropical Veterinary Medicine and the Society of Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, 4–8 September 2016
Food safety along informal pork value chains in Vietnam: Success and challeng...ILRI
Presentation by Fred Unger, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Lucy Lapar, Phuc Pham Duc, Pham Van Hung, Pham Hong Ngan, Max Barot and Delia Grace at the 4th International One Health Congress and 6th Biennial Congress of the International Association for Ecology and Health (One Health EcoHealth 2016), Melbourne, Australia, 3–7 December 2016.
Genetics and genomic approaches for sustainable dairy cattle improvement in s...ILRI
Presented by Raphael Mrode, Chinyere Ekine-Dzivenu, Julie Ojango and Mwai Okeyo at the ASAS-CSAS Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Oklahoma, USA, 26-30 June 2022
Application of nuclear and genomic technologies for improving livestock produ...ILRI
Presented by Raphael Mrode at the IAEA International Symposium on Sustainable Animal Production and Health—Current Status and Way Forward, Vienna, 28 June-2 July 2021
The future of food safety in Africa: Research perspectiveILRI
Keynote presentation by Delia Grace, Silvia Alonso, Kebede Amenu, Elizabeth Cook, Michel Dione, Theo Knight-Jones, Johanna Lindahl, Florence Mutua, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Kristina Roesel and Lian Thomas at the virtual Food Safety Conference for Africa, 10–11 November 2021.
Rapid integrated assessment of food safety related to pork in Vietnam: A cons...ILRI
Presentation by Hung Nguyen-Viet, Nguyen Tien Thanh, Dang Xuan Sinh, Luu Quoc Toan, Pham Van Hung and Delia Grace at the First African Regional Conference of the International Association on Ecology and Health (Africa 2013 Ecohealth), Grand-Bassam, Côte d'Ivoire, 1-5 October 2013.
Animal-source foods and maternal and child nutrition in resource-limiting set...ILRI
Presentation by Paula Dominguez-Salas and Julia de Bruyn at the Agriculture, Nutrition and Health (ANH) Academy Week, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, 20-24 June 2016.
Food safety related to pork consumption: A rapid integrated assessment in Hun...ILRI
Poster prepared by Hung Nguyen-Viet, Nguyen Tien Thanh, Luu Quoc Toan, Dang Xuan Sinh, Pham Duc Phuc and Delia Grace for the 6th Asian Pig Veterinary Society Congress, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, 23-25 September 2013.
Animal health Product development & adoption Partnership organisation
A not-for-profit Public-Private Partnership – registered charity
Sponsored by the UK Department for International Development (DFID) and The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) and with projects funded by BMGF, DFID and EC.
Pro-poor focus: working with key partners to make a sustainable difference in access to animal health products for poor livestock keepers
Risk-based approach for food safety applied to pork value chain in VietnamILRI
Poster prepared by Hung Nguyen-Viet, Sinh Dang-Xuan, Tran Thi Tuyet Hanh, Pham Duc Phuc, Delia Grace, Fred Unger and Kohei Makita for the Safe Pork conference, Porto, Portugal, 7-10 September 2015.
Value chain actors’ practices associated with the spread of African swine fev...ILRI
Paper presented by Michel Dione, Emily Ouma, Felix Opio, Peter Lule, Brian Kawuma and Danilo Pezo (ILRI) at the Joint International Conference of the Association of Institutions for Tropical Veterinary Medicine and the Society of Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Berlin, 4–8 September 2016
Food safety along informal pork value chains in Vietnam: Success and challeng...ILRI
Presentation by Fred Unger, Hung Nguyen-Viet, Lucy Lapar, Phuc Pham Duc, Pham Van Hung, Pham Hong Ngan, Max Barot and Delia Grace at the 4th International One Health Congress and 6th Biennial Congress of the International Association for Ecology and Health (One Health EcoHealth 2016), Melbourne, Australia, 3–7 December 2016.
