Beef derived from Holstein steers is a significant source of the U.S. beef supply. The nation’s 9.1 million dairy cows in 2003 were 22% of the U.S. cow herd (NASS, 2005). Given the typical breed distribution of dairy cows, calving interval, full-term pregnancy rate, peri-natal calf death loss (NAHMS, 2002), gender distribution, dairy beef placement (80%) and survival to market (94%), it can be ...

The aim of this study was to investigate effects of DGAT1, OPN and PPARGC1A candidate genes on milk production traits in Iranian Holstein cattle. Several papers have studied single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and their association with economic traits in dairy cows, but the combined effect of these genes has not been examined in Iranian Holstein cattle population. Blood samples were collect...

Mastitis is one of the most serious and costly diseases affecting dairy cattle production. In the present study, effects of a lactoferrin gene polymorphism (intron 6) on milk somatic cell count (SCC) and subclinical mastitis was investigated in 121 Holstein dairy cattle. Two alleles of A and B and two genotypes of AA and AB were found in an EcoRI recognized single nucleotide polymorphism in int...

We sequenced exon 2 of the major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II DRB3 gene from 471 individuals in four different Japanese populations of cattle (201 Japanese Black, 101 Holstein, 100 Japanese Shorthorn, and 69 Jersey cattle) using a new method for sequence-based typing (SBT). We identified the 34 previously reported alleles and four novel alleles. These alleles were 80.0-100.0% ident...

BACKGROUND Factor XI (FXI) is a plasma protein that participates in the formation of blood clots. Factor XI deficiency is autosomal recessive hereditary disorder that may be associated with excess bleeding in Holstein cattle. METHODS In this study, 225 Holstein cows reared in Turkey were screened in order to identify FXI genotypes. DNA extractions were obtained from the fresh blood of the cow...

The objective of this study was to determine the accuracy of prediction of body weight from body measurements in beef cattle. Wither height, chest girth, body length, chest depth, hip width and hip height measurements were obtained from Holstein, Brown Swiss and crossbred (n=140). Determination coefficients (R2) of regression equation that included all body measurements were higher in Brown Swi...

In this study, the genetic diversity of three milk protein genes namely beta-casein, kappacasein and beta-lactoglobulin was estimated in Turkish cattle breeds. Based on these genes, breeds in Turkey have been grouped as: 1) Eastern Anatolian Red, Anatolian Black and Southern Anatolian Red and 2) Turkish Grey, Turkish Holstein and Holstein Candidate Bulls. B alleles of the three studied genes, w...

Twinning in cattle is a complex trait that is associated with economic loss and health issues such as abortion, dystocia, and reduced calf survival. Twinning-rate QTL have been detected previously on BTA5 in the North American Holstein and Norwegian dairy cattle populations and in a USDA herd selected for high twinning rate. In previous work with the North American Holstein population, the stro...

Individual growth and feed intake of 36 Angus, 27 Polled Hereford and 30 Holstein steers were determined from 365 to 560 kg live weight. One-half of the cattle in each breed were fed a diet based on high-moisture ear corn and the other one-half were fed a diet based on corn silage. Within each breed X diet group, half of the cattle were implanted with zeranol. Cattle fed the high-moisture ear c...