Vol. 1 No. 2 July, 2009 ISSN : 0973-1865 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity

Society for Conservation of Domestic Animals Biodiversity SOCIETY FOR CONSERVATION OF DOMESTIC ANIMAL BIODIVERSITY

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PRESIDENT Dr. B.K. Joshi, NBAGR, Karnal

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JOURNAL OF LIVESTOCK BIODIVERSITY VOLUME 1, NUMBER 2, July 2009

CONTENTS 1. Genetic evaluation of first lactation production and reproduction traits in Sahiwal 51 P. Kathiravan, GK Sachdeva, RS Gandhi, TV Raja, PK Singh and AK Singh

2. First case of centric fission in a River Buffalo bull 56 B. Prakash, Deepika and Satbir Singh

3. Conservation of through Gaushala - a Successful venture 60 Ramesh Kumar, Satbir Singh, PK Malik and B Prakash

4. Genetic characterization of hill cattle of Himachal Pradesh using molecular markers 64 Kailash Mahajan, OP Kaila, SC Gupta, Sanjeet Katoch and K Gupta.

5. Genetic and phenotypic correlations among lactation traits in Hariana cattle 67 S Singh, ZS Rana, R Kumar, BL Pander, SS Dhaka and B. Prakash

6. Complex Vertebral Malformation: a recessive disorder in Holstein Friesian cattle – a Review 70 Ashwani Sharma, Vijay Kumar, Mahdi Mahdipour, PP Dubey, Avtar Singh, Jyoti Joshi, Priyanka Banerjee, and BK Joshi

7. Phenotypic, genetic and environmental trends for first lactation traits of Sahiwal 74 KN Raja, HK Narula and BK Joshi

8. Genetic diversity analysis of Mecheri sheep using microsatellite markers 77 R Selvam, PS Rahumathulla, SN Sivaselvam, SMK Karthickeyan and R Rajendran

9. Genetic parameters of production efficiency traits in 81 SS Dhaka, SR. Chaudhary, BL Pander and S. Singh

10. Single strand conformation polymorphism in keratin associated protein (KAP7) gene in carpet wool breeds 84 of indigenous sheep Geetu Malik, JS Rana, SC Gupta and Neelam Gupta

11. Genetic parameters of body weights in Murrah buffaloes and prediction of mature body weight with early 87 body weights JP Gupta, GK Sachdeva and RS Gandhi

12. Genetic parameters of lifetime traits in Hariana cattle 89 S Singh, ZS Rana, SS Dhaka and BL Pander

Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Genetic evaluation of first lactation production and reproduction traits in P.Kathiravan1, G.K. Sachdeva2, R.S. Gandhi2, T.V. Raja2, P.K. Singh1 and A.K. Singh3 Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal

ABSTRACT The present study was conducted on first lactation production and reproduction performance of Sahiwal cattle from NDRI, Karnal and Government Livestock Farm, Chakganjaria, Lucknow. First lactation records of 894 Sahiwal cows born to 60 sires, spread over a period of 33 years from 1973 to 2005 were utilized for the present study. The overall least squares mean of first lactation traits viz. AFC, FLL, FLMY, FL305DMY, FSP, FDP and FCI were estimated to be 1234.97±16.3 days, 322.21±6.82 days, 1785.32±49.49 kg, 1526.11±34.97 kg, 239.74±11.98 days, 201.63±11.05 days and 523.84±11.99 days respectively. The estimates of first lactation production traits, except FLL, were significantly higher in Karnal herd while all the first lactation reproduction traits were significantly higher in Lucknow herd. Season effect was not significant on most of the first lactation traits except first dry period. In contrast, different periods of calving were found to have significant influence on all the traits except first calving interval and first service period. Similarly, interaction of herd and period was found to have significant effect on all the first lactation traits while herd x season and period x season interactions were not found to have any significant influence for most of the traits. The heritability estimates of different first lactation production traits were moderate while the estimates for different reproduction traits were low except for age at first calving. In conclusion, the mean performance of different first lactation production and reproduction traits was comparatively better in Karnal than that of Lucknow herd. However, there seems to be a decreasing trend in production performance of both the herds.

Key words: Sahiwal, least squares, genetic parameters, first lactation traits

INTRODUCTION each. Each year was divided into four seasons namely winter Sahiwal, one of the best sub-continental milch breeds of (December-March), summer (April-June), rainy (July-September) cattle (Maule, 1990), is known for its endurance to hot climate and autumn (October-November). In order to classify the data for of tropics, resistance to tropical diseases, low cost of maintenance different periods and seasons, year and season of birth was and having higher percentage of milk constituents. The original considered for age at first calving, while year and season of calving breeding tract of Sahiwal cattle lies in the Montgomery district of was considered for other first lactation traits. The traits considered and true to the type animals are available in the bordering in the present study were age at first calving (AFC in days), first districts of Punjab and in India. Additionally, about 1200 lactation length (FLL in days), first lactation total mil yield (FLMY breedable females with good production potential are maintained in kg), first lactation 305 days milk yield (FL305DMY in kg), first at various organized farms located in different parts of the country service period (FSP in days), first dry period (FDP in days) and first (Joshi et al., 2001). The objectives of the present study were (i) to calving interval (FCI in days). evaluate performance of Sahiwal cattle with respect to first Statistical Analysis: The influence of non-genetic factors on lactation production and reproduction traits in organized herds (ii) different traits were studied by least squares analysis of variance to estimate the effects of different non-genetic factors and their for non-orthogonal data using the technique described by Harvey interaction on first lactation traits and (iii) to estimate genetic (1987). The model for the least squares analysis of variance to parameters viz. heritability and genetic correlations among estimate the influence of non-genetic factors on different first different first lactation traits. lactation traits included the effects of herd, seasons, periods and MATERIAL AND METHIODS interaction among them. Prior to estimation of genetic parameters, the data were adjusted for different significant non-genetic factors First lactation records of 894 Sahiwal cows born to 60 (herd, season, period and their interaction effects). The data after sires spread over a period of 33 years from 1973 to 2005, adjustment for different significant non-genetic factors were maintained at National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal and utilized for estimation of genetic parameters. Paternal half-sib Government Livestock Farm, Chakganjaria, Lucknow were correlation (intra-sire correlation among daughters) method was utilized for the present study. Only the sires having records on at used to estimate heritability of different traits (Becker, 1975). The least 5 daughters were included in the present study. The records of standard error of heritability was estimated by the formula given by only those animals with known pedigree and normal lactation were Swiger et al. (1964). The genetic and phenotypic correlations considered. The lactation records of less than 100 days were among different traits were estimated from the analysis of considered as abnormal and were not included in the analysis. variance/covariance using half sib data as suggested by Becker Expression of different traits varied in different periods due to (1975). The genetic correlation was calculated from sire change in managemental practices over time. The total duration of component of variance and covariance. the present study was divided into six equal periods of five years Present Addresses: 1National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, 2Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, NDRI, Karnal and 3Department of Animal Husbandry, Lucknow, UP. 51 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity RESULTS AND DISCUSSION were significantly (P<0.01) lower in Karnal herd compared to that The least squares analysis of variance to estimate of Lucknow herd. The mean AFC, FSP, FDP and FCI were different non-genetic effects are presented in Table 1. The effect of 1177.49±25.38 days, 204.49±19.72 days, 168.52±18.19 days and herd was highly significant (P<0.01) on all the first lactation traits 490.47±19.73 days respectively in Karnal herd while they were except first lactation length. The mean first lactation production 1292.46±20.00 days, 274.98±11.08 days, 234.74±10.22 days and traits viz. FLMY and FL305DMY were significantly higher 557.21±11.08 days respectively in Lucknow herd (Table 2). Thus (P<0.01) in Karnal herd (2093.67±81.47 kg and 1797.43±57.56 kg the mean values of different first lactation production and respectively). The respective means in Lucknow farm for these reproduction traits revealed the better performance level traits were 1476.97±45.76 kg and 1254.78±32.33 kg. However, the suggestive of better managemental practices followed in Karnal mean first lactation length was slightly higher in Lucknow farm farm as compared to Lucknow farm. Highly significant influence (322.47±6.31 days) than that of Karnal farm (321.95±11.23 days) of herd on different first lactation production and reproduction (Table 2). Similarly, the mean first lactation reproduction traits traits observed in the present study is consistent with the findings of Banik (2004) and Kumar (2007) in Sahiwal cattle.

Table 1. Least squares analysis of variance to estimate effect of non-genetic factors on first lactation traits in Sahiwal cattle Traits Mean squares Herd Season Period Herd x Herd x Period x Season Period Season

AFC 1029147** 9481NS 731877** 126683NS 381194** 65266 NS

NS NS NS FL305DMY 15699315** 407836 1381835** 89690 2561216** 204224

NS NS FLMY 20276626** 701108 2337231** 298246NS 4612893** 386743

FLL 14.21NS 5695 NS 52219** NA 65450** 9131 NS FSP 264897** 36851 NS 16405 NS 59411NS 72729** NA FDP 233829** 66224* 72250** 43172NS 74814** 17750 NS NS NS FCI 237488** 36090 14205 63715* 69335* NA

**Highly significant (P<0.01); *Significant (P<0.05); NS Not Significant; NA-Interaction effect not analyzed as both the main effects were not significant

Table 2. Least squares means of different first lactation production and reproduction traits in Sahiwal cattle

Effects FL305DMY (kg) FLMY (kg) FLL (days) AFC (days)* FSP (days) FDP (days) FCI (days) Overall 1526.1±34.97 1785.3±49.49 322.2±6.82 1234.9±16.3 239.7±11.98 201.6±11.05 523.8 ±11.99 Herd

a a Lucknow 1254. 8±32.33 a 1476.9±45.76a 322.47±6.31 1292.5±20.00a 274.9±11.08 234.7±10.22a 557.2±11.08

Karnal 1797.4±57.56b 2093.7±81.47b 321.9±11.23 1177.5±25.38b 204.5±19.72b 168.5±18.19b 490.5±19.73b

Season

b Winter 1573.8±28.03 1840.9±39.66 332.39±5.47 1223.9±19.32 218.7±9.6 169.9±8.86 502.3±9.61 b Summer 1476.0±36.94 1705.4±52.28 325.9±7.21 1236.1±31.98 216.7±12.66 175.8±11.68 501.8±12.66 b Rainy 1581.2±55.38 1831.1±78.37 330.03±10.8 1240.8±29.04 217.3±18.97 171.7±17.50 501.7±18.98 Autumn 1473.4±117.75 1763.8±166.65 300.4±22.97 1239.2±36.49 306.2±40.34 289.1±37.22a 589.6±40.35

Period

b a a bc d 1976 -80 1642.6±88.16 2134.4±124.77 383.6±17.20 1231.8±50.99 245.93±30.2 147.1±27.87 530.7±30.21

1981-85 1585.7±50.70c 1888.9±71.76bc 353.7±9.89b 1394.7±26.90a 235.2±17.37 164.4±16.03cd 518.1±17.38

1986-90 1665.1±48.65b 1865.6±68.86c 322.5±9.49c 1199.7±24.41cd 214.4±16.67 178.7±15.38c 501.2±16.67 a b cd e b 1991-95 1725.5±55.75 1950.6±78.91 312.4±10.88 115.56±31.95 254.2±19.1 226.4±17.62 538.8±19.11

1996-2000 1433.9±52.70d 1613.1±74.58d 306.4±10.28d 1259.7±29.57b 239.7±18.05 215.6±16.66b 522.0±18.06 2001-05 1103.78±128.53e 1259.5±181.9e 254.5±25.07e 1169.4±60.85de 249.0±44.03 277.7±40.62a 532.3±44.05

Means bearing different superscripts within a column for an effect differ significantly. * Periods for AFC in order are 1973-77, 1978-82, 1983-87, 1988-1992, 1993-97, 1998-2002 and season indicate season of birth.