Genetics and genomic approaches for sustainable dairy cattle improvement in s...ILRI
Presented by Raphael Mrode, Chinyere Ekine-Dzivenu, Julie Ojango and Mwai Okeyo at the ASAS-CSAS Annual Meeting & Trade Show, Oklahoma, USA, 26-30 June 2022
Application of nuclear and genomic technologies for improving livestock produ...ILRI
Presented by Raphael Mrode at the IAEA International Symposium on Sustainable Animal Production and Health—Current Status and Way Forward, Vienna, 28 June-2 July 2021
Potential application of lessons from dairy genetics into beef: Lessons from ...ILRI
Presented by Okeyo Mwai, Raphael Mrode, Julie Ojango, Chinyere Ekine-Dzivenu and Gebregziabher Gebreyohannes at the CTLGH-ACIAR Convening workshop, Nairobi, 30 September 2022
Mitigating methane in livestock systems: Scaling up feed additives & evidence...Sadie W Shelton
This presentation was given on May 18, 2022, by Sinead Waters, The Agriculture and Food Development Authority, Ireland, and the Livestock Research Group of the GRA.
The presentation was part of the "Scaling up feed additives & evidence for impacts" webinar, an Aim4Climate Ideation event.
This event is coordinated by The Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT in partnership with:
• New Zealand Agricultural Greenhouse Gas Research Centre (NZAGRC)
• Global Research Alliance on Agricultural Greenhouse Gases (GRA)
• The Gund Institute for Environment at the University of Vermont
• Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC)
• United States Agency for International Development (USAID)
• Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC)
• Aim4Climate, USDA
The role of reliable data collection systems for improved livestock genetics ...ILRI
Presented by Julie Ojango and Chinyere Ekine-Dzivenu at the Workshop on sustainable development of Burundi's dairy sector--Partners of the regional integrated agricultural development in the great lakes (PRDAIGL) project workshop, Burundi, 2–3 November 2022
Dairy Reproduction: Identifying Problems and Solutions for Your HerdDAIReXNET
Ray Nebel of Select Sires, Inc. presented this information for DAIReXNET on March 17, 2014. A recording of the full presentation can be found at http://www.extension.org/pages/15830/archived-dairy-cattle-webinars#.Uyigy86nbZU,
Improving livestock productivity and resilience in Africa: Application of gen...ILRI
Presented by Julie Ojango, Yumi Mingyan, Raphael Mrode and Okeyo Mwai at the Workshop on Animal Genetic Research for Africa (Biosciences for Farming in Africa), Nairobi, 10-11 September 2015
How can Animal Biotechnology contribute to Agenda 2063, ST&I Strategy for Afr...ILRI
Presented by Christian K. Tiambo, Jimmy Smith, Okeyo Mwai and Steve Kemp at the Animal Biotechnology: The Next Frontier Stakeholders Sensitization and Awareness Workshop on Animal Biotechnology Applications and Regulatory Perspectives, Naivasha, Kenya, 22-24 March 2021
An Overview of Genomic Selection and FertilityDAIReXNET
In this webinar, released July 18, 2016, Dr. Hansen joined us to discuss genomic selection as it relates to fertility traits. Learn about single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), the challenges in selecting for reproductive traits, and some of the current work in overcoming those challenges.
Developing innovative digital technology and genomic approaches to livestock ...ILRI
Presented by Raphael Mrode, Julie Ojango, John Gibson and Okeyo Mwai at the 12th World Conference on Animal Production (WCAP), Vancouver, Canada, 5-8 July 2018
Cows, missing milk markets and nutrition in rural Ethiopiaessp2
International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI) and Ethiopian Development Research Institute (EDRI). Conference on "Towards what works in Rural Development in Ethiopia: Evidence on the Impact of Investments and Policies". December 13, 2013. Hilton Hotel, Addis Ababa.
Session 06 "Sensing dynamics in livestock physiology disruption through images and other non-invasive alternatives"
EAAP 2021
Par Adrien Lebreton, Idele & P. Faverdin, PEGASE-INRAE
Similar to Genetics and genomic approaches for sustainable dairy cattle improvement (20)
Small ruminant keepers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards peste des ...ILRI
Presentation by Guy Ilboudo, Abel Sènabgè Biguezoton, Cheick Abou Kounta Sidibé, Modou Moustapha Lo, Zoë Campbell and Michel Dione at the 6th Peste des Petits Ruminants Global Research and Expertise Networks (PPR-GREN) annual meeting, Bengaluru, India, 28–30 November 2023.
