Marker‐assisted conservation of European cattle breeds: an evaluation

Lenstra, Johannes A.; Heding, H.E.; Engelsma, K.A.; Bijma, P.; García, Dolores Brandis; Cañón, Javier; Dunner, S.; Moazami‐Goudarzi, Katayoun; Laloë, Dénis; Williams, J. L.; Wiener, Pamela; Burton, Deborah; Erhardt, G.; Jann, O.; Weimann, Christina; Prinzenberg, E.-M.; Harlizius, B.; Barre-Dirie, A.; Mengers, A.; Looft, C.; Kalm, E.; Rodellar, C.; Zaragoza, Pilar; Martín-Burriel, Inmaculada; Sánchez, Armand; Ajmone‐Marsan, Paolo; Negrini, Riccardo; Milanesi, E.; Valentini, Alessio; Savarese, M. C.; Marchitelli, Cinzia; Zanotti, M.; Ceriotti, G.; Pilla, Fabio; Bruzzone, A.; Iamartino, Daniela; Olsaker, I.; Holm, Lars‐Erik; Mommens, G.; Dolf, G.; Hiemstra, S.H.

doi:10.1111/j.1365-2052.2006.01511.x

Cited by 62 publications

(13 citation statements)

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“…it was classified as a top priority when the focus was on between-breed diversity (such as in the Weitzman procedure), but was the first breed to be excluded when only the within-breed component of genetic diversity was considered (proportional contribution to H e ). This is in line with previous findings [16,17] that indicate that small, inbred breeds will be given priority when the emphasis is placed on the between-breed component. This result invalidates the use of the Weitzman approach, based on genetic distances, as a single measure for breed prioritization.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

“…more unique) are preserved. However, this method has been strongly criticized because it ignores within-breed diversity [11,17,19-23]. Moreover, breed uniqueness inferred from genetic distances may result from prevalence of rare alleles due to inbreeding, founder effects or strict genetic isolation, instead of a distinct evolutionary history [10,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Analysis of conservation priorities of Iberoamerican cattle based on autosomal microsatellite markers

Ginja

Gama²,

Cortés

et al. 2013

Genet Sel Evol

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BackgroundDetermining the value of livestock breeds is essential to define conservation priorities, manage genetic diversity and allocate funds. Within- and between-breed genetic diversity need to be assessed to preserve the highest intra-specific variability. Information on genetic diversity and risk status is still lacking for many Creole cattle breeds from the Americas, despite their distinct evolutionary trajectories and adaptation to extreme environmental conditions.MethodsA comprehensive genetic analysis of 67 Iberoamerican cattle breeds was carried out with 19 FAO-recommended microsatellites to assess conservation priorities. Contributions to global diversity were investigated using alternative methods, with different weights given to the within- and between-breed components of genetic diversity. Information on Iberoamerican plus 15 worldwide cattle breeds was used to investigate the contribution of geographical breed groups to global genetic diversity.ResultsOverall, Creole cattle breeds showed a high level of genetic diversity with the highest level found in breeds admixed with zebu cattle, which were clearly differentiated from all other breeds. Within-breed kinships revealed seven highly inbred Creole breeds for which measures are needed to avoid further genetic erosion. However, if contribution to heterozygosity was the only criterion considered, some of these breeds had the lowest priority for conservation decisions. The Weitzman approach prioritized highly differentiated breeds, such as Guabalá, Romosinuano, Cr. Patagonico, Siboney and Caracú, while kinship-based methods prioritized mainly zebu-related breeds. With the combined approaches, breed ranking depended on the weights given to the within- and between-breed components of diversity. Overall, the Creole groups of breeds were generally assigned a higher priority for conservation than the European groups of breeds.ConclusionsConservation priorities differed significantly according to the weight given to within- and between-breed genetic diversity. Thus, when establishing conservation programs, it is necessary to also take into account other features. Creole cattle and local isolated breeds retain a high level of genetic diversity. The development of sustainable breeding and crossbreeding programs for Creole breeds, and the added value resulting from their products should be taken into consideration to ensure their long-term survival.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Analysis of conservation priorities of Iberoamerican cattle based on autosomal microsatellite markers