52

Journal of Livestock Biodiversity

Although season was found to have non-significant The data on different traits were adjusted for significant influence on all the first lactation production traits, it was found effects using least squares constant before estimating the genetic that cows calved in winter and rainy season had higher milk yields parameters viz. heritability and genetic correlations. The as compared to that of cows that calved during summer and autumn estimates of heritability, phenotypic and genetic correlations are seasons. These findings are consistent with the results of Mohanty presented in Table 3. The heritability estimates ranged from (2001), Kumar (2003) and Kumar (2007). This is understandable 0.061±0.06 (FDP) to 0.31±0.10 (AFC). The heritability estimates as the level of green fodder production normally goes down during for different first lactation production traits viz. FLL, FLMY and the summer and autumn seasons. Although silage and hay are FL305DMY were 0.180±0.08, 0.091±0.07 and 0.180±0.08 provided during lean seasons in both the farms, season seems to respectively. Among these estimates, except for FLMY, the other exert certain influence on the production of Sahiwal cows. two were found to be moderately heritable and significant Moreover, several other factors like stress due to adverse (P<0.01). The heritability estimates of the production traits environmental conditions is bound to affect the production of dairy observed in the present study are comparable to that of Banik animals. Among the various first lactation reproduction traits, FDP (2004) and Kumar (2007) while higher estimates were reported by was found to be significantly influenced by the seasonal effects. Mohanty (2001) and Singh et al. (2005). The heritability estimates Cows that calved during autumn season had significantly higher for different first lactation reproduction traits viz. AFC, FSP, FDP FDP than those that calved during other seasons. Similarly, all the and FCI were 0.310±0.10, 0.086±0.07, 0.061±0.06 and other first lactation reproduction traits (FSP and FCI) were 0.065±0.06 respectively. With the exception of AFC, all the other comparatively higher in cows that calved during autumn season reproduction traits were found to be lowly heritable and the although they were statistically non-significant (P>0.05). Non- heritability estimates were not statistically significant (P>0.05). significant influence of different seasons on various first lactation This is consistent with the reports of Banik (2004) and Kumar reproduction traits had been reported earlier by Sahota and Gill (2007) while Mohanty (2001) reported marginally higher (1994), Kuralkar et al. (1996) and Kumar (2003). Mohanty (2001) estimates but with large standard error. reported that the animals calved in autumn had highest FDP among The genetic correlation between age at first calving different seasons of calving, which is in agreement with the and first lactation milk yield was negative (-0.171±0.361) and findings of the present study. However, Kumar (2007) reported non-significant. The genetic correlation of AFC with FLL, significant seasonal influence on first service period and first FSP, FDP and FCI were also negative but significant (P<0.01) calving interval. with the 'r' values of -0.511±0.268, -0.540±0.382, and - Cows that calved in different periods had significant 0.315±0.446 and -0.690±0.464 respectively. Positive genetic differences (P<0.01) with respect to their lactation length and milk correlation was observed between AFC and FL-305D-MY yields. The mean performance of all the three first lactation which is contradictory to the report of Kumar (2007). production traits viz. FLL, FLMY and FL305DMY decreased over However, genetic correlation estimates of similar range the period of time and it was lowest in the last period of calving that between these two traits had been reported earlier (Singh, spread between 2001 and 2005. The mean FLMY and FL305DMY 1981; Mohiuddin et al., 1991). The first lactation 305 days or increased slightly during the early 1990s, but subsequently less milk yield was having decreased drastically till 2005. Similarly, there was deterioration in positive genetic correlation with traits like FLL, FSP different first lactation reproduction traits except AFC with mean values being the highest for the period 2001-2005. Significant and FCI with 'r' values of 0.335±0.293, 0.096±0.436 and influence of different periods (P<0.01) was observed in AFC and 0.001±0.491. However, with the exception of FLL, estimates FDP. However, no consistent trend was found, with fluctuations of genetic correlation of FL305DMY with the other traits were being observed over the period of calving in case of first service found to have high standard error. First lactation length was period and first calving interval. The fluctuation in FSP could be found to have significant positive genetic correlation with all the due to differences in managemental practices followed during first lactation traits except FDP. The negative genetic correlation different periods of time. The variability in FCI over periods might between FLL and FDP was significant (-0.335±0.293) and is be due to its high association with FSP, since similar trend was understandable, as higher number of days in lactation will reduce observed for both these traits. These findings are in agreement with the subsequent dry period before next calving. Highly significant Chaudhary et al. (1995) and Singh and Gurnani (2003). The (P<0.01) positive genetic correlation (0.964±0.054) was found to interaction between herd and period was found to be significant on exist between first service period and first calving interval. This is all the first lactation traits while period x season interaction had expected as the caving interval is bound to increase if the number significant influence on none of the traits under study. The effect of of days for successful insemination increases. herd x season interaction was not found to be significant for most of In order to evaluate the performance of the two Sahiwal the traits except FCI. Among the herd x period interactions of herds under study over time, the mean performances of both the different traits, it was found that there was consistent decreasing herds for different first lactation production and reproduction trend in milk yield of Lucknow herd over the period of time while traits were plotted against different periods of calving (Figure). there was fluctuation in milk yields of Karnal herd. Most of the The mean first lactation milk yield and first lactation 305 days or significant differences in different reproduction traits due to the less milk yield were found to decrease consistently in the interaction of herd and period can be attributed to lower Lucknow herd. The mean FLMY of 1903.57 kg in 1976-80 performance level of the Lucknow herd. reduced to 1506.66 kg in 2001-06, while the mean FL305DMY

53 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity decreased from 1586.89 kg to 1250.98 kg. The mean FLMY and Lucknow herd. With respect to different first lactation FL305DMY were consistently higher in Karnal herd compared reproduction traits, the mean AFC and FDP were almost similar to that of Lucknow herd over different periods of calving. in both herds during the last period of calving (2001-05) although However, the decreasing trend in Karnal herd for both these traits there were fluctuations during earlier periods of calving. The is evident, especially from 1996 to 2005. The decrease in mean mean FSP and FCI were higher in Lucknow herd compared to milk yield (FLMY) was quite drastic from 2617.26 kg (1991-95) that of Karnal herd. Although there were fluctuations in these two to 1542.10 kg (2001-05) and is almost on par with that of

Table 3. Heritability estimates, genetic and phenotypic correlations of different first lactation traits in Sahiwal cattle

AFC FLL FLMY FL305DMY FSP FDP FCI

NS NS AFC 0.301±0.10** 0.132** 0.108** 0.136** 0.058 -0.052 - 0.099**

FLL -0.511** 0.180±0.08** 0.830** 0.997** 0.417** 0.074* -0.174**

NS FLMY -.171 0.671* 0.091±0. 07 0.825** -0.161** -0.335** -0.381** FL305DMY 0.239** 0.335* 0.962* 0.180±0.08** 0.418** 0.071* -0.179**

FSP -.540** 0.532* 0.445* 0.096** 0.086±0.07NS 0.678** 0.313**

NS FDP -.315** -.377** -.144NS -0.222* 0.489NS 0.061±0.0 0.870**

FCI -.690** 0.552* 0.307NS 0.001NS 0.944** 0.473NS 0.065±0.06NS

Diagonal values - Heritability; Upper triangle - Phenotypic correlation; Lower triangle - Genetic correlation; ** Highly significant (P<0.01); * Significant (P<0.05); NS Not significant (P>0.05)

FL305DMY FLMY Lucknow 2500 Karnal Lucknow 3000 ) 2308.98 Karnal g k ( 2493.17 2617.26 Y 2000 2032.10 ) 2500 g M

1914.55 k ( D 2150.08 5

1765.67 Y 0

3 1876.94 1649.07 M 1903.57 2186.02

L 2000 1586.89 L F 1500 F n 1405.24 n 1599.53 1542.10 a 1329.71 a e 1233.68 1250.98 e 1500 M 1157.88 1161.51 M 1190.55 1506.66 1555.52 1000 1317.38 1976-80 1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-00 2001-05 1000 1976-80 1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-00 2001-05 Period Period AFC Lucknow FLL Karnal Lucknow 1500 450 438.33 1415.99 Karnal 1375.16 1400 1360.61 ) ) s s

400 y y 380.34 a

a 1283.70 1318.02 d

d 1300 ( ( C

L 1280.66 1206.17 F

L 350 334.59 A F 348.94 328.82 320.97 1200 n n

305.33 a 1180.65 a

327.93 e 1175.87 e 1079.77 300 M 1100 1147.69 M 302.11 308.34 1046.32 275.83 262.16 250 1000 1976-80 1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-00 2001-05 1973-77 1978-82 1983-87 1988-92 1993-98 1999-03 Period Period

54 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity

FCI FDP Lucknow Lucknow 650 Karnal Karnal 350 602.90 ) 600 ) 300 290.76 s 566.58 s y 564.70 y a a 557.25 251.93 d d ( ( 550 250 I 548.07 P 222.56 C D F 496.01 511.52 F 200 213.48 187.67 190.55 n 500 n a 504.45 a 155.50 e e 189.62 M M 150 450 437.98 132.91 122.90 460.84 451.78 451.72 126.38 135.87 100 400 1 976 -80 1 981 -85 19 86 -9 0 19 91-9 5 199 6-0 0 2 00 1-05 1976-80 1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-00 2001-05 Peri od FSP Period Lucknow 350 Karnal 320.76