Small ruminant keepers’ knowledge, attitudes and practices towards peste des ...ILRI
Poster by Guy Ilboudo, Abel Sènabgè Biguezoton, Cheick Abou Kounta Sidibé, Modou Moustapha Lo, Zoë Campbell and Michel Dione presented at the 6th Peste des Petits Ruminants Global Research and Expertise Networks (PPR-GREN) annual meeting, Bengaluru, India, 29 November 2023.
A training, certification and marketing scheme for informal dairy vendors in ...ILRI
Presentation by Silvia Alonso, Jef L. Leroy, Emmanuel Muunda, Moira Donahue Angel, Emily Kilonzi, Giordano Palloni, Gideon Kiarie, Paula Dominguez-Salas and Delia Grace at the Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference, The Hague, Netherlands, 16 October 2023.
Milk safety and child nutrition impacts of the MoreMilk training, certificati...ILRI
Poster by Silvia Alonso, Emmanuel Muunda, Moira Donahue Angel, Emily Kilonzi, Giordano Palloni, Gideon Kiarie, Paula Dominguez-Salas, Delia Grace and Jef L. Leroy presented at the Micronutrient Forum 6th Global Conference, The Hague, Netherlands, 16 October 2023.
Food safety research in low- and middle-income countriesILRI
Presentation by Hung Nguyen-Viet at the first technical meeting to launch the Food Safety Working Group under the One Health Partnership framework, Hanoi, Vietnam, 28 September 2023
Presentation by Hung Nguyen-Viet at the first technical meeting to launch the Food Safety Working Group under the One Health Partnership framework, Hanoi, Vietnam, 28 September 2023
Reservoirs of pathogenic Leptospira species in UgandaILRI
Presentation by Lordrick Alinaitwe, Martin Wainaina, Salome Dürr, Clovice Kankya, Velma Kivali, James Bugeza, Martin Richter, Kristina Roesel, Annie Cook and Anne Mayer-Scholl at the University of Bern Graduate School for Cellular and Biomedical Sciences Symposium, Bern, Switzerland, 29 June 2023.
Assessing meat microbiological safety and associated handling practices in bu...ILRI
Presentation by Patricia Koech, Winnie Ogutu, Linnet Ochieng, Delia Grace, George Gitao, Lily Bebora, Max Korir, Florence Mutua and Arshnee Moodley at the 8th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture, Gaborone, Botswana, 26–29 September 2023.
Ecological factors associated with abundance and distribution of mosquito vec...ILRI
Poster by Max Korir, Joel Lutomiah and Bernard Bett presented the 8th All Africa Conference on Animal Agriculture, Gaborone, Botswana, 26–29 September 2023.
Practices and drivers of antibiotic use in Kenyan smallholder dairy farmsILRI
Poster by Lydiah Kisoo, Dishon M. Muloi, Walter Oguta, Daisy Ronoh, Lynn Kirwa, James Akoko, Eric Fèvre, Arshnee Moodley and Lillian Wambua presented at Tropentag 2023, Berlin, Germany, 20–22 September 2023.
A brief information about the SCOP protein database used in bioinformatics.
The Structural Classification of Proteins (SCOP) database is a comprehensive and authoritative resource for the structural and evolutionary relationships of proteins. It provides a detailed and curated classification of protein structures, grouping them into families, superfamilies, and folds based on their structural and sequence similarities.
Introduction:
RNA interference (RNAi) or Post-Transcriptional Gene Silencing (PTGS) is an important biological process for modulating eukaryotic gene expression.
It is highly conserved process of posttranscriptional gene silencing by which double stranded RNA (dsRNA) causes sequence-specific degradation of mRNA sequences.
dsRNA-induced gene silencing (RNAi) is reported in a wide range of eukaryotes ranging from worms, insects, mammals and plants.
This process mediates resistance to both endogenous parasitic and exogenous pathogenic nucleic acids, and regulates the expression of protein-coding genes.
