Cow genome could improve meat and milk production

The sequenced genome of a female Hereford cow could be a starting point for major improvements in the agricultural industry, boosting meat and milk production, according to a new study.

The study was a six-year effort by more than 300 scientists in 25 countries. Researchers led by the National Institutes of Health and the USDA believe the findings will help improve the quality and safe of beef and dairy products, and can be used to develop better ways of treating and preventing diseases that affect cattle.

The Hereford genome sequence was compared with those of six other breeds. Using the bovine ''HapMap'', researchers can track the differences between the breeds that affect meat quality and milk yields, which could change and improve how dairy and beef cattle are bred, said Richard Gibbs from Baylor College of Medicine's Human Genome Sequencing Center, a leading contributor to the project.

Genetic tools are already being developed and proving useful to the dairy industry, and they could be applied to improve the beef industry too, said Gibbs, adding that hopefully the information could also be used to come up with new methods to reduce the environmental impact of cattle such as greenhouse gas emission.

The study has also identified new genes involved in the cows' immunity linked to the animals' digestive system.

Ross Tellam, a scientist from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, said they think those genes evolved in response to how vulnerable cattle are to microbial attack.

Because of all the microbes that live in the rumen and because the animals live in large herds, they are very vulnerable to disease, said Tellam.

Natural methods, such as selecting the best animals, can be used to produce animals that provide more meat or more milk, Tellam said.