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Reports in the literature suggest that a transient surge of ghrelin secretion (TSGS) just before a scheduled meal may be triggered by an appetite mechanism. Also, it is known that circulating ghrelin concentrations fluctuate relative to nutritional status and influence feeding behavior. The aim of the present study was to search for genetic variants in five selected genes (GHRL, GHSR1a, MBOAT4, NPY and AgRP) within the ghrelin gene (GHRL) interaction network. gDNA was extracted from the six highest- and six lowest-RFI Hampshire non-castrated male lambs, out of a total of 25 lambs in a 56-d GrowSafe SystemsÒ feeding trial and the complete genes were amplified by PCR. Libraries were prepared and sequenced in the ILLUMINA platform MiniSeq Sequencing System. Variations were identified using the genomic variant call format (GVCF) workflow with HaplotypeCaller using the reference genome oviAri 4 - Oar_v4 (GCA_000298732.2). One hundred and ninety-two SNPs were found in the five analyzed genes. Most of them had been reported in the SNPs data base. Linear models including each SNP genotype at a time as fixed effects, in addition to ADG and mid test metabolic body weight as covariates for some variables, were adjusted. Forty-three of these SNPs had different genotype frequencies in the two RFI groups, and appear to be associated (p < 0.05) with traits such as RFI, feed intake (FI), feed conversion (FC) and ghrelin hormone concentration in plasma (GHRL) at the TSGS; especially SNPs rs399405301, rs421869734, rs604106535, rs417836509, rs600356564, rs590893697 at the MBOAT4 gene which resulted highly significant (p < 0.01) for RFI and GHRL. The SNP rs423156356 at the GHSR1a gene was highly significant (p < 0.01) for FI and FC. These SNPs (Table 1) have the potential to be used as genetic markers for improvement of feed efficiency in Hampshire sheep, but validation on a larger sample deserves further research efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Veterinary Archives / Veterinarski Arhiv is the property of University of Zagreb, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim was to explore potential differences on ghrelin plasm concentrations between efficient and inefficient lambs within a transient surge of ghrelin secretion just before a scheduled meal feeding. Six high- (256±19 g) and six low-RFI (-242±19 g) Hampshire entire male lambs (Age=168±2 d and BW=63±5 kg) were taken out of 25 individuals in a 56-d GrowSafe SystemsÒ feeding trial. After a 10-d adaptation to a once-daily ad-libitum feed offering (0900 h), at d11 three lambs from each RFI group continued the oncedaily feeding schedule (FED), whereas feed was withheld from the other three lambs (FAST) from each RFI group for 24-h (d11 to d12). Blood samples were collected via indwelling jugular catheter. In d11, ghrelin plasm concentrations were determined by ELISA in all animals at 0800, 0840, 0900, 1000 and 1100, and d12 at 0900, 1000 and 1100 in the FAST group. A linear model for repeated measures was adjusted with PROC MIXED of SAS. Plasm ghrelin levels began to increase at 0800, and RFI groups reached significant difference (P < 0.05) within both FED and FAST groups at 0840, with the greatest difference at peak concentrations at 0900 h (3.9±0.2 vs 2.4±0.2 and 3.9±0.2 vs 3.0±0.2 ng/ml for high vs low RFI, respectively). In the descendent phase of the curve for the FED group, one hour after feeding, ghrelin plasm concentration levels continued to be greater (P < 0.05) for high RFI vs low RFI animals and reached basal levels by 1100 h. For the FAST group, ghrelin concentrations continued to increase averaging maximum concentrations at the end of feed restriction, 0900 h of d12, being 4.9±0.2 ng/mL for the high RFI animals and 3.5±0.2 ng/mL for the low RFI ones. In conclusion, high RFI lambs show more pronounced transient surge of ghrelin secretion just before a scheduled meal feeding than low RFI lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista Cientifica de la Facultade de Veterinaria is the property of Universidad del Zulia, Facultad de Ciencias Veterinarias and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aims of this study were to estimate variance components; calculate heritability (h²) and genetic correlations (rg) predict breeding values (VG) and evaluate their trends over time. Behavior information was analyzed for four Mexican bullfighting ranches: Los Encinos (ENC), Montecristo (MCR), San José (SJO) y Fernando de la Mora (FMO). The analyzed information included was horse tienta (TC), foot tienta (TP), horse bullfight (LC) and foot bullfight (LP). The number of observations ranged from 154 to 2,369, the number of animals in the pedigrees varied from 3,246 to 8,962. Multivariate analyses were conducted using the MTDFREML software. The estimates of h² were from medium to high magnitude, in a range from 0.09±0.05 to 0.47±0.22, and an average of 0.28±0.09. The