) 300 279.07 285.88 s 277.16 y a d

( 250 265.13

P 229.48

S 210.05 F 200 219.88 n a

e 151.48 172.08

M 174.49 150 164.75

100 1976-80 1981-85 1986-90 1991-95 1996-00 2001-05 Period

Figure 1. Comparative performance over different periods in the two herds of Sahiwal cattle for various first lactation traits

In conclusion, the mean performance of different first Kumar V. 2003. Prediction of lifetime milk and milk constituents lactation production and reproduction traits was comparatively yield from first lactation traits in Sahiwal cattle. M.Sc. Thesis, better in Karnal than that of Lucknow herd. However, there seems National Dairy Research Institute, Deemed University, to be a decreasing trend in production performance of both the Karnal, India. herds. The heritability estimates obtained in the present study were Kuralkar SV, Kothekar MD, Deshmukh SN and Gore AK. 1996. found to be low to medium for different production and Factors affecting some of the economic traits in Sahiwal reproduction traits respectively. cattle. Indian Veterinary Journal 73: 234-236. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Maule JP. 1990. The cattle of the tropics. University of Edinburgh, The authors thank the Head, dairy cattle breeding Center for Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Edinburgh. division for providing necessary facilities and permission to access Mohanty JS. 2001. Principal components analysis: A multi trait history cum pedigree sheets of NDRI, Karnal. The authors also selection criterion in Sahiwal cattle. M.Sc. Thesis. National thank the farm manager of Government Livestock Farm, Diary Research Institute, Deemed University, Karnal, India. Chakganjaria, Lucknow for his kind cooperation during collection Mohiuddin G, Ahmad Z, Khan MA, Akhtar P and Ali S. 1991. of data. Genotypic, phenotypic and environmental correlations REFERENCES between milk yield and some other economic traits in Sahiwal Banik S. 2004. Sire evaluation in Sahiwal cattle. Ph.D. Thesis, cattle. Pakistan Veterinary Journal 11: 113-116. (Cited: NDRI Deemed University, Karnal, India. Animal Breeding Abstracts 60:6829).

Becker WA. 1975. Manual of Quantitative Genetics. 3rd Edition. Sahota RS and Gill GS. 1994. Comparative performance of Pub. Program in Genetics, Washington State University, economic traits of crossbred cows. Livestock Adviser 19: 20- Washington, USA. 24. Chaudhary KB, Deshmukh DP and Deshpande KS. 1995. Genetic Singh MK and Gurnani M. 2003. Factors affecting first lactation studies on reproductive traits in Jersey, Sahiwal and Jersey X traits, expected breeding value and breeding efficiency in Sahiwal crossbreds. Indian Journal of Dairy Science 48: 172- Karan-Fries cattle. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 73: 173. 420-424. Harvey WR. 1987. Least squares analysis of data with unequal Singh SK. 1981. Herd size and its influence on genetic change for subclass numbers. ARS H-4, USDA, Washington D.C. economic traits in Sahiwal. PhD. Thesis, Joshi BK, Singh A, and Gandhi RS. 2001. Performance evaluation, University, Kurukshetra, India. conservation and improvement of Sahiwal cattle in India. Singh VK, Singh CV, Kumar D and Kumar A. 2005. Genetic Animal Genetic Resources Information 31: 43-54. evaluation of some economic traits in Sahiwal and its Kumar A. 2007. Genetic evaluation of stayability in Sahiwal cattle. crossbreds. Indian Journal of Dairy Science 58: 206-210. Ph. D Thesis, National Dairy Research Institute, Deemed Swiger LA, Harvey WR, Everson DO and Gregory KE. 1964. The University, Karnal, India. variance of intra-class correlation involving groups with one observation. Biometrics 20: 818. 55 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity First case of centric fission in a Murrah buffalo bull

B. Prakash1, Deepika1 and Satbir Singh2 National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, Karnal, India

ABSTRACT Reduced fertility in humans and domestic animals has been associated with cytogenetic abnormalities. Examinations during the last four decades of the chromosome complements of various species of domestic animals have revealed the existence of a considerable number of chromosomal abnormalities. Routine cytogenetic investigations, in this study, of cattle and river buffalo males allocated for breeding revealed the presence of higher somatic chromosome number (51) than the normal (50) in all the cells of a young, normal-looking river buffalo bull selected for reproduction. Analysis of the somatic chromosome number, karyotypic features and morphology of chromosomes established that the enhanced chromosome number was the consequence of centric fission of chromosome 1. Though centric fission has been observed in a range of organisms and has been ascribed an important role in karyotype evolution, the present case is only the first incidence of centric fission in buffaloes.

Key words: Centric fission, karyotype evolution, Robertsonaian rearrangements

INTRODUCTION are unique in being readily identified in comparative karyotype The relevance of chromosomes to human health and studies since both result in concomitant changes in chromosome diseases was recognized during 1950s when improvements in morphology and chromosome number. The importance of these techniques facilitated unequivocal chromosome delineation. Even kinds of change in karyotype evolution is shown by their high though the counterparts to a variety of human diseases and incidence in animals. disorders are seen in domestic animals, clinical applications of We report centric fission of chromosome 1 in a healthy veterinary cytogenetics have been less well exploited mainly river buffalo male referred for chromosome analysis. Both fission because of the cost-driven nature of demand on diagnosis and products were mitotically stable. This centric fission of treatment. An area where the potential of veterinary cytogenetics chromosome 1 appears to have no clinical significance for this bull. has been largely exploited is reproduction since an inherited MATERIAL AND METHODS aberration that impacts on reproductive efficiency can compromise Blood samples were taken from jugular vein in sterile the success achieved over the years in animal breeding (Basrur and vacutainer tubes containing sodium heparin. The metaphase Stranzinger 2008). It is convincing to note that such aberrations can spreads preparations were obtained after the routine lymphocyte now be tracked and tackled using sophisticated cytogenetic tools. culture. The 72-hour lymphocyte culture was performed from Different mechanisms for altering diploid chromosome whole blood in standard medium (RPMI 1640 – SIGMA, St. Louis, numbers have been described or hypothesized for various plant and USA) supplemented with 15% of foetal calf serum. Penicillin and animal species. Roberstonian rearrangements, i.e. centric fusions streptomycin were added (100 IU/ml and 0.1 mg/ml of culture of telocentric chromosomes or centromere splitting of metacentric medium, respectively), and pokeweed mitogen (2.5 µg/mL of chromosomes, are the most common interpretations of karyotype culture medium, SIGMA, St. Louis, USA). For chromosome alterations which increase or decrease diploid chromosome staining, conventional Giemsa staining was applied. A total of 136 numbers without altering the arm number (Nombre fondamental). Giemsa-stained metaphase spreads of the bull were analyzed. The Robertsonian translocations are the most frequent structural karyotypes were prepared according to the recommendation of the chromosomal abnormalities observed in humans (Nielsen and Committee for the Standardized banded karyotypes river buffalo Wohlert, 1991) and cattle (Fries and Popescu, 1999). [CSKBB, 1994]. Heterozygous carriers of Robertsonian translocations generally RESULTS AND DISCUSSION have a normal phenotype but show variable decreases in fertility (Refsdal, 1976; Gustavsson, 1980; Roux et al. 2005). Indeed, these During normal cytogenetic investigations of breeding carriers can produce a significant percentage of unbalanced males of cattle and buffaloes, a normal looking young breeding gametes which lead to recurrent spontaneous abortions (Munné et Murrah male (river buffalo; Bubalus bubalis L)) was found to carry al. 1998; Roux et al. 2005). The 1/29 centric fusion (Robertsonian 51 chromosomes in all the 136 metaphases examined. translocation) in cattle (Gustavsson and Rockborn, 1964) can be The normal standardized karyotype of river buffalo comprises of described as the single cytogenetic finding that for the first time 50 chromosomes composed of 24 pairs of autosomes and a pair of illustrated the relevance of cytogenetics in terms of animal sex chromosomes (CSKBB 1994). Of the 24 pairs of autosomes, 5 breeding. The 1/29 translocation has since then been observed in are biarmed (metacentric or submetacentric) and the remaining 19 over 50 breeds of cattle studied by cytogeneticists all over the pairs are acrocentric. The X chromosome is the largest acrocentric world (Ducos et al. 2008). Robertsonian fusion and centric fission chromosome, almost 25% larger than the largest autosome pair and thus morphologically distinguishable. The Y chromosome is a Present Addresses:1National Bureau of Animal Genetic Resources, P.O. Box 129, Karnal-132001, Haryana. 2 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sangaria, Hanumangarh (Rajasthan) –335063.

56 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity small acrocentric chromosome and morphologically metaphase spreads and karyotypes of the affected bull are depicted indistinguishable from smaller autosomal pairs. A metaphase in Fig. (B and C). The 5 pairs of river buffalo biarmed spread and karyotype of normal river buffalo male is shown in Fig. chromosomes are morphologically distinguishable based on (A). comparative lengths of small and long arms. Chromosomes 1, 2 and 3 are almost of the same length. But chromosome 3 is a clear The breeding male with 51 chromosomes possessed only metacentric while 1 and 2 are submetacentric. Even chromosome 1 9 biarmed chromosomes as compared to 10 in the normal and 2 are morphologically identifiable as the short arms of karyotype of river buffalo. However two acrocentric chromosomes chromosome 1 are comparatively shorter than that of chromosome replaced the loss of one submetacentric chromosome. This accounted for the one excess chromosome in the karyotype.

