Polymorphisms in bovine immune genes and their associations with somatic cell count and milk production in dairy cattle.
BACKGROUND
Mastitis, an inflammation of the mammary gland, is a major source of economic loss on dairy farms. The aim of this study was to quantify the associations between two previously identified polymorphisms in the bovine toll-like receptor 2 (TLR2) and chemokine receptor 1 (CXCR1) genes and mammary health indictor traits in (a) 246 lactating dairy cow contemporaries representing five breeds from one research farm and (b) 848 Holstein-Friesian bulls that represent a large proportion of the Irish dairy germplasm. To expand the study, a further 14 polymorphisms in immune genes were included for association studies in the bull population.


RESULTS
TLR4-2021 associated (P < 0.05) with both milk protein and fat percentage in late lactation (P < 0.01) within the cow cohort. No association was observed between this polymorphism and either yield or composition of milk within the bull population. CXCR1-777 significantly associated (P < 0.05) with fat yield in the bull population and tended to associate (P < 0.1) with somatic cell score (SCS) in the cows genotyped. CD14-1908 A allele was found to associate with increased (P < 0.05) milk fat and protein yield and also tended to associate with increased (P < 0.1) milk yield. A SERPINA1 haplotype with superior genetic merit for milk protein yield and milk fat percentage (P < 0.05) was also identified.


CONCLUSIONS
Of the sixteen polymorphisms in seven immune genes genotyped, just CXCR1-777 tended to associate with SCS, albeit only in the on-farm study. The lack of an association between the polymorphisms with SCS in the Holstein-Friesian data set would question the potential importance of these variants in selection for improved mastitis resistance in the Holstein-Friesian cow.
Teagasc Food Research Centre, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co, Cork, Ireland.
Christine
C
Beecher
Mairead
M
Daly
Stuart
S
Childs
Donagh P
DP
Berry
David A
DA
Magee
Tommie V
TV
McCarthy
Linda
L
Giblin
D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D005260:Female; D005787:Gene Frequency; D005838:Genotype; D007774:Lactation / Q000235:genetics*; D008297:Male; D008414:Mastitis, Bovine / Q000235:genetics; D008892:Milk; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000235:genetics; D010641:Phenotype; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D023062:Receptors, Interleukin-8A / Q000235:genetics*; D017422:Sequence Analysis, DNA; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2 / Q000235:genetics*
D008894:Milk Proteins; D023062:Receptors, Interleukin-8A; D051195:Toll-Like Receptor 2