average of h² by trait was 0.33±0.06 for TC and TP, 0.23±0.14 for LC and 0.27±0.12 for LP. All rg were positive and higher than 0.50, with the exception of TP and LP (0.44±0.38) in FMO, and TC and LP (0.28±0.14) in MCR. The average of the rg within ranches was 0.71±0.14 in MCR, 0.77±0.35 in FMO, 0.78±0.18 in ENC, and 0.85±0.31 in SJO. The trends of the VG were positive and nonzero (P<0.02), with the exception of LP in FMO (P>0.05). The magnitude of the genetic gain per year, as a percentage of the mean, ranged from 0.19% in LC of FMO to 1.5% in TP of ENC. The variability of VG suggests its use in breeding programs to promote greater genetic progress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Agrociencia is the property of Colegio de Postgraduados and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Agrociencia is the property of Colegio de Postgraduados and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Brazilian Journal of Agricultural Sciences / Revista Brasileira de Ciências Agrárias is the property of Universidade Federal Rural de Pernambuco and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Characterizing growth in livestock is important when making management, marketing and genetic improvement decisions. Nonlinear models were tested to identify those with the best fit for growth curves in seven sheep breeds [Blackbelly (n= 19,084); Pelibuey (n= 39,025); Dorper (n= 35,814); Katahdin (n= 74,154); Suffolk (n= 10,267); Hampshire (n= 7,561); and Rambouillet (n= 7,384)]. Using breed registry databases, live weight was assessed from birth to 230 d of age. The SAS program was applied to test six nonlinear models: Brody, Verhulst, von Bertalanffy, Gompertz, Mitscherlich and logistic. The criteria for selecting the best-fit model were the average prediction error; the prediction error variance; the Durbin-Watson statistic; the coefficient of determination; the root-mean-square error; and the Akaike and Bayesian information criteria. For the Hampshire, Pelibuey and Suffolk breeds the best-fit model was the von Bertalanffy, with a sigmoid curve and an inflection point age between 40 and 57 d. For the Katahdin, Blackbelly, Dorper and Rambouillet breeds the best-fit models were the Brody and Mitscherlich models, with a continuous growth curve, no inflection point and constant growth rate. Marked differences were observed in adult weight between breeds, with average values (kg) of 44.6 for Blackbelly, 49.2 for Rambouillet, 52.9 for Pelibuey, 55.6 for Hampshire, 60.2 for Katahdin, 64.7 for Suffolk and 65.2 for Dorper; values tended to be highest in the Brody and Mitscherlich models, and lowest in the logistic and Verhulst models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to identify in Angus and Brangus breed animals with extreme temperament, measured as exit velocity, genomic regions and candidate genes associated with bovine temperament. The population was genotyped with the Genomic Profiler HD 150K chip and after the genome-wide association analysis, the SNPs rs 133956611 (F=2.65 E-06) and rs81144933 (P=9.58 E-06) were associated with temperament. The mapping analysis of the regions close to the SNP rs81144933 identified the SNCA (alpha-synuclein) zxAMMRNl (multimerin-1) genes at 222.8 and 435.9 Kb downstream respectively, while for the rsl33956611 loci the gene GPRIN3 (GPRIN family-member-3) was identified at 245.7 Kb upstream, all three genes are located on the BTA6 chromosome. The analysis of SNCA protein-protein interactions allowed the identification of the genes APP (β-amyloid precursor protein), PARK7 (parkinsonism-associated-deglycase), UCHL1 (ubiquitin-C-terminal-hydrolase-Ll), PARK2 (parkin-RBR-E3-ubiquitin-protein-ligase), and genes of the SLC family as candidates to be associated with bovine temperament. All these candidate genes and their interacting were resequenced, which allowed the discovery of new SNPs in the SNCA and APP genes. Of these, the SNPs located in introns 5, 8 and 11 of the APP gene affect splicing site motifs. These results indicate that SNCA and its interacting genes are candidates to be related to bovine temperament. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objectives were to study the reproductive performance, initiation of post-partum ovarian activity, response to restricted suckling, estrus synchronization, and conception rate using artificial insemination at a fixed time of Creole rodeo cows (C). In Chihuahua, México, during the summer 2008, twenty-seven cows were used over 95 d, and the beginning of post-partum ovarian activity was detected by ultra-sonography. Hormone treatment for estrus synchronization was administered to 22 cows (n=11 per group). In treatment 1 (T1) the cows (n=11) received a CIDR with 1,9 g of progesterone and one IM injection with 1 mg of β-estradiol + 50 mg of P4. The CIDR was removed after d 7 and an IM injection of 30 mg of PGF2α was applied. After 24 h, 1 mg of β-estradiol was applied, and the cows were inseminated 