Recipient Organization
UNIVERSITY OF WYOMING
1000 E UNIVERSITY AVE DEPARTMENT 3434
LARAMIE,WY 82071-2000
Performing Department
Molecular Biology
Non Technical Summary
Brisket disease is a debilitating, often fatal condition, affecting some cattle raised at elevations over 6000 feet. Mortality may run to as much as 5% among cattle native to high country; however, in lowland cattle brought to higher altitudes or in offspring from untested sires, losses can be as high as 30-40%. The disease has direct economic consequences and drastically limits the use of cattle that could provide genetic-based herd improvement. The primary cause of brisket disease is the response of the vessels of the lung to low levels of oxygen at higher elevations; elevated pulmonary arterial pressure is the immediate result with subsequent right heart failure and death. To date, direct measurement of pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP test) of cattle at altitude is the only method available to determine if an animal is susceptible to brisket disease. Efforts to understand and recognize inheritance patterns or develop blood-based markers that would identify susceptible animals have proven inconclusive. PAP testing has been reasonably successful in identifying resistant animals and their use as seed stock has reduced the overall incidence of brisket disease in high country herds; despite these efforts, the incidence of brisket disease is on the rise, probably because cattle are increasingly bred for size. Significantly, brisket disease has remained an issue for the high country producer, but may also represent an unrecognized problem for low altitude producers. We will explore economically significant traits in beef cattle that may be linked to resistance to high altitude disease by developing a physical phenotype of cattle in the herd maintained by the Laramie Research & Extension Center, including PAP score. In addition, we will screen Bos species including yak as potential sources of genetic resistance to high altitude disease for introgression into cattle in the Laramie R&E Center herd.
Animal Health Component
40%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
40%
Applied
40%
Developmental
20%
Knowledge Area
Subject Of Investigation
Field Of Science
Goals / Objectives
Major GoalExplore the genetic and physiological basis of Brisket disease and the relationships to cattle production.Objectives1. Develop a physical phenotype for animals in the Laramie Research & Extension Center Center cattle herd including physical screening for clinical signs of Brisket disease and identification of underperforming cattle.2. Correlate hemodynamic parameters (via PAP testing) with physical phenotype.3. Screen Bos germplasm for genetic resistance to high altitude disease.
Project Methods
Develop a physical phenotype for animals in the Laramie R&E Center cattle herd including physical screening for clinical signs of high altitude disease and identification of underpreforming cattle.Correlate hemodynamic parameters (via pulmonary arterial pressure [PAP] testing) with physical phenotype.Screen Bos (B. taurus and B. grunniens) germplasm for genetic resistance to high altitude disease.Efforts to disseminate the information produced by this study to the target audience will be made via extension and outreach undertakings.Evaluation of sucess of the experiment will involve 1) identification of a bovinephenotype that is associated with resistance to high altitude disease; 2) identification of Bos gene(s) that are responsible for genetic resistance to high altitude disease.