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ARS Home » Northeast Area » Beltsville, Maryland (BARC) » Beltsville Agricultural Research Center » Animal Genomics and Improvement Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #336231
Title: Exploration of the genetic and biological basis of feed efficiency in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows

Author
item HARDIE, LYDIA - Iowa State University
item VANDEHAAR, MICHAEL - Michigan State University
item TEMPELMAN, ROB - Michigan State University
item WEIGEL, KENT - University Of Wisconsin
item ARMENTANO, LOU - University Of Wisconsin
item WIGGANS, GEORGE - Former ARS Employee
item VEERKAMP, ROEL - Collaborator
item DE HAAS, YVETTE - Collaborator
item COFFEY, MIKE - Scottish Agricultural College
item Connor, Erin
item HANIGAN, MARK - Virginia Polytechnic Institution & State University
item STAPLES, CHARLIE - University Of Florida
item WANG, Z - University Of Alberta
item SPURLOCK, DIANE - Iowa State University

Submitted to: Meeting Abstract
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/10/2016
Publication Date: 11/11/2016
Citation: Hardie, L., Vandehaar, M.J., Tempelman, R.J., Weigel, K.A., Armentano, L.E., Wiggans, G.R., Veerkamp, R.R., De Haas, Y., Coffey, M.P., Connor, E.E., Hanigan, M.D., Staples, C.R., Wang, Z., Spurlock, D.M. 2016. Exploration of the genetic and biological basis of feed efficiency in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows. Multistate Project Meeting SCC84. November 11-16, 2016, Uppsala, Sweden.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The purpose of this study was to characterize the genetic basis underlying variation in feed efficiency in mid-lactation Holstein dairy cows. A genome-wide association study was performed for residual feed intake (RFI) and related traits using a large data set, consisting of nearly 5,000 cows. It was determined that RFI is a highly polygenic trait with many loci explaining a very small proportion of the genetic variance. The genetic basis of RFI and related traits may differ between primiparous and multiparous cows, and the genetic basis of feed efficiency is distinct from that underlying production and maintenance requirements. Two key candidate genes for RFI were indentified including beta-3 adrenergic receptor (ADRB3) among primiparous cows and leptin (LEP) in multiparous cows.