54 h after removing the CIDR. T2 (n=11) was similar, but the IM injection contained β-estradiol only. The C showed aggressive behavior (AB) during the restricted suckling. The average days from the beginning of the ovarian activity were 11,66 d and only 11,11% of the cows exhibited estrus during initial ovarian activity. One hundred percent of the animals underwent estrus on d 9 post synchronization, there were not differences (P>0,05) among the levels of progesterone of the T1 (4,94±0,331 ng/ml) vs the T2 (4,87±0,30 ng/ml. There was a T*DS interaction for concentrations of progesterone and E2 (P=0.06). There were no differences (P>0.05) in conception rate (18,8%). Adding P4 with a CIDR did not increase the levels of progesterone in C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effect of slaughter critical variables on physicochemical characteristics of pork three experiments were conducted in summer and winter using 340 pigs: Exp 1, effect of group-stunning vs individual stunning (n=120); Exp 2, effect of time between stunning and bleeding (4 vs 16 sec; n=120); and Exp 3, effect of scalding time (5 vs 7 min; n=100) on the physicochemical characteristics of pork. In both seasons, quality of meat from animals stunned in groups of five pigs was better (P<0.05) than that of individually stunned animals, showing less drip loss (DL), higher pH at 45 min post mortem (pH45), less temperature at 45 min and 24 h post mortem (T24), and a decrease (P<0.05) in electrical conductivity at 2 (EC2) and at 24 h post mortem in both seasons, (P<0.05). Reducing time between stunning and bleeding results in less meat drip loss and better (P<0.05) physicochemical characteristics of meat in both seasons. Similarly, reducing scalding time form 7 to 5 min resulted in less drip loss, higher pH45, less T24 (P<0.05), and lower (P<0.05) EC2. It is concluded that physicochemical quality of meat can be improved by stunning pigs in groups instead of individually, and reducing both time between stunning and bleeding, and scalding time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Para determinar el efecto de variables críticas de la línea de sacrificio sobre las propiedades fisicoquímicas de la carne, se realizaron tres experimentos, repitiendo la misma prueba en verano y en invierno, y usando un total de 340 cerdos. Exp 1, efecto de la insensibilización en grupo contra la insensibilización individual (n=120); Exp 2, efecto del tiempo entre insensibilizado y desangrado (4 vs 16 seg; n=120); y Exp 3, efecto del tiempo de escaldado (5 y 7 min; n=100) sobre las características fisicoquímicas de la carne. En las dos épocas del año la calidad de la carne de los animales insensibilizados en grupos de cinco cerdos fue superior a la de los insensibilizados individualmente, encontrándose menor pérdida de agua por goteo, mayor pH a los 45 min post mortem (pH45) menor temperatura tanto a los 45 min como a las 24 h post mortem (T24) y menor conductividad eléctrica a las 2 h (CE2) y a las 24 h post mortem en ambas épocas del año, (P<0.05). Al reducir el tiempo entre insensibilizado y desangrado, se disminuyó la pérdida por goteo y se obtuvo carne con mejor calidad fisicoquímica en las dos épocas del año. En forma similar, al reducir el tiempo de escalde de 7 a 5 min la carne presentó menor pérdida por goteo, mayor pH45 menor T24 y menor CE2. Se concluye que la calidad fisicoquímica de la carne se puede mejorar insensibilizando los cerdos en forma grupal en lugar de forma individual, y disminuyendo los tiempos entre insensibilizado y desangrado y el tiempo de escaldado. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to define the SNP panel for paternity tests in cattle, genotypes were analyzed in three breeds (number of SNPs evaluated and individuals sampled): Hereford (HER; 202; 1317), Brangus (BRA; 217; 3431) and Limousin (LIM; 151; 8205). Within breed, SNPs with a percentage of genotyped individuals (PGI) less than 90 %, with Hardy-Weinberg disequilibrium (HW; 7*0.05), with allele frequency less than 0.10 or less and with linkage disequilibrium, where the correlation between genotypic frequencies was greater than 0.25, were discarded. The levels of expected (He) and observed (Ho) heterozygosity, polymorphic information content (PIC) were estimated; as well as the Shannon index, the fixation index and effective population size (Ne). The combined exclusion probability (CEP) and identity probability (CIP) were calculated. The final panel was 121, 188 and 113 SNPs in HER, BRA and LIM, respectively; the main source of discard was HW followed by PGI. Levels of Ho and He were above 0.40; CIP was greater than 0.32 and Ne presented estimates above 181.3. The results for CEP were higher than 0.999999; for CIP, they were below 1 × 10-20. