Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-8ctnn Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T10:21:03.706Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Improving resistance of cattle to BRD through genomics

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 March 2021

Kristen L. Parker Gaddis*
Affiliation:
Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, 4201 Northview Drive, One Town Centre, Suite 302, Bowie, MD20716, USA
*
Author for correspondence: Kristen L. Parker Gaddis, Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, 4201 Northview Drive, One Town Centre, Suite 302, Bowie, MD20716, USA. E-mail: kristen.gaddis@uscdcb.com

Abstract

Bovine respiratory disease (BRD) is of considerable economic importance to the dairy industry, specifically among young animals. Several studies have demonstrated that BRD has a significant genetic component, with heritabilities ranging from 0.04 up to 0.22, which could be utilized to select more resistant animals. Taking advantage of available genomic data will allow more accurate genetic predictions to be made earlier in an animal's life. The availability of genomic data does not negate the necessity of quality phenotypes, in this case, records of BRD incidence. Evidence has shown that genetic selection is possible through the use of producer-recorded health information. The national dairy cooperator database currently has minimal records on respiratory problems. There is an existing pipeline for these data to flow from events recorded by producers on the farm to the national database used for genetic evaluation. Additional data could also be collected through the expansion of currently utilized termination codes and used in conjunction with the records of direct health events. Selection for animals with improved BRD resistance is possible at the national level; however, collection of additional phenotypes remains a significant hurdle.

Type
Special issue: Papers from Bovine Respiratory Disease Symposium
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Bach, A (2011) Associations between several aspects of heifer development and dairy cow survivability to second lactation. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 10521057.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Geiger, C. (2019). How bad are the dairy financial conditions? Hoard's Dairyman Intel, 13 May. Available at: https://hoards.com/article-25532-how-bad-are-the-dairy-financial-conditions.html.Google Scholar
Henderson, L, Miglior, F, Sewalem, A, Wormuth, J, Kelton, D, Robinson, A and Leslie, KE (2011) Short communication: genetic parameters for measures of calf health in a population of Holstein calves in New York State. Journal of Dairy Science 94, 61816187.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heringstad, B, Chang, YM, Gianola, D and Østerås, O (2008) Short communication: genetic analysis of respiratory disease in Norwegian Red calves. Journal of Dairy Science 91, 367370.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lombard, JE, Garry, FB, Urie, NJ, McGuirk, SM, Godden, SM, Sterner, K, Earleywine, TJ, Catherman, D and Maas, J (2019) Proposed dairy calf birth certificate data and death loss categorization scheme. Journal of Dairy Science 102, 47044712.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McCorquodale, CE, Sewalem, A, Miglior, F, Kelton, D, Robinson, A, Koeck, A and Leslie, KE (2013) Short communication: analysis of health and survival in a population of Ontario Holstein heifer calves. Journal of Dairy Science 96, 18801885.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McGuirk, SM (2008) Disease management of dairy calves and heifers. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice 24, 139153.Google ScholarPubMed
Norström, M, Edge, VL and Jarp, J (2001) The effect of an outbreak of respiratory disease on herd-level milk production of Norwegian dairy farms. Preventive Veterinary Medicine 51, 259268.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parker Gaddis, KL, Cole, JB, Clay, JS and Maltecca, C (2012) Incidence validation and relationship analysis of producer-recorded health event data from on-farm computer systems in the United States. Journal of Dairy Science 95, 54225435.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parker Gaddis, KL, Cole, JB, Clay, JS and Maltecca, C (2014) Genomic selection for producer-recorded health event data in US dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 97, 31903199.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Parker Gaddis, KL, Tooker, ME, Wright, JR, Megonigal, JH, Clay, JS, Cole, JB and VanRaden, PM (2018) Development of national genomic evaluations for health traits in U.S. Holsteins, in: World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production. Auckland, NZ, p. 594.Google Scholar
Philipsson, J and Lindhe, B (2003) Experiences of including reproduction and health traits in Scandinavian dairy cattle breeding programmes. Livestock Production Science 83, 99112.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rauw, WM, Kanis, E, Noordhuizen-Stassen, EN and Grommers, FJ (1998) Undesirable side effects of selection for high production efficiency in farm animals: a review. Livestock Production Science 56, 1533.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
USDA (2018) Dairy 2014, Health and management practices on U.S. dairy operations (2014). USDA – Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service – Veterinary Services – Center for Epidemiology and Animal Health – National Animal Health Monitoring System, Fort Collins, CO. Available at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_health/nahms/dairy/downloads/dairy14/Dairy14_dr_PartIII.pdf.Google Scholar
VanRaden, PM and Seykora, AJ (2003). Net merit as a measure of lifetime profit: 2003 revision. Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Research Report NM$2 (7-03), Beltsville, MD. Available at https://aipl.arsusda.gov/reference/nmcalc-2003.htm.Google Scholar
VanRaden, PM and Multi-State Project S-1008 (2006) Net merit as a measure of lifetime profit: 2006 revision. Animal Improvement Programs Laboratory Research Report NM$3 (7-06), Beltsville, MD. Available at https://aipl.arsusda.gov/reference/nmcalc-2006.htm.Google Scholar
Vukasinovic, N, Bacciu, N, Przybyla, CA, Boddhireddy, P and DeNise, SK (2016) Development of genetic and genomic evaluation for wellness traits in US Holstein cows. Journal of Dairy Science 100, 428438. https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2016-11520CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vukasinovic, N, Gonzalez-Pena, D, Brooker, J, Desai, P and DeNise, SK (2018). Exploring genetics underlying respiratory disorders in dairy calves using producer-recorded data, in: World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, p. 597.Google Scholar