Fig. A =Metaphase spread and karyotype of a normal river buffalo male (2n=50), B & C= Metaphase spreads and karyotypes of the bull with 2n = 51 (centric fission of chromosome 1)

57 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity 2 and thus unambiguously distinguishable. Based on these The genus Equus is unusual in that five of the ten extant morphological distinguishing features it was deduced that the species have documented centric fission (reverse of Robertsonian abnormality is due to centric fission of chromosome 1. translocation) polymorphisms within their populations, namely E. This is only the first case of centric fission observed in hemionus onager, E. hemionus kulan, E. kiang, E. africanus buffaloes. Due to non-availability of authenticated pedigree and somaliensis, and E. quagga burchelli (Myka et al 2003). Centric breeding records, fertility status of the bull could not be evaluated. fission describes a rather poorly molecularly defined process of the Carriers of this kind of balanced abnormality have a normal transverse division of a functional centromere to result in two new phenotype but can present reproduction troubles due to centric chromosomes (Perry et al. 2004). Centric fission is the gametogenesis disorders and/or unbalanced gametes production. consequence of a break within the centromere of a single Centromere (centric) fission, also known as transverse or lateral metacentric/submetacentric producing initially two structural centric misdivision, has been defined as the splitting of one telocentrics whose raw ends have the capacity to fuse after functional centromere of a metacentric or submetacentric replication. This process produces an isochromosome, but where chromosome to produce two derivative acrocentric chromosomes. the mutation succeeds, telomere sequences are added to the ends. While centric fusions occur more frequently, centric fission occurs This in turn gives rise to two stable chromosomes of telocentric rarely in mammals and has been observed in a range of organisms appearance. (Nash z. 2001, Myka et al. 2003, Alaoui et al. 2004, Perry et al. No case of centric fission has been reported in domestic 2005) and has been ascribed an important role in karyotype species of family bovidae. The present finding is, thus, the first case evolution. of this type of chromosomal abnormality not only in buffaloes but Four cases of apparent centric fission have been also in domestic bovids. described in humans (Perry et al. 2005). A centric fission of REFERENCES chromosome 4 was described in a child and his mother, both Alaoui N, Jordana J and Ponsá M. 2004. 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58 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Spontaneous abortions are reduced after preconception Perry J, Nouri S, La P, Daniel A, Wu Z, Purvis-Smith S, Northrop E, diagnosis of translocations. Assist Reprod Genet 15: Choo KH, Slater HR. 2005. Molecular distinction between 290–296. true centric fission and pericentric duplication-fission. Hum Myka JL, Lear TL, Houck ML, Ryder OA and Bailey E. 2003. Genet 116:300–310 FISH analysis comparing genome organization in the Refsdal AO 1976. Low fertility in daughters of bulls with 1/29 domestic horse (Equus caballus) to that of the Mongolian translocation. Acta Vet Scand 17: 190–195. wild horse (E. przewalskii). Cytogenetic and Genome Roux C, Tripogney C, Morel F, Joanne C, Fellmann F, et al. 2005. Research 102:222-225. Segregation of chromosomes in sperm of Robertsonian Nash WG, Menninger JC, Wienberg J, Padilla-Nash HM and translocation carriers. Cytogenet Genome Res 111: 291–296. O'Brien SJ. 2001. The pattern of phylogenomic evolution of Shim SH, Lee CH, Lee JY, Shin ES, Kyhm JH, Park MI, Chung S- the Canidae. Cytogenet Cell Genet 95: 210–224 R, and Cho Y-H. 2007. A De Novo Centric Fission of Nielsen J and Wohlert M. 1991. Chromosome abnormalities found Chromosome 11 in a Patient with Recurrent Miscarriages. J among 34,910 newborn children: results from a 13-year Korean Med Sci. 22:146-148. incidence study in Arhus, Denmark. Hum Genet 87: 81–83. Trommershausen-Bowling A and Millon L. 1988. Centric fission Perry J, Slater HR, Choo KH. 2004. Centric fission--simple and in the karyotype of a mother-daughter pair of donkeys complex mechanisms. Chromosome Res. 12:627-640. (Equus asinus). Cytogenet Cell Genet 47:152-154.

59 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Conservation of Hariana cattle through Gaushala - a refreshing experience

Ramesh Kumar1, Satbir Singh2, P.K. Malik3 and B. Prakash4 CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Jind - 126 102

ABSTRACT Hariana breed of indigenous cattle is an acknowledged dual-purpose breed reared mainly for production of bullocks to be used for draught purpose and milk production for human consumption. Since extensive mechanization of agricultural operations in the breeding tract of the breed, it has lost its utility, as Murrah buffaloes are preferred for milk production. The breed is now restricted to few pockets and the extensive network of Gaushalas throughout the state of Hariana and adjoining parts of Punajb, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh. The gaushala at Jind, Haryana was adopted in 1994 by the Haryana Agricultural University for the improvement and conservation of this precious germplasm. In this study, an evaluation of growth, milk production and reproduction traits has been done to see the impact of improvement programme and its impact on the conservation of the breed. In general there has been a significant improvement in body weight at different ages, i.e. birth, 3-Months and 6 months. Significant improvement in the reproduction traits- age at first calving, service period and inter-calving period was found. Similarly, there was an appreciable improvement in the milk productivity traits like, lactation milk yield, peak yield and lactation length. The study, thus demonstrates that with the introduction of scientific breeding and management, the gaushala network of the state can be exploited as a source of conservation and improvement of Hariana cattle.

Key words: dual-purpose, gaushala, conservation, reproduction traits. INTRODUCTION Genetic improvement of Hariana cattle through India, being predominantly an agricultural country, has selective breeding is thus an important aspect for conservation, been endowed with vast cattle population. Despite such vast preservation and propagation of this valuable germplasm as an livestock population, the per capita availability of milk in the element of national heritage and possible future exploitation in the country is much lower in comparison to that in developed fast shifting global scenario steered by escalating fuel costs. The countries. Despite a steady increase in cattle and buffalo capacity to produce and reproduce for a longer productive life is a population over the years and consequential increased milk favorite characteristic in dairy cattle. Faster gain in body weights production, the corresponding larger multiplication of human during early life ensures a long productive life ensuing in population and lower per animal productivity in native breeds have enhanced overall productivity of dairy animals. Since it takes 3-5 largely neutralized the gain in milk availability. Hariana breed of years of productive life for a cow to repay her cost of rearing, Indian cattle is acknowledged as one of the best dual-purpose type longer productive life is categorically profitable and also allows breeds vastly used for agricultural operations and milk production. the genetically superior animals to leave more offsprings. High production efficiency in dairy cattle is an economically desirable Hariana cows symbolize a precious cattle germplsm of character, which targets ultimately for genetic up-gradation. In the country and have been taken to almost every region of the this study the production potential of Hariana cattle has been country from its breeding tract in Haryana. Due to extensive evaluated under low input conditions prevalent in Gaushala mechanization of agricultural operations in the breeding tract, the systems. breed, reared mainly for bullock production and milk, is declining in numbers in farmers' herds and is largely found in Gaushalas in MATERIAL AND METHODS the state. The animals are managed under very low input system The present investigation was conducted on Hariana with limited resources available with the Gaushala, hence, the cows maintained at Gaushala, Jind of Haryana state with the performance of Hariana cattle has been evaluated under gaushala objective to study the comparative growth, productive and management. The improvement in performance with respect to reproductive performance in the years 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008. body weights at various developmental stages, milk production The data utilized in the present study pertains to 398 Hariana cows and reproductive performance of animals within a short period of maintained at Gaushala, Jind. Under the managemental conditions ten years was comparable with those maintained under more operational in the Gaushala. The animals were maintained in open favourable conditions found at organized government farms. The enclosures throughout the year. During severe winter they were breed thus documents not only its adaptability to varying moved to half covered sheds. Milking cows, dry cows, young environmental conditions of the country but also its production calves and bulls were kept in separate enclosures. Male and female potential even under low managemental conditions generally calves were housed separately after the age of six months. The prevalent with Indian farmers. Due to severe declining population cows were milked twice daily at 3.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m. No trend, there is thus an urgent need to initiate efforts by all concerned weaning was practiced. The milk yield of a cow was computed for the conservation, preservation and genetic improvement of the from once a week test day yield. In general, group feeding was breed exploiting more advanced scientific tools. followed except feeding of advanced stage pregnant cows and breeding bulls kept in individual pens. Antibiotics and feed Present addresses: 1 Sr. DES (Animal Science), KVK Jind, CCS, HAU Hisar; 2 SMS, KVK Sangaria, Hanumangarh (Raj) -335 063; 3 Assistant Professor, Navsari Agricultural University, Navsari, Gujarat -396 450; 4 Principal Scientist, NBAGR, Karnal- 132 001 60 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity supplements were occasionally given according to the dosage displayed variable growth rate depending upon their age of prescribed by the veterinarian. Limited amount of concentrate development in both periods. The average body weights of female ration was fed to lactating and pregnant cows. The green fodder and male calves at 3 months of age were 38.5±1.45 and cultivated and fed to animals included maize and jowar during the 54.2±0.81, 38.8±1.69 and 44.6±0.48, 45.1±0.53 and 56.7±0.60, month of June to October and berseem, oats and rape mixture 46.3±0.72 and 57.1±0.68 kg, respectively in the years 1994, 1999, from November to March . 2004 and 2008, respectively. There was a substantial gain of Dry fodder consisted of jowar and bajra karbi and wheat 20.26% in females and 29.19% in males in the body weight at 3 bhoosa. Adequate veterinary care was provided round the clock. months of age during the period of 1994-2008. The corresponding Entire herd was protected against diseases, like Foot and mouth, 6 months body weights in the females and males were 55.4±1.08 Haemorrhagic Septicemia and Black Quarter (BQ). Data and 64.0±1.03, 53.4±1.26 and 71.0±1.06, 66.8±0.54 and collected were subjected to statistical analysis to determine the 74.2±0.66, 68.1±0.98 and 75.5±0.59 kg, respectively in the four performance parameters of the cows maintained in the Gaushala. years (Table 1). The overall gain in 6-month body weights of female and male calves was 22.92 and 17.07%, respectively RESULTS AND DISCUSSION during the period of investigation (1994 to 2008). It is thus evident Birth weight: The male calves on an average were heavier by 5.4, that both male and female calves of the breed exhibited 1.8, 2.7 and 3.1 kg than female calves at birth in the years 1994, appreciable gains in body weights at different ages during the 1999, 2004 and 2008, respectively (Table 1). The observations period of study (1994 to 2008). substantiate the findings of Dhillon et al. (1971), who reported Body measurements: The corresponding body dimensions i.e. that sex of calves had significant effect on birth weight, in general body height, heart girth and body length in the male calves were males being significantly heavier than females. The birth weight considerably superior to those in female calves in all the four increased by 9.05% in females and 15.68% in males during the periods (Table 1). In this study, the higher body dimensions in period 1994 to 2008. males may be attributed to the pronounced increase in body length Body weight at subsequent ages: Average body weight of female than the other two body dimensions as substantiated by Nigam et and male Hariana calves from the age of three months upward al. (1975).

