September 7, 2006

US university to speed up analysis of genetic markers on cattle

University of Missouri researchers are deploying technology to help speed up the analysing of DNA samples.

The University of Missouri-Columbia is participating in a genomics study that would help researchers more quickly analyse genetic differences in cattle populations to identify the traits that would improve meat and milk quality.

Improving breeds has grown in popularity as Marker Assisted Selection (MAS) offered a more palatable alternative to consumers than Genetically Modified products, which were generally regarded with mistrust.

The University's College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources, would collaborate with USDA, and the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, to develop a test to identify gene sequences affecting milk production, feed efficiency, marbling, fat production and other meat characteristics.

High-resolution gene mapping equipment developed by Illumina, Inc., a San Diego-based technology company, would be used to analyse the genetic structure of more than 10,000 cattle from 10 different breeds.

Researchers would review as many as 48,000 genetic markers. The analysis phase of the project is scheduled to begin in December and is due for completion by January or February next year.

The new technology enables the analysis to be shortened from years to months, Jerry Taylor, Wurdack Endowed Chair for Animal Genomics at the University of Missouri said.