What are small ncRNAs?
micro RNA (miRNA)
short interfering RNA (siRNA)
Properties of small non-coding RNA:
Involved in silencing mRNA transcripts.
Called “small” because they are usually only about 21-24 nucleotides long.
Synthesized by first cutting up longer precursor sequences (like the 61nt one that Lee discovered).
Silence an mRNA by base pairing with some sequence on the mRNA.
Discovery of siRNA?
The first small RNA:
In 1993 Rosalind Lee (Victor Ambros lab) was studying a non- coding gene in C. elegans, lin-4, that was involved in silencing of another gene, lin-14, at the appropriate time in the
development of the worm C. elegans.
Two small transcripts of lin-4 (22nt and 61nt) were found to be complementary to a sequence in the 3' UTR of lin-14.
Because lin-4 encoded no protein, she deduced that it must be these transcripts that are causing the silencing by RNA-RNA interactions.
Types of RNAi ( non coding RNA)
MiRNA
Length (23-25 nt)
Trans acting
Binds with target MRNA in mismatch
Translation inhibition
Si RNA
Length 21 nt.
Cis acting
Bind with target Mrna in perfect complementary sequence
Piwi-RNA
Length ; 25 to 36 nt.
Expressed in Germ Cells
Regulates trnasposomes activity
MECHANISM OF RNAI:
First the double-stranded RNA teams up with a protein complex named Dicer, which cuts the long RNA into short pieces.
Then another protein complex called RISC (RNA-induced silencing complex) discards one of the two RNA strands.
The RISC-docked, single-stranded RNA then pairs with the homologous mRNA and destroys it.
THE RISC COMPLEX:
RISC is large(>500kD) RNA multi- protein Binding complex which triggers MRNA degradation in response to MRNA
Unwinding of double stranded Si RNA by ATP independent Helicase
Active component of RISC is Ago proteins( ENDONUCLEASE) which cleave target MRNA.
DICER: endonuclease (RNase Family III)
Argonaute: Central Component of the RNA-Induced Silencing Complex (RISC)
One strand of the dsRNA produced by Dicer is retained in the RISC complex in association with Argonaute
ARGONAUTE PROTEIN :
1.PAZ(PIWI/Argonaute/ Zwille)- Recognition of target MRNA
2.PIWI (p-element induced wimpy Testis)- breaks Phosphodiester bond of mRNA.)RNAse H activity.
MiRNA:
The Double-stranded RNAs are naturally produced in eukaryotic cells during development, and they have a key role in regulating gene expression .
Nutraceutical market, scope and growth: Herbal drug technologyLokesh Patil
As consumer awareness of health and wellness rises, the nutraceutical market—which includes goods like functional meals, drinks, and dietary supplements that provide health advantages beyond basic nutrition—is growing significantly. As healthcare expenses rise, the population ages, and people want natural and preventative health solutions more and more, this industry is increasing quickly. Further driving market expansion are product formulation innovations and the use of cutting-edge technology for customized nutrition. With its worldwide reach, the nutraceutical industry is expected to keep growing and provide significant chances for research and investment in a number of categories, including vitamins, minerals, probiotics, and herbal supplements.
Cancer cell metabolism: special Reference to Lactate PathwayAADYARAJPANDEY1
Normal Cell Metabolism:
Cellular respiration describes the series of steps that cells use to break down sugar and other chemicals to get the energy we need to function.
Energy is stored in the bonds of glucose and when glucose is broken down, much of that energy is released.
Cell utilize energy in the form of ATP.
The first step of respiration is called glycolysis. In a series of steps, glycolysis breaks glucose into two smaller molecules - a chemical called pyruvate. A small amount of ATP is formed during this process.
Most healthy cells continue the breakdown in a second process, called the Kreb's cycle. The Kreb's cycle allows cells to “burn” the pyruvates made in glycolysis to get more ATP.
The last step in the breakdown of glucose is called oxidative phosphorylation (Ox-Phos).
It takes place in specialized cell structures called mitochondria. This process produces a large amount of ATP. Importantly, cells need oxygen to complete oxidative phosphorylation.