Table 1: Body weights (Kg) and dimensions (Cm) of Hariana cattle maintained in Gaushala Attributes Age Sex Trait Value During % gain % gain % gain over 1994 over 1994 over 1994 1994 1998 2003 2008

Body Birth F 22.2±0.63 22.3±0.64 0.45 24.1±0.43 8.56 24.2±0.84 9.01 weight (36) (161) (350) (450) M 23.6±0.43 24.1±1.23 2.12 26.8±0.31 13.56 27.3±0.60 15.68 (28) (181) (373) (484) 3-Month F 38.5±1.45 38.8±1.69 0.78 45.1±0.53 17.14 46.3±0.72 20.26 (26) (140) (312) (407) M 44.2±0.81 44.6±0.48 0.90 56.7±0.60 28.41 57.1±0.68 29.19 (19) (138) (326) (418) 6-Month F 55.4±1.08 53.4±1.26 -3.6 66.8±0.54 20.58 68.1±0.98 22.92 (11) (126) (305) (399) M 64.0±1.03 71.0±1.06 10.94 74.2±0.66 15.31 75.5±0.59 17.07 (8) (132) (320) (407) Body Birth F 63.0±0.76 68.0±0.78 7.94 68.0±0.39 7.94 67.0±0.34 6.35 Height (31) (161) (350) (450) M 66.0±0.63 83.0±1.32 25.75 76.0±0.47 15.15 77.0±0.41 16.67 (28) (181) (373) (484) 3-Month F 71.0±1.38 73.0±1.59 2.82 78.0±0.49 9.86 82.0±0.42 15.71 (26) (140) (312) (407) M 87.0±0.61 96.0±0.84 10.34 91.0±0.50 4.60 92.0±0.48 5.75 (19) (138) (326) (418) 6-Month F 78.0±1.01 89.0±1.40 14.10 92.0±0.72 17.95 93.0±0.69 19.23 (11) (126) (305) (399) M 93.0±0.97 98.0±1.03 5.38 99.0±0.63 6.45 99.0±0.57 6.45 (8) (132) (320) (407) Heart Girth Birth F 67.0±0.83 66.0±0.69 -1.49 71.0±0.38 5.97 70.0±0.32 4.48 (31) (161) (350) (450) M 70.0±0.79 74.0±1.08 5.71 75.0±0.51 7.14 75.0±0.43 7.14 (28) (181) (373) (484) 3-Month F 77.0±1.89 71.0±1.34 -7.79 85.0±0.51 10.39 84.0±0.46 9.09 (26) (140) (312) (407) M 81.0±0.93 97.0±0.69 19.75 90.0±0.45 11.11 90.0±0.41 11.11 (19) (138) (326) (418) 6-Month F 92.0±0.79 86.0±1.43 6.52 99.0±0.76 7.61 100.0±0.66 8.70 (11) (126) (305) (399) M 96.0±1.03 103.0±1.23 7.29 102.0±0.52 6.25 103.0±0.44 7.29 (8) (132) (320) (407) Body Birth F 60.0±0.76 62.4±0.62 4.00 66.0±0.40 10.00 65.0±0.34 8.33 Length (31) (161) (350) (450) M 63.0±0.61 71.5±1.18 13.49 70.0±0.37 11.11 70.0±0.39 11.11 (28) (181) (373) (484) 3-Month F 68.0±1.30 69.0±1.32 1.47 74.0±0.61 8.82 75.0±0.53 10.29 (26) (140) (312) (407) M 76.0±0.93 87.0±0.58 14.47 82.0±0.64 7.89 84.0±0.58 10.53 (19) (138) (326) (418) 6-Month F 81.0±0.91 79.0±1.23 -2.47 90.0±0.81 11.11 89.0±0.69 9.88 (11) (126) (305) (399) M 84.0±1.01 93.0±1.31 10.71 94.0±0.57 11.90 96.0±0.51 14.29 (8) (132) (320) (407) 61 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Productive and reproductive traits: The estimates of service period may be chiefly attributed to the poor health and productive and reproductive parameters of Hariana cows are nutritional status of the animals due to the feeding of low quality presented in Table 2. The mean age at first calving (AFC) in the roughages. Consequently animals take more time to recover the study was 1728±192, 1624±102, 1565±106.7 and 1546±107.2 depletion of nutrients that took place in the previous lactation. days in the years 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008, respectively, Average lactation milk yield (Table 2) of Hariana cows indicating a significant reduction of AFC by 182 days (9.16% maintained under low input conditions of Gaushala was estimated improvement) from 1994 to 2008.. However, Saha et al. (2000) and as 833±11.30, 914±1.15, 1025±1.00 and 1214±1.01 kg in year Singh (2002) reported slightly lower age at first calving as 1328.62 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008, respectively. There was a striking gain and 1435.48 days, respectively in Hariana cattle reared in of 381 Kg of milk (23.05% gain) in lactation milk yield from 1994 organized farms. The results of the study revealed that Hariana to 2008. However, the findings of Ashraf et al. (2000), Thakur and breed take more time to calve for the first time under Gaushala Singh (2000) and Singh (2002) showed that the cattle of this breed managemental conditions possibly due to the poor nutritional can produce more milk (up to 1870 kg) than obtained in the study. status of the animals fed on low quality crop residues based ration The low milk productivity in the study may be due to the low and also reproductive diseases when animals are brought to the nutritional status of the animals, which is even unable to fulfill the gaushala and after that there is a trivial improvement. maintenance requirement and what to talk about the production The average calving period (CP) was 482.0±52.1, under the Gaushala managemental systems. The lactation length 445.0±49.5, 441.0±47.2 and 422.0±23.0 days in the year 1994, averaged as 211±1.09, 220±0.51, 251±0.46 and 255±0.47days in 1999, 2004 and 2008, respectively (Table 2). There was reduction the year 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008, respectively, which is in close of 60 days (8.51% improvement) in calving period from 1994 to approximation of the reports of Kumar (1995) and Singh and 2008. However, the CP was still on the higher side and necessitates Nivsarkar (1998) for cows maintained at organized farms. Average improved management for it's dropping to about a year for dry period was 184±1.76, 178±0.42, 174.60±0.36 and 161±0.38 profitable and efficient productivity. The mean service period in days in all periods, similar to those estimated by Singh (2002). The the study was 197.0±27.0, 191.0±21.7, 182.0±0.41 and dry period is very high for any economic dairy animal and calls for 169.0±0.72 days in the year 1994, 1999, 2004 and 2008, steps to reduce it significantly for increasing the economic utility respectively, reflecting a decrease by 28 days (7.61% of the breed. However, there was a substantial improvement in improvement) from 1994 to 2008. The SP, however, was quite lactation length, peak yield and dry period (Table 2) during the higher than reported by the Singh (2002) in Hariana cattle. Higher period of investigation (1994 to 2008).

Table 2: Productive performance of Hariana cows maintained in gaushala

Trait Mean ± S.E. % Gain % Gain % Gain over 1994 over 1994 over 1994

1994 1999 2004 2008 Lactation Milk 833.0±11.3 914.0±1.15 9.72 1025.0±1.00 23.05 1214±1.01 45.74 Yield (kg) (35) (81) (176) (246)

Lactation Length 211.0±1.09 220.0±0.51 4.27 251.0±0.46 18.96 255±0.47 20.85 (Days) (35) (81) (176) (246)

Dry Period 184.0±1.76 178.0±0.42 -3.26 174.0±0.36 -5.43 161±0.38 -12.5 (days) (35) (81) (176) (246)

Peak Yield 5.1±0.70 5.6±0.8 10.0 6.0±0.06 17.65 6.7±0.6 31.37 (kg) (35) (81) (176) (246)

Age at First 1728±192 1624±102 -6.02 1565± 106.7 -9.16 1546±107.2 -25.00 Calving (days) (8) (11) (85) (1 15)

Service Period 197±27.0 191±21.7 -3.05 182±0.41 -7.61 169±0.72 -14.21 (days) (9) (81) (135) (139)

Calving Period 482±52.1 445±49.5 -7.68 441.0±47.2 -8.51 422±23.0 -12.45 (days) (7) (74) (98) (172)

62 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Gaushala as potential improvement and conservation centers: policies for initiating steps for its conservation, preservation and Perusal of the production performance of Hariana cows under improvement exploiting advanced scientific knowledge because inadequate managemental system existing in Gaushalas is as good this breed has the advantage over the buffalo to produce milk and as with the performance of the breed under more favourable draft bullocks even under the low input system. conditions operative at organized farms. The results from the REFERENCES present study reveal that there had been satisfactory improvement Ashraf A, Islam SS and Ali SZ. 2000. A study of some economic in different traits since the animals came to the gaushala before the trait of indigenous cattle and their crossbred in Southern year 1994 as compared with subsequent years, viz. 1999, 2004 and Bangladesh. Asian–Australian Journal of Animal 2008. This signifies the potential and suitability of the breed for Science13: 1189-1192. enhanced productivity under low input system commonly prevailing with our Indian farmers. The breed is vastly distributed Dhillon JS, Acharya RM, Tiwana MS and Nagpal ML. 1971. Non- in almost every part of the country again testifying its adaptability genetic factors affecting birth weight in Hariana cattle. under a wide-ranging environmental conditions existing in the Indian Journal of Dairy Science, 24:96-102. country. The breed thus necessitates immediate attention of Kumar P. 1995. Cows evaluation of lifetime production and farming communities, breed associations, NGOs and reproduction performance of Hariana and its crosses. Governmental policies for initiating steps for its conservation, M.V.Sc. Thesis submitted to Haryana Agric. Univ., preservation and improvement exploiting advanced scientific Hisar, India. knowledge. India being a signatory to the global biodiversity Nigam IS, Farooqui SV and Pandey M D. 1975.Growth rate in convention is obliged to conserve all of its biodiversity. Efforts Murrah and Hariana calves from birth to fifteen months. thus must be directed towards intensification and scientific Agra University Journal Res. Sci. 23:47-55. intervention in terms of selection, breeding policy and Saha S, Majumdar SC, Pyne AK, Maitra DN and Roy SK. 2000. managemental practices etc. in Gaushalas for operative Age at first calving and calving interval of crossbred improvement and conservation of this valuable germplasm. cattle in West Bengal. Indian Veterinary Journal, 77: SUMMARY 803-804. The production performance of Hariana cows under Singh RV and Nivsarkar AE. 1998. Status of cattle in inadequate managemental system existing in Gaushalas is Utter Pradesh. Indian Journal of Animal Production and comparable with the performance of the breed under more Management 14: 148-149. favourable conditions operative at organized farms. A substantial Singh S. 2002. Genetic studies on lifetime performance traits in improvement in the growth, milk production and reproduction Hariana cattle. Ph.D. Thesis submitted to CCSHAU, traits could be obtained during the period of 1994 to 2008 due to Hisar, Haryana. better management and scientific breeding practices adopted in the Thakur, YP and Singh, BP 2000. Factors affecting production Gaushala. This signifies the potential and suitability of the breed efficiency of Jersey cows under sub-temperate Indian for better productivity under low input system generally prevalent conditions. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences 70: 84-86. with our Indian farmers. The breed is vastly distributed in almost every part of the country again testifying its adaptability under a Yadav AS. 1988. Appraisal of lactation in zebu cattle using wide-ranging environmental conditions existing in the country. different mathematical functions. Ph.D. Thesis, Haryana Thus, breed necessitates immediate attention of farming Agric. Univ., Hisar, India. communities, breed associations, NGOs and Governmental

63 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Genetic characterization of hill cattle of Himachal Pradesh using molecular markers

Kailash Mahajan*, O.P. Kaila2, S. C. Gupta3, Sanjeet Katoch4 and K. Gupta5. Department of Animal Breeding, Genetics and Biostatistics Dr. G.C. Negi College of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, CSKHPKV, Palampur – (H.P.)