Ginja

Gama²,

Cortés

et al. 2013

Genet Sel Evol

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“…Estimates of genetic diversity and population structure have been previously reported for some Creole populations [9], [22–26], for Iberian cattle [13], [27]–[30], Zebu breeds [31], [32] and European cattle [10], [33]. Moreover, mtDNA and Y-chromosome markers were used to investigate the origins of Creole cattle [34]–[38], but their genetic relationship with other cattle breeds which could have influenced them remained unclear.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Genetic Footprints of Iberian Cattle in America 500 Years after the Arrival of Columbus

Martínez

Gama²,

Cañón

et al. 2012

PLoS ONE

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BackgroundAmerican Creole cattle presumably descend from animals imported from the Iberian Peninsula during the period of colonization and settlement, through different migration routes, and may have also suffered the influence of cattle directly imported from Africa. The introduction of European cattle, which began in the 18th century, and later of Zebu from India, has threatened the survival of Creole populations, some of which have nearly disappeared or were admixed with exotic breeds. Assessment of the genetic status of Creole cattle is essential for the establishment of conservation programs of these historical resources.Methodology/Principal FindingsWe sampled 27 Creole populations, 39 Iberian, 9 European and 6 Zebu breeds. We used microsatellite markers to assess the origins of Creole cattle, and to investigate the influence of different breeds on their genetic make-up. The major ancestral contributions are from breeds of southern Spain and Portugal, in agreement with the historical ports of departure of ships sailing towards the Western Hemisphere. This Iberian contribution to Creoles may also include some African influence, given the influential role that African cattle have had in the development of Iberian breeds, but the possibility of a direct influence on Creoles of African cattle imported to America can not be discarded. In addition to the Iberian influence, the admixture with other European breeds was minor. The Creoles from tropical areas, especially those from the Caribbean, show clear signs of admixture with Zebu.Conclusions/SignificanceNearly five centuries since cattle were first brought to the Americas, Creoles still show a strong and predominant signature of their Iberian ancestors. Creole breeds differ widely from each other, both in genetic structure and influences from other breeds. Efforts are needed to avoid their extinction or further genetic erosion, which would compromise centuries of selective adaptation to a wide range of environmental conditions.

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“…Genotyping of the FAO-recommended autosomal microsatellites has been described previously [5], [35], [70].…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Dual Origins of Dairy Cattle Farming – Evidence from a Comprehensive Survey of European Y-Chromosomal Variation

et al. 2011

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BackgroundDiversity patterns of livestock species are informative to the history of agriculture and indicate uniqueness of breeds as relevant for conservation. So far, most studies on cattle have focused on mitochondrial and autosomal DNA variation. Previous studies of Y-chromosomal variation, with limited breed panels, identified two Bos taurus (taurine) haplogroups (Y1 and Y2; both composed of several haplotypes) and one Bos indicus (indicine/zebu) haplogroup (Y3), as well as a strong phylogeographic structuring of paternal lineages.Methodology and Principal FindingsHaplogroup data were collected for 2087 animals from 138 breeds. For 111 breeds, these were resolved further by genotyping microsatellites INRA189 (10 alleles) and BM861 (2 alleles). European cattle carry exclusively taurine haplotypes, with the zebu Y-chromosomes having appreciable frequencies in Southwest Asian populations. Y1 is predominant in northern and north-western Europe, but is also observed in several Iberian breeds, as well as in Southwest Asia. A single Y1 haplotype is predominant in north-central Europe and a single Y2 haplotype in central Europe. In contrast, we found both Y1 and Y2 haplotypes in Britain, the Nordic region and Russia, with the highest Y-chromosomal diversity seen in the Iberian Peninsula.ConclusionsWe propose that the homogeneous Y1 and Y2 regions reflect founder effects associated with the development and expansion of two groups of dairy cattle, the pied or red breeds from the North Sea and Baltic coasts and the spotted, yellow or brown breeds from Switzerland, respectively. The present Y1-Y2 contrast in central Europe coincides with historic, linguistic, religious and cultural boundaries.

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Marker‐assisted conservation of European cattle breeds: an evaluation

Cited by 62 publications

References 40 publications

Analysis of conservation priorities of Iberoamerican cattle based on autosomal microsatellite markers

Analysis of conservation priorities of Iberoamerican cattle based on autosomal microsatellite markers

Genetic Footprints of Iberian Cattle in America 500 Years after the Arrival of Columbus

Dual Origins of Dairy Cattle Farming – Evidence from a Comprehensive Survey of European Y-Chromosomal Variation

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