If a cell completes only glycolysis, only 2 molecules of ATP are made per glucose. However, if the cell completes the entire respiration process (glycolysis - Kreb's - oxidative phosphorylation), about 36 molecules of ATP are created, giving it much more energy to use.
IN CANCER CELL:
Unlike healthy cells that "burn" the entire molecule of sugar to capture a large amount of energy as ATP, cancer cells are wasteful.
Cancer cells only partially break down sugar molecules. They overuse the first step of respiration, glycolysis. They frequently do not complete the second step, oxidative phosphorylation.
This results in only 2 molecules of ATP per each glucose molecule instead of the 36 or so ATPs healthy cells gain. As a result, cancer cells need to use a lot more sugar molecules to get enough energy to survive.
Unlike healthy cells that "burn" the entire molecule of sugar to capture a large amount of energy as ATP, cancer cells are wasteful.
Cancer cells only partially break down sugar molecules. They overuse the first step of respiration, glycolysis. They frequently do not complete the second step, oxidative phosphorylation.
This results in only 2 molecules of ATP per each glucose molecule instead of the 36 or so ATPs healthy cells gain. As a result, cancer cells need to use a lot more sugar molecules to get enough energy to survive.
introduction to WARBERG PHENOMENA:
WARBURG EFFECT Usually, cancer cells are highly glycolytic (glucose addiction) and take up more glucose than do normal cells from outside.
Otto Heinrich Warburg (; 8 October 1883 – 1 August 1970) In 1931 was awarded the Nobel Prize in Physiology for his "discovery of the nature and mode of action of the respiratory enzyme.
WARNBURG EFFECT : cancer cells under aerobic (well-oxygenated) conditions to metabolize glucose to lactate (aerobic glycolysis) is known as the Warburg effect. Warburg made the observation that tumor slices consume glucose and secrete lactate at a higher rate than normal tissues.
Earliest Galaxies in the JADES Origins Field: Luminosity Function and Cosmic ...Sérgio Sacani
We characterize the earliest galaxy population in the JADES Origins Field (JOF), the deepest
imaging field observed with JWST. We make use of the ancillary Hubble optical images (5 filters
spanning 0.4−0.9µm) and novel JWST images with 14 filters spanning 0.8−5µm, including 7 mediumband filters, and reaching total exposure times of up to 46 hours per filter. We combine all our data
at > 2.3µm to construct an ultradeep image, reaching as deep as ≈ 31.4 AB mag in the stack and
30.3-31.0 AB mag (5σ, r = 0.1” circular aperture) in individual filters. We measure photometric
redshifts and use robust selection criteria to identify a sample of eight galaxy candidates at redshifts
z = 11.5 − 15. These objects show compact half-light radii of R1/2 ∼ 50 − 200pc, stellar masses of
M⋆ ∼ 107−108M⊙, and star-formation rates of SFR ∼ 0.1−1 M⊙ yr−1
. Our search finds no candidates
at 15 < z < 20, placing upper limits at these redshifts. We develop a forward modeling approach to
infer the properties of the evolving luminosity function without binning in redshift or luminosity that
marginalizes over the photometric redshift uncertainty of our candidate galaxies and incorporates the
impact of non-detections. We find a z = 12 luminosity function in good agreement with prior results,
and that the luminosity function normalization and UV luminosity density decline by a factor of ∼ 2.5
from z = 12 to z = 14. We discuss the possible implications of our results in the context of theoretical
models for evolution of the dark matter halo mass function.
Professional air quality monitoring systems provide immediate, on-site data for analysis, compliance, and decision-making.
Monitor common gases, weather parameters, particulates.