ABSTRACT DNA from 50 randomly selected blood samples of hill cattle of Himachal Pradesh (H.P) was extracted as per Johns' method with modification. The Hill cattle contribute about 43.53% of the total Livestock population of H.P. The animals are small sized, tough, fit for hilly terrain, adapted to cold and harsh climate, disease resistant and thrive on poor pastures and nutrients. Diversity analysis was carried out using fourteen microsatellite markers. The microsatellite loci were amplified from genomic DNA samples by PCR. The PCR products for different microsatellite loci were resolved on 6% denaturing (urea) polyacrylamide gels along with 10 bp DNA ladder at 80 W (1600-2500 V). Microsatellite alleles were visualized by silver staining. The diversity parameters were estimated through PopGene Programme. The mean observed and effective numbers of alleles were 4.71±1.64 and 2.93±1.16, respectively across all loci. A total of 66 alleles were observed in hill cattle with maximum alleles (8) contributed by locus HAUT-27 and the least alleles (2) by ETH-3. The average heterozygosity was 0.43±0.26 across all loci. The observed and expected heterozygosity (0.96 and 0.84 respectively) were highest for ETH-185 and BM-1824 locus and least (0.06 and 0.17, respectively) for ETH-225 and ETH-152 locus. Except ETH-03, all other microsatellites showed high levels of variability. It appears that lesser degree of genetic diversity and reduced heterozygosity in Hill cattle of HP is probably due to high level of inbreeding. The increased level of inbreeding could be due to lesser number of breeding bulls. The exchange of the males from adjacent places may assist in resolving the problem.

Keywords: Hill cattle, microsatellite markers, diversity, conservation

INTRODUCTION unrelated animals from the breeding tracts in Shimla, Kinnaur, The Himalayan economy is basically agro-pastoral and Solan and Sirmaur districts of Himachal Pradesh as per the dependent on livestock. Out of the 449 million domestic animals in guidelines of MoDAD (Measurement of domestic animal the country nearly 9% are in the Himalayan region. The Hill cattle diversity) programme (FAO, 1995). DNA was extracted from contribute about 43.53% of the total Livestock of Himachal blood as per John's method (John et al., 1991) with some Pradesh and still they are considered as non-descript type due to modifications. Fourteen microsatellite markers were included in lack of systematic study. The hill cattle, although, have low the analysis (Table -1). The microsatellite loci were amplified from productivity, but these animals are tough, fit for hilly terrains, genomic DNA by PCR. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) was adapted to cold and harsh climate, disease resistant and thrive well carried out on about 50-100 ng genomic DNA in a 25 µl reaction on poor pastures and nutrients. To explore the genetic diversity in volume. The PCR program comprised of initial denaturation at the hill cattle, there is a need to take up a programme using 94°C for 10 minutes, denaturation at 94°C for 15 seconds, molecular methodology for characterization of these animals as annealing at 55-58°C for 20 seconds, extension at 72° C for 20 sec, per Bjornstad and Roed, 2001. In this study, microsatellite markers 39 cycles, final extension at 72°C for 10 minutes and cooling at have been used for the characterization of hill cattle and to study 4°C. The PCR products for different microsatellite loci were the genetic diversity of hill cattle sampled from different locations resolved on 6% denaturing (urea) polyacrylamide gels along with of Himachal Pradesh. 10 bp DNA ladder at 80 W (1600-2500 V). Microsatellite alleles were visualized by silver staining (Bassam et al. 1991). MATERIAL AND METHODS Genotyping of each sample was done manually and allelic size was Blood samples were collected from 50 randomly selected determined.

Corresponding author: *Assistant Prof. Deptt. of Animal Breeding, Genetics & Biostat. DGCN COVAS Palampur, H.P.; email ID: [email protected], [email protected] 2, 3, 5 Professor, Deptt. of Animal Breeding, Genetics & Biostat. DGCN COVAS Palampur, H.P.; 4. Principal Scientist & Inchrage DNA finger printing unit, NBAGR Karnal. Haryana.

64 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity

Table 1: Primer sequences for different microsatellites used for POPGENE, a Microsoft window-based computer estimation of genetic diversity in Hill cattle of Himachal Pradesh. package for the analysis of genetic variation among and within natural populations using co-dominant and dominant markers and S.N0 Locus Name Sequence No. of bp quantitative traits was used for the analysis of data. It was used to 1 MM-8 cccaaggacagaaaagact 19 compute summary statistics for single-population. The parameters ctcaagataagaccacacc 19 calculated included- allele frequency, gene diversity, 2 ETH-152 tactcgtagggcaggctgcctg 22 heterozygosity- observed and expected computed after Nei (1973) gagacctcagggttggtgatcag 23 as executed in the software (Yeh et. al. 1999), fixation index and 3 INRA-005 caatctgcatgaagtataaatat 23 neutrality of markers. cttcaggcataccctacacc 20 RESULTS AND DISCUSSION 4 INRA -23 gagtagagctacaagataaacttc 24 The FAO/DADIS listed 14 microsatellite loci, which taactacagggtgttagatgaactca 26 have been documented to be polymorphic in various bovine breeds 5 BM- 1824 gagcaaggtgtttttccaatc 21 (Mukesh et. al., 2004), amplified effectively and generated specific cattctccaactgcttccttg 21 banding patterns from which individual genotypes were assessed. 6 ETH -3 gaacctgcctctcctgcattgg 22 The observed number of alleles varied from 2.0 (ETH-3) to 8.0 actctgcctgtggccaagtagg 22 (HAUT-27) with an average value of 4.71±1.64. The effective 7 HAUT-27 ttttatgttcattttttgactgg 23 number of alleles per locus varied from 1.21 (ETH-3) to 5.85 (BM- aactgctgaaatctccatctta 22 1824), with an average number of 2.93±1.16 (Table-2). The level 8 ETH-225 gatcaccttgccactatttcct 22 of variation depicted by number of alleles at each locus, in the acatgacagccagctgctact 21 present study, was similar to earlier reports in other cattle breeds 9 CSRM-60 aagatgtgatccaagagagaggca 24 (Glowtzki et al. 1995). The microsatellite loci showed high level of aggaccagatcgtgaaaggcatag 24 genetic variability as exhibited by wide range of alleles, which 10 ETH -185 tgcatggacagagcagcctggc 22 varied from 2 (ETH-3) to 8 (HAUT-27) across different loci. A total gcaccccaacgaaagctcccag 22 of 210 alleles at 17 microsatellites were observed across 10 cattle 11 HEL -13 taaggacttgagataaggag 20 breeds (Moazami-Goudarzi et al. 1997). The lowest frequency of ccatctacctccatcttaac 20 H allele was 0.0213 at HAUT-27 locus, and the highest (0.3830) at 12 ILST -030 ctgcagttctgcatatgtgg 20 C allele. Allele frequency distribution, at the 14 investigated loci, cttagacaacaggggtttgg 20 varied between 0.0128 (INRA-23) and 0.9125 (ETH-152). 13 CSSM-66 acacaaatcctttctgccagctga 24 Considerable variation in the distribution of allele frequencies

aatttaatgcactgaggagcttgg 24 between loci observed in Hill cattle is similar to that reported by 14 ILST-033 tattagagtggctcagtgcc 20 Sodhi et al. (2005). The lowest frequency of 0.012 (INRA-023) atgcagacagttttagaggg 20 was not due to any chance factor but it does exist in the random breeding population. Majority of the alleles at different loci are informative for genetic diversity analysis.

Table 2: Measures of genetic variation of hill cattle of Himachal Pradesh at investigated microsatellite loci.

Locus Observed Effective Shannon's Observed Expected Nei’s FIS no. of no. of Information heterozygosity heterozygo alleles alleles index sity MM8 4.0000 3.0600 1.1683 0.5435 0.68 0.67 0.19 ETH152 3.0000 1.1945 0.3491 0.1250 0.17 0.16 0.23 1NRA05 4.0000 2.6328 1.0938 0.2381 0.63 0.62 0.62

INRA23 5.0000 2.8725 1.2376 0.4359 0.66 0.65 0.33 BM1824 7.0000 5.8534 1.8382 0.3913 0.84 0.83 0.53 ETH3 2.0000 1.2094 0.3156 0.1915 0.18 0.17 -0.1 1 HAUT27 8.0000 4.3356 1.7046 0.4894 0.78 0.77 0.36 ETH225 3.0000 2.1234 0.8297 0.0652 0.53 0.53 0.88 CSRM60 6.0000 2.6124 1.2147 0.3529 0.63 0.62 0.43

ETH185 4.0000 3.0556 1.2224 0.9565 0.68 0.67 -0.42 HEL13 5.0000 3.2240 1.3386 0.5682 0.70 0.69 0.18 ILST30 6.0000 2.9605 1.3679 0.6667 0.67 0.66 -0.01 CSSM66 4.0000 2.9229 1.1921 0.7857 0.66 0.66 -0.19 ILST33 5.0000 2.9385 1.2869 0.2250 0.67 0.66 0.66