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La reproducción es un elemento clave en los sistemas de producción de ganado bovino. Se han aplicado los enfoques de biología de sistemas, incluidos los que involucran las redes de genes, a la disección genética de fenotipos complejos de ganado. Se hizo un análisis de la red proteína-proteína, incluyendo un conjunto de 385 genes asociados con rasgos reproductivos en el ganado, para identificar y priorizar genes candidatos relacionados con las diferencias fenotípicas en la reproducción del ganado. Los genes que pertenecen a la familia de la ubiquitina - Ubiquitina C (Ubc, ID del gen: 444874) y Ubiquitina B (Ubb, ID del gen: 281370) - presentaron la mayor probabilidad de estar asociados con estos rasgos en el ganado. Se identificaron ambas proteínas como centros muy importantes en una red de interacción proteína-proteína ya que cada una tienen 3,775 interacciones de 3,856 posibles. Al resecuenciar la región de codificación del gen Ubb para evaluar la presencia de SNP en una población de descubrimiento, se identificó la transversión G/T (rs110366695), que provoca la aparición de un codón de terminación y una proteína truncada en 287 aa. Las distribuciones de frecuencia alélicas descubiertos en dos razas de ganado vacuno podrían justificar investigaciones adicionales enfocados en explorar tanto los efectos del truncamiento de proteínas como el potencial de estas proteínas como marcadores moleculares para la calidad del semen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to estimate the genetic parameters of open days (OD), data from Santa Gertrudis cattle in the Turiguanó Island, Cuba, were analyzed. The first eight calvings of cows in 15 herds were considered. The sample included 16,209 calvings of 3,065 cows' daughters of 85 sires and 2,610 dams. Data was analyzed using the animal model, with the ASREML software. Four models were used: The univariate model (UM) for each independent calving; the repeatibility model (RM) which included all calvings; the bivariate model (BM) to estimate genetic correlations between OD in the different parities; and the random regression model (RRM). OD mean was 168.9 d with a trend to decrease from parities 1 to 4. OD heritability (h²) estimated by the UM and RRM increased from parity 1 (0.02 ± 0.02) to parity 7 (0.20 ± 0.08). Genetic correlations among OD for different parities were high, particularly for consecutive parities (≥ 0.90). Results show that OD heritability estimated using the RM does not differ from the values found in other dairy or beef cattle breeds. Despite of the fact that estimates obtained increased with both the UM and the RRM, OD h² model, together with the variation found, limit the usefulness of this trait as a selection criterion for Santa Gertrudis cattle in Cuba. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nucleic acid sequence of ten BoLA-DRB3.2 alleles detected by PCR-RFLP in Mexican Creole cattle was determined. The methodology used to determine such sequence was the SBT (sequence based typing). It was possible to determine that two alleles, correspond to DRB3*1602 and DRB3*1501 previously reported to the BoLA database. The remaining eight alleles had nucleic acid sequences different from those already published. When compared to the officially reported alleles, three of those defined in this study showed maximal homologies of 99 %, four had 98 % homology and one showed maximal identity of 94 %, therefore the conclusion was that those 8 alleles are unreported. The amino acid sequences deduced for these alleles showed differences from 2 to 51 % with respect to the officially published peptides. The sequence analysis of these new alleles supports the hypothesis that Mexican creole cattle possibly has a higher genetic potential to respond to a wider range of pathogen antigens than the other bovine races studied to date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Se determinó la secuencia nucleotídica de diez alelos BoLA–DRB3.2 detectados por PCR–RFLP en ganado Criollo mexicano. La metodología utilizada para determinar dicha secuencia fue la SBT (sequence based typing). De los diez alelos analizados se logró determinar que dos correspondieron a los alelos DRB3*1602 y DRB3*1501 ya reportados en la base de datos BoLA. Los ocho restantes tuvieron secuencias nucleotídicas diferentes a las publicadas con anterioridad. Tres de los alelos definidos en este estudio mostraron homologías máximas del 99 % al compararse con los alelos oficialmente reportados; cuatro más tuvieron 98 % de homología y uno de ellos mostró una identidad máxima del 94 %. Se concluyó que estos ocho alelos no han sido reportados previamente. Las secuencias peptídicas deducidas para estos alelos mostraron diferencias en el rango del 2 hasta el 51 % con respecto a los péptidos publicados oficialmente. El análisis de la secuencia de estos nuevos alelos respalda la hipótesis de que el ganado Criollo mexicano posiblemente tiene mayor potencial genético para responder a una gama más amplia de antígenos patógenos, que las otras razas de bovino estudiadas hasta el momento. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]