Genetics and genomic approaches for sustainable dairy cattle improvement
1. Better lives through livestock
Genetics and genomic approaches for sustainable dairy cattle
improvement
Prof. Raphael Mrode
Principal Scientist
Livestock Genetics Program
Third Research Coordination Meeting. Joint FAO/IAEA
Division of Nuclear Techniques in Food and Agriculture
Vienna. 7 – 11th June, 2021
2. 2
• Characteristics of a sustainable development
(FAO)
• Environmentally non-degrading
• Economically viable
• Conserves genetic resources
• Technically appropriate
• Socially acceptable
Sustainable Dairy Improvement Program
3. 3
• Components of a sustainable dairy genetic
improvement programe therefore should
include
• Improvements in productivity with no adverse
effect fitness
• Improve fitness - reproductivity ability, disease
resistance robustness
• Improving welfare traits (body condition, sound
feet etc)
• Little or no negative impact on the environment
Sustainable Dairy Genetic Improvement
Program
4. 4
Some of the genetic approaches to achieve
sustainable dairy genetic programs
• Internationally efforts - broadening breeding
goals
• Harmonization of trait definitions
• Establishing data collection protocol for the
difficult to measure traits
• International dairy genetic evaluations –broader
set of top bulls available maintain genetic
diversity
• Introgression of desirable alleles
5. 5
Worldwide summary of the relative weights on various major traits in national economic indexes for
dairy cows from 1917 to 2017 (Miglior et al., 2017).
0%
10%
20%
30%
40%
50%
60%
70%
80%
90%
100%
1917 1927 1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 2017
Production
Conformation
Longevity
Calving
Workability
Health
Fertility
6. 6
Proportionate estimates of response world-wide for major traits in the national economic indexes for
dairy cow from 1917 to 2017 (Miglior et al., 2017).
-40%
-20%
0%
20%
40%
60%
80%
100%
1917 1927 1937 1947 1957 1967 1977 1987 1997 2007 2017
Production
Conformation
Longevity
Calving
Workability
Health
Fertility
7. 7
Impact of Broader indices in the UK
• UK Genetic trends for the for somatic cell count (SCC—indirect measure of
mastitis) , lifespan and fertility
• Notice initial decline but improvements commenced after putting traits in the
index
8. 8
• Some major sustainability issues in dairy cattle
breeding given climate change
• Heat tolerance
• Feed resources and methane emission
• Conserving and utilization adaptive traits in
indigenous breeds
Some approaches for sustainability dairy cattle
breeding given climate change
9. 9
Breeding to Adaptation to Heat stress
• Trait = rate of decline in milk yield with increasing THI; h2≈ 0.20
• “how well does an animal cope?” ~ resilience
• Dairy sires being selected in Australia based on animal resilience to heat stress
measured on the basis of productivity using THI
10. 10
Evaluating the impact of heat stress on milk yield using
THI for small holder dairy system (Ekine-Dzivenu et al 2020)
• Effect of heat stress on milk yield assessed using
THI grouped 5 classes (61-66, 67-71, 72-78, 79-81,
82-86)
• Heat stress reduced milk yield by 4.16% to 14.42%
across THI groups
• THI was non-linearly related with milk yield with
significant negatively and positively coefficients
• (-0.61, 0.004).
• Next step is to study the trait at the genetics level
11. 11
• The slick hair gene located on chromosome BTA20 in
Senepol cattle is responsible for
• a smooth and short hair coat
• confers thermotolerance
• associated with an improved capacity for heat
dissipation.
• Introgression of the gene into some Holstein cattle has been
shown
• to produce animals with lower body temperatures
• smaller declines in production under hot conditions
(Dikmen et al., 2014; Ortiz-Colón et al., 2018)
• Some breeding companies are currently marketing positive
slick bulls to farmers
Breeding for heat tolerance through
introgression of the slick gene
12. 12
Breeding for reduction in methane emission
• Important as livestock is deemed a major contributor
• Heritability estimates vary from 0.12 to 0.45
• Difficult to measure routinely in large number of animals & lots
of interest on indirect predictors
• 20% reduction over 10 years feasible in Spanish Holstein with a
weight of about 33% on methane in the toral merit index and a
reduction in gain for production traits by 18% (González-Recio,
et al, 2020)
• In Danish Holstein - accuracy of genomic selection for methane
was about 0.42 but including ECM and BW in both reference
and validation populations increased accuracy by 92%
(Manzanilla-Pech et al 2020)
• Selection for feed efficiency is good proxy 26% reduction in
methane over a 10-year period (de Haas et al. ,2011)
13. 13
Breeding for feed efficiency
• Feeds account for about 70% of production cost
• Difficult and expensive to measure
• Genomics has allowed DMI data to pooled from
9 countries and enabled international
evaluations ( Berry et al, 2014)
14. 14
• Saved Feed = v1 x GEBVMaintenance + v2 x GEBVMetabolic
• About one third of feed consumed is used for body
maintenance and this is directly related to the body size.
