Genetics of susceptibility to bovine viral diarrhea, infectious bovine respiratory disease, and liver fluke in cattle

Abstract Text: Animal health improvement is gaining interest internationally to increase profitability and instil consumer confidence. This study’s objective was to quantify contributions that genetic selection can make toward improving bovine animal health. After edits, data were available from 54,364 calves for BVDV, 5,589 animals for BoHV-1, and 5,530 animals for Fasciola hepatica. Variance components were estimated for all traits using animal linear models; a dam’s genetic and permanent environmental component was included in the analysis of BVDV. Direct heritability estimates for BVDV, BoHV-1, and F.hepatica across the different analyses performed (i.e., continuous versus categorical dependent variables, different age classes) were 0.16, 0.30 to 0.34 and 0.14, respectively. A maternal heritability (0.05) also existed for BVDV. Results show that heritable genetic variation in these three diseases exists; because data are routinely available for BVDV and F.hepatica, a national breeding program to improve resistance is possible.

Keywords:

Animal health

Disease

Heritability