Mean 4.7143 2.9283 1.1543 0.4311 0.61 0.60 0.26

St. Dev. 1.6375 1.1588 0.4248 0.2579 0.20 0.19 0.36

65 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity

Effective number of alleles (Kimura and Crow, 1964); Analytical Biochemistry 196: 80-83. Shannon's Information index (Lewontin, 1972); Expected Bjornstad G and Roed KH. 2001. Breed demarcation and potential heterozygosity were computed using Levene (1949) and Nei's for breed allocation of horses assessed by microsatellite (1973) expected heterozygosity. markers. Animal Genetics 32: 59-65. The average observed heterozygosity was 0.43±0.26 FAO 1995. Global project for the maintenance of domestic animal across the 14 loci. The highest level of observed heterozygosity genetic diversity (MoDAD)- Draft project formulation was 0.96 (ETH-185) and lowest as 0.06 (ETH-225). The expected report, FAO, Rome Italy. heterozygosity was highest (0.84) at BM-1824 locus and lowest Glowatzki-Mullis ML, Gaillard C, Wigger G and Fries R. 1995. (0.16) at ETH-3 locus. The difference in average observed and Microsatellite based parentage control in cattle. Animal expected heterozygosity was markedly higher. The Wright's Genetics 28: 274-290. fixation index was highest 0.616 at INRA- 05 and lowest -0.007 John AJ, Weitzner G, Rozen R and Scriver CR. (1991). A rapid (ILST-30). On an average, the heterozygous deficiency was higher procedure for extracting genomic DNA from leucocytes. at different loci, which indicates that the heterozygosity is being Nucleic Acid Research 19: 408. lost at all loci. These results are in accordance with that of Maule JP. 1990. The Cattle of the Tropics. (1st ed.) Edinburgh: previously reported for Greek population by Maule et al. (1990). University of Edinburgh From the patterns of within population genetic variation at marker loci it was possible to deduce demographic factors important for Moazami-Goudarzi K, Laloe D, Furet JP and Grosclaude F. 1997. conservation of domestic animal diversity. Analysis of genetic relationships between 10 cattle breeds with 17 microsatellites. Animal Genetics 28: 338–45. Majority of the loci had U95 values in the range of 0.81 (ILST-33) to 0.98 (ETH-03), except HAUT-27 (0.63), BM-1824 Mukesh M, Sodhi M, Bhatia S and Mishra BP. 2004. Genetic (0.69), ILST30 (0.76) and CSRM-60 (0.76). Their values at L95 diversity of Indian native cattle breeds as analyzed with 20 were in the lower range, from 0.18 (HAUT-27) to 0.31 (CSSM-66) microsatellite loci. Journal of Animal Breeding and except ETH-3 having L95 of 0.50. Therefore, these microsatellite Genetics 121: 416-431.] markers supported their usefulness to establish genetic structure of Nei M. 1973. Analysis of gene diversity in subdivided populations. Hill cattle population of Himachal Pradesh, similar to other Proceedings of National Academy of Sciences (USA) 70: analysis of genetic diversity parameters among Indian cattle breeds 3321-23. as reported by Sodhi et al. (2005). Sodhi M, Mukesh M, Mishra BP, Mitkari KR, Prakash B and ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Ahlawat, S.P.S. 2005. Evaluation of genetic differentiation We thank the Director, National Bureau of Animal in Bos indicus cattle breeds from Marathwada region of Genetic Resources, Karnal for providing facilities and to Proffesor India using microsatellite polymorphism. Animal & Head deptt. of animal breeding, genetics & Biostat. DGCN Biotechnology 16:127-37. COVAS Palampur, H.P. for financial support in carrying out this Yeh FC, Boyle T, Rongcai Y, Ye Z and Xian JM. 1999. POPGENE research work. version 1.32, the user-friendly software for the population REFERENCES genetic analysis. Molecular biology and biotechnology c e n t e r , U n i v e r s i t y o f A l b e r t a , C a n a d a . Bassam BJ, Coetano-Anolles G and Gresshoff PM. 1991. Fast and (http://www.ualberta.ca/-fyeh/fyeh.). sensitive silver staining of DNA in polyacrylamide gels.

66 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Genetic and phenotypic correlations among lactation traits in Hariana cattle

S. Singh*; Z.S. Rana1, R. Kumar1, B.L. Pander1, S.S. Dhaka1 and B. Prakash2 Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sangaria, Hanumangarh (Rajasthan) –335063

ABSTRACT The study was conducted on 762 Hariana cows maintained at Government Livestock Farm, Hisar, Haryana (India) with the objectives to study the genetic and phenotypic relationship of first lactation with first four lactation traits like MY, LL, WA, MCI, PY, DP. The estimates of heritability of all lactation traits were of low to moderate magnitude indicating that additive genetic variability for these traits is less. The genetic and phenotypic correlation between lactation traits indicated that PY of first lactation has high genetic and significant phenotypic correlations with MY of each lactation and negative genetic and phenotypic correlations with DP of each lactation. The results suggested that selection on the basis of MY1 and PY1would bring genetic improvement in MY of following lactations.

Key Words: MY=Milk Yield LL=Lactation Length, WA=Wet Average, MCI=Milk yield per day of Calving Interval, PY=Peak Yield, DP=Dry Period. INTRODUCTION Hariana is one of the best dual-purpose breeds of cattle in dry period (DP) were considered. The effect of various non-genetic India. Genetic improvement of Hariana cattle through selective factors and sire and residual variance and covariance components breeding is an important aspect for conservation, preservation and for performance traits were obtained using least squares analysis techniques described by Harvey (1987) with the model given propagation of valuable germplasm as a part of national heritage. The animals of this breed have been maintained at several farms below: and research work is going on for the development of this breed Yijklm = m+Si+Pj+SEk+Ll+b (Aijklm - A) + eijklm since long. But the advancement in selection methodology Where, th th th demands further research on this breed. It may not be beneficial to Yijklm = The observation on m daughter of i sire within j period th th select animals for lifetime traits directly as they are expressed later and k season of calving of l lactation. in life leading to increased generation interval. An animal gives its m = Overall population mean best production only upto the fourth lactation. An early prediction Si = Random effect of ith Sire of production traits from the genetic and phenotypic correlation in th early lactation would reduce the generation interval and hence Pj = Fixed effect of j period (j=1 to 7) increase genetic gain per unit of time. The study was thus th SEk = Fixed effect of k season (K=1 to 4) undertaken to study the genetic and phenotypic relationship of first th lactation traits with subsequent four lactation traits like milk yield, Ll = Fixed effect of l order of lactation lactation length, wet average, milk yield per day of calving b = Linear regression coefficient of a trait on age at first calving interval, peak yield and dry period. Aijklm = Age at first calving (days) pertai ning to Yijklm MATERIAL AND METHODS A = Mean age at first calving (days) The data for the present investigation were collected th th from the first to fourth lactation records of 762 Hariana cows sired eijklm = Residual error associated with m observation of k season, by 68 males maintained at Government Livestock Farm, Hisar jth period of calving of l th lactation and i th sire assumed to be 2 over a period of 35 years from 1966 to 2000. Total duration of 35 NID (0, s e) years was divided into 7 periods each having five years on the basis RESULTS AND DISCUSSION of environmental variations affecting the availability and quality of Between First Lactation and Second Lactation: Production feed and fodder. Year to year variation within periods were traits (MY, LL, PY) had high positive genetic correlations assumed to be non-significant. Each year was further delineated into four seasons on the basis of fluctuation in the atmosphere among first and second lactation (Table 1). Milk yield traits had temperature and relative humidity viz. summer (April-June), rainy negative genetic correlations with DP, SP and CI irrespective of (July-September), autumn (October-November) and winter lactation, barring the genetic correlations of LL with CI and SP, (December-March). Cows having incomplete (less than 100 days) which were low and positive. Furthermore, DP, CI and SP of and abnormal lactation record due to abortion and sickness were first lactation had high negative genetic correlations with excluded. Early performance traits like lactation milk yield (MY), second lactation MY and PY, while these traits had negative and lactation length (LL), calving interval (CI), wet average (WA), moderate genetic correlations with LL. Moreover, DP, SP and milk yield per day of calving interval (MCI), peak yield (PY) and CI of first and second lactation had high positive genetic correlations among themselves.

Present Addresses: *Corresponding Author: Dr. Satbir Singh, Subject Matter Specialist, Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sangaria- 335063 Hanumangarh (Raj); 1 Deptt of Animal Breeding, CCS Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar-125004; 2. Principal Scientist, NBAGR, Karnal- 132 001.

67 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Table 1. Genetic and phenotypic correlation of performance traits between first lactation and second lactation

Traits MY2 LL 2 PY 2 DP 2 CI2 SP2 MY1 G 0.958±0.051 0.434±0.233 0.864±0.085 0.822±0.257 0.027±0.357 -0.374±0.374 P 0.528±0.031** 0.284±0.035** 0.447±.0.032** 0.053±0.036 0.111±0.036 0.058±0.036 LL1 G 0.689±0.214 0.403±0.303 0.403±0.278 0.856±0.350 0.103±0.440 0.186±0.486 P 0.208±0.035* 0.256±0.035** 0.154±0.036 0.027±0.036 0.117±0.036 0.040±0.036 PY1 G 0.918±0.063 0.208±0.262 0.903±0.029 0.758±0.260 -0.221±0.339 -0.780±0.332 P 0.488±0.032** 0.175±0.036 0.531±0.031** 0.071±0.036 0.045±0.036 -0.013±0.036 DP1 G -0.977±0.117 -0.359±0.273 -0.845±0.145 0.997±0.176 0.481±0.313 0.662±0.326 P -0.100±0.036 -0.012±0.036 -0.137±0.036 0.310±0.034** 0.278±0.035** 0.244±0.035* CI1 G -0.925±0.259 -0.302±0.377 -0.980±0.269 0.797±0.343 0.658±0.375 0.955±0.394 P 0.128±0.036 0.145±0.036 0.009±0.036 0.263±0.035** 0.321±0.034** 0.253±0.035** SP1 G -0.970±0.160 -0.299±0.317 -0.950±0.172 0.802±0.269 0.586±0.332 0.840±0.337 P 0.066±0.036 0.094±0.036 -0.055±0.036 0.255±0.035** 0.282±0.035** 0.243±0.035*

Milk yield of first lactation had positive and significantly negative genetic correlations with third lactation DP, CI and SP. high phenotypic correlations with second lactation MY and PY, Moreover, first lactation DP, CI and SP had high positive genetic whereas it had low positive phenotypic correlations with DP, SP correlations with third lactation DP, CI and SP barring moderate and CI. First dry period had low negative association with second positive genetic correlations of DP of first lactation with SP of third lactation MY, LL and PY. First lactation SP, DP and CI had lactation. moderate and significant phenotypic association with second Corresponding to genetic correlations, the first lactation lactation DP, SP and CI (Table 1). MY and PY had highly significant (P0.01) and positive phenotypic Between First Lactation and Third Lactation: First lactation MY, association with third lactation MY and PY (Table 2). In general, LL and PY had high positive genetic correlation with third first lactation MY and PY had positive phenotypic association with lactation MY, LL and PY barring first lactation PY correlation with all third lactation performance traits except with third lactation DP, third lactation length and first lactation length with third lactation whereas first lactation length had positive phenotypic correlations PY (Table 2). Third lactation MY and PY had high negative genetic with all the third lactation traits. Moreover, first lactation DP, CI correlations with first lactation DP, CI and SP, while third lactation and SP had low positive phenotypic relationship with third length had low to moderate genetic correlation with first lactation lactation DP, CI and SP. Third lactation PY had low negative DP, CI and SP. In addition to this, first lactation PY had high phenotypic correlations with first lactation DP, CI and SP.