• Number of countries have implemented index : Saved Feed
cost (SFC) for maintenance using genomic models
• Nordic countries : Indirect predictors- body weight and
type traits
• Netherlands : DMI or Indirect predictors :milk, fat and
protein and body weight.
• SFC accounts for 5% of the Dutch Total Merit index called
NVI
Breeding for Feed efficiency
15. 15
Improving efficiency in Tanzania Cows using milk yield and body weight
Genetic parameters , forward validation and index
Trait Method Correlation Regression
Milk yield FRM-GBLUP 0.57 1.1
FRM-ssGBLUP 0.59 1.0
RRM-GBLUP 0.55 1.0
RRM-ssGBLUP 0.53 0.92
Body weight FRM-GBLUP 0.83 1.0
FRM-ssGBLUP 0.77 1.1
Milk yield, h2= 0.12 , body weight, h2 = 0.22 and rg = 0.34
• Restricted index: improves the rate of milk production but with
restrictions on body weight
• More efficient cows milk without increasing the amount of feed
consumed.
16. 16
• Indigenous breeds represent a unique set
genotypes adapted to surviving under harsh
conditions and are disease/parasite resistance.
• Genomics provide the means for
understanding the genetic basis of this
adaptation
• Kwondo et al 2020 - Several loci in African
cattle related immunity, heat-tolerance
trypanotolerance and reproduction-related
genes.
Sustainable cattle breeding in developing countries:
Incorporating the genetic basis of adaptation
17. 17
• Small ruminants -- adaptation to arid
environments and resistance to endoparasites
in sheep from Tunisia (Ahbara et al, 2021)
• Paths for utilization
• Incorporation of functional regions/genes in
genomic prediction --- BayesR or BayesRC
• Approach increased accuracy of prediction for
heat tolerance for production traits by up 10%
(Cheruiyot et al, under review)
• Gene editing & surrogate sires
Sustainable cattle breeding in developing countries:
Incorporating the genetic basis of adaptation
18. 18
Challenge of adequacy commercial SNP array:
Examined in three African cattle
• Uniqueness genotypes of indigenous breeds leads to another
challenge; adequacy of commercial SNPs panels
19. 19
Assessment of the 23 commercial Bovine SNP arrays in 3 cattle breeds
0
5
10
15
20
25
30 Proportions of WGS in high correlation with array SNPs
Boran Ndama Holstein
Proportion
of
WGS
SNPS
20. 20
• Genomics gives us the ability to undertake
• Detailed phenotyping of difficult to measure traits in
small cohort of animals
• Enables prediction of gEBVs for a wider population
connected to cohort with records
• Successfully used in Genomic Information Nucleus (Ginfo)
project in Australia to capture fitness traits in few herds but
connected to the national population. (Pryce et al, 2017)
• Increased accuracy of prediction 5 to 7 % for fertility
traits in the Holstein
• In developing countries, where data capture is a
challenge, genomics may provide an opportunity
to capture difficult or expensive traits
Genomics as a platform for collecting difficult to
measure or expensive traits
21. 21
• Expanding national indices to include fitness and
welfare traits has been fundamental in breeding
for sustainability in dairy cattle
• Genomics have offered us the opportunity both to
capture and incorporate difficult to measure or
expensive traits
• Genomics provide the basis for understanding and
utilizing adaptive traits in indigenous breeds to
ensure sustainability
Conclusions
22. 22
Dr Okeyo Mwai
Prof. John Gibson Dr Abdulfatai Tijjani (ILRI)
Dr Julie Ojango Dr Joram Mwacharo
Dr Chinyere Ekine-Dzivenu Prof. Olivier Hanotte
Acknowledgements