Table 2.Genetic and phenotypic correlation of performance traits between first lactation and third lactation

Effects FL305DMY (kg) FLMY (kg) FLL (days) AFC (days)* FSP (days) FDP (days) FCI (days) Overall 1526.1±34.97 1785.3±49.49 322.2±6.82 1234.9±16.3 239.7±11.98 201.6±11.05 523.8 ±11.99

Herd a Lucknow 1254. 8±32.33a 1476.9±45.76a 322.47±6.31 1292.5±20.00a 274.9±11.08 234.7±10.22a 557.2±11.08a

Karnal 1797.4±57.56b 2093.7±81.47b 321.9±11.23 1177.5±25.38b 204.5±19.72b 168.5±18.19b 490.5±19.73b

Season Summer 1476.0±36.94 1705.4±52.28 325.9±7.21 1236.1±31.98 216.7±12.66 175.8±11.68b 501.8±12.66

Rainy 1581.2±55.38 1831.1±78.37 330.03±10.8 1240.8±29.04 217.3±18.97 171.7±17.50b 501.7±18.98 Autumn 1473.4±117.75 1763.8±166.65 300.4±22.97 1239.2±36.49 306.2±40.34 289.1±37.22 589.6±40.35

Period

b a a bc d 1976-80 1642.6±88.16 2134.4±124.77 383.6±17.20 1231.8±50.99 245.93±30.2 147.1±27.87 530.7±30.21

1981-85 1585.7±50.70c 1888.9±71.76 353.7±9.89b 1394.7±26.90 a 235.2±17.37 164.4±16.03cd 518.1±17.38

c c cd 1986-90 1665.1±48.65 1865.6±68.86 322.5±9.49 1199.7±24.41 214.4±16.67 178.7±15.38c 501.2±16.67 a b cd e b 1991-95 1725.5±55.75 1950.6±78.91 312.4±10.88 115.56±31.95 254.2±19.1 226.4±17.62 538.8±19.11 1996-2000 1433.9±52.70d 1613.1±74.58d 306.4±10.28d 1259.7±29.57b 239.7±18.05 215.6±16.66b 522.0±18.06 e 2001-05 1103.78±128.53 1259.5±181.9e 254.5±25.07e 1169.4±60.85de 249.0±44.03 277.7±40.62a 532.3±44.05

68 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Between First Lactation and Fourth Lactation: First lactation MY, First lactation MY and PY had positive phenotypic LL and PY had high positive genetic correlation with fourth correlations with all the performance traits of fourth lactation lactation MY, LL and PY except the relationship of first lactation except with fourth dry period. First LL had low positive phenotypic length with fourth lactation MY and PY (Table 3). First lactation correlations with all the fourth lactation performance traits except DP, CI and SP had high negative genetic correlation with fourth with fourth lactation length. First lactation SP and CI had low to lactation MY, LL and DP barring fourth lactation length moderate positive phenotypic correlations with all the fourth association with first SP and CI. First lactation MY and LL had lactation performance traits except with fourth lactation PY. Like positive correlations with all the fourth lactation performance earlier phenotypic correlations, first DP, SP and CI had low to traits except with fourth lactation dry period. First DP, SP and CI moderate association with fourth DP, SP and CI. Fourth PY had had high positive genetic correlations with fourth DP, SP and CI negative correlations with first DP, CI and SP (Table 3). except the genetic correlation of first dry period with fourth CI and SP. Table 3. Genetic and phenotypic correlation of performance traits between first lactation and fourth lactation

MY LL PY DP CI SP Traits 4 4 4 4 4 4 MY 1

G 0.852±0.096 0.785±0.306 0.688±0.144 -0.557±0.329 0.024±0.316 0.005±0.329 P 0.458±0.043** 0.360±0.045** 0.363±0.045** -0.025±0.047 0.212±0.045* 0.217±0.045* LL1 G 0.264±0.308 0.847±0.395 0.052±0.310 -0.023±0.458 0.374±0.357 0.259±0.388 P 0.190±0.046 0.227±0.045* 0.098±0.047 0.023±0.047 0.146±0.046 0.146±0.046 PY 1 G 0.805±0.044 0.557±0.352 0.958±0.047 -0.688±0.301 -0.189±0.298 -0.170±0.311 P 0.427±0.043** 0.244±0.045* 0.431±0.043** -0.028±0.047 0.139±0.046 0.161±0.046 DP1 G -0.637±0.207 -0.610±0.413 -0.582±0.205 0.570±0.316 0.192±0.322 0.150±0.338

P -0.064±0.047 0.017±0.047 -0.133±0.047 0.208±0.046* 0.199±0.046* 0.190±0.046 CI 1 G -0.709±0.306 -0.062±0.599 -0.884±0.283 0.772±0.405 0.735±0.320 0.503±0.389

P 0.070±0.047 0.177±0.046 -0.054±0.047 0.197±0.046 0.276±0.045** 0.270±0.045** SP1 G -0.700±0.230 -0.247±0.482 -0.739±0.216 0.800±0.316 0.632±0.273 0.466±0.328 P 0.051±0.047 0.179±0.046 0.082±0.047 0.203±0.046* 0.296±0.045** 0.281±0.045**

The results of this study are in conformity with the Halvey WR. 1987. Mixed model least squares and maximum investigations of Thakur (1997), Arora and Sharma (1981), Pundir likelihood computer programme PC-I version. (1991) and Singh et al. (2002). The genetic and phenotypic Pundir RK. 1991. Genetic studies on the components of lifetime traits correlations between lactation traits indicated that MY1 and PY1 has in Sahiwal and Hariana cattle. Ph.D. Thesis, Indian Veterinary high genetic and significant phenotypic correlations with MY of Research Institute, Izatnagar, India. following lactations and negative genetic and phenotypic correlations Singh S, Khanna AS and Singh RP. 2002. Replacement and lifetime with DP of following lactations. This suggested that selection on the production traits: Effect of non – genetic factors and sire basis of MY1 and PY1would bring genetic improvement in MY of evaluation. Asian – Aus. J. Anim. Sci. 15: 11-15. following lactations. This would not only reduce the generation interval by early selection but also reduce the unproductive life of the Thakur Yash Pal. 1997. Evaluation of Jersey sires used in hilly regions animal by reducing DP. of North India. Ph.D. Thesis, C.S. Azad Univ. Agric. and Technology, Mathura Campus, Mathura, India. REFERENCES Arora DN and Sharma JS. 1981. Genetic analysis of some of the economic traits in Hariana cattle. Livestock Advisor 31: 31-37.

69 Journal of Livestock Biodiversity Complex Vertebral Malformation: a Recessive Disorder in Holstein Friesian Cattle – a Review

Ashwani Sharma1*, Vijay Kumar1, Mahdi Mahdipour1, P.P. Dubey2, Avtar Singh1, Jyoti Joshi2, Priyanka Banerjee2, and B.K. Joshi2 National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana-132001 India ABSTRACT The present review is a concise summary of findings on one of the most important recessive hereditary disorders, the Complex Vertebral Malformation (CVM) in cattle. It is a disease of Holstein calves characterized by complex anomalies of the vertebral column and limbs in aborted fetuses and in prematurely born, stillborn and neonates. The recessive homozygous form is lethal and since carrier animals have viability, CVM frequency increases by use of carrier bulls in Artificial insemination (AI). The gene SLC35A3 has been identified as the culprit and a point mutation was eventually identified within the alleles encoding bovine SLC35A3 in a Holstein calf affected with CVM. This mutation causes valine to phenylalanine substitution at the amino acid level. PCR-PIRA, PCR-SSCP, AS-PCR and Tetra-primer ARMS-PCR are certain PCR based techniques which could be used to screen CVM in cattle. The use of these molecular technologies promises quick detection of carriers, enables their culling and consequently controls and prevents the spread of CVM in the population.

Keywords: CVM, genetic disorder, Holstein Friesian, SLC35A3 gene, PCR-RFLP

INTRODUCTION molecular mechanisms that operate during formation of vertebrae Complex vertebral malformation (CVM) is a recessively and ribs depend on carbohydrate modification in the Golgi inherited disorder leading to frequent abortion of fetuses or apparatus (Thomsen et al., 2006). vertebral anomalies and prenatal death (Agerholm et al., 2001, 2004; Nielsen et al., 2003). The syndrome was discovered in the Danish Holstein population in 1999, but shortly thereafter, its occurrence was reported between 12 to 20% in Netherlands (Wouda et al., 2000), United States (Duncan et al., 2001), United Kingdom (Revell, 2001) and Japan (Nagahata et al., 2002). Genealogical records revealed that the calves suffering from CVM were genetically related to the US Holstein sire Penstate Ivanhoe Star (US1441440, born in 1963) and his son Carlin-M Ivanhoe Bell (US1667366) which had been used in dairy cattle breeding Figure 1: Schematic presentation of exon 4, depicted by a solid worldwide for two decades due to the superior lactation box, partial exon 4 sequences of wild-type and CVM SLC35A3 performance of their daughters. Consequently, the number of gene (Kanae et al., 2005). animals genetically related to the carrier bulls was very high and The data demonstrates that the gene responsible for the disease-causing mutation was widespread among Holstein CVM encodes a member of the solute carrier family SLC35, which cattle throughout the world (Thomsen et al., 2006). In stillborn, are enzymes transporting nucleotide-sugars from the cytosol into aborted and pre-term calves, CVM has been characterized by the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum and/or the Golgi shortened cervical and thoracic regions of the vertebral column and apparatus. In these organelles, nucleotide sugars are utilized by symmetric arthrogryphosis (Agerholm et al., 2001; Duncan et al., glycosyltranferases to synthesize the sugar chains of 2001). Multiple hemivertebrae, scoliosis and synostosis, fused and glycoproteins, glycolipids and carbohydrate polymers. Several mis-shaped vertebral column has also been described. studies lend support for an essential role of nucleotide sugar Molecular basis of CVM: CVM is caused by a point mutation transportation in development and disease. Observations on (missense mutation) from G to T at nucleotide position 559 of the human glycosylation diseases further attest to the importance of bovine solute carrier family 35 member 3 (SLC35A3) gene, which nucleotide-sugar transportation. Thus, the human disease called causes valine to phenylalanine substitution at the amino acid level congenital disorder of glycosylation (CDG) type IIc (formerly (Kanae et al., 2005) depicted in Figure 1. The SLC35A3 gene leukocyte adhesion deficiency type II) occurs when GDP-fucose encodes a Golgi-resident UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine transporter uptake into the Golgi is defective, resulting in clinical (Thomsen et al., 2006). UDP-N-acetyl glucosamine transporter manifestations such as facial dysmorphology, growth and mental transports nucleotide sugars from cytosol to Golgi body to use as a retardation and lack of cell-surface expression of fucosylated substrate for glycosylation of protein, lipid and proteoglycans glyco-conjugates like the ABH and Lewis-related blood group (Guillen et al., 1998). Bovine SLC35A3 plays a great role in the antigens. Also, fucose-containing carbohydrate ligands required development of the axial skeleton, demonstrating that some of the for selectin interactions are absent, leading to leukocyte adhesion

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