Source: LANGSTON UNIVERSITY submitted to
GENOME-WIDE ASSOCIATION ANALYSIS FOR THE IDENTIFICATION OF ALPINE GOATS WITH HIGH MILK PRODUCTION
Sponsoring Institution
National Institute of Food and Agriculture
Project Status
TERMINATED
Funding Source
AFRI COMPETITIVE GRANT
Reporting Frequency
Annual
Accession No.
1006741
Grant No.
2015-67031-23776
Project No.
OKLUTILAHUN2015
Proposal No.
2014-10240
Multistate No.
(N/A)
Program Code
A1801
Project Start Date
Aug 1, 2015
Project End Date
Jul 31, 2017
Grant Year
2015
Project Director
Tilahun, Y.
Recipient Organization
LANGSTON UNIVERSITY
(N/A)
LANGSTON,OK 73050
Performing Department
(N/A)
Non Technical Summary
Through this Exploratory Research Program it is proposed that high milk producing Alpine goats will be identified more easily. This will allow more specific administration of investments to those particular goats that will produce higher yields of milk in early stages of development.
Animal Health Component
100%
Research Effort Categories
Basic
50%
Applied
50%
Developmental
(N/A)
Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)Subject of Investigation (SOI)Field of Science (FOS)Percent
3043450104040%
3043820104020%
3043450108010%
3043820108010%
3043450103010%
3043820103010%
Knowledge Area
304 - Animal Genome;

Subject Of Investigation
3820 - Goats, meat, and mohair; 3450 - Milk;

Field Of Science
1080 - Genetics; 1030 - Cellular biology; 1040 - Molecular biology;
Goals / Objectives
General objectives are to establish a new second generation small ruminant central performance test incorporating an assessment of high milk production, create capacity for genomics research with goats, and add an on-farm research component to the program at Langston University. Specific objectives are to determine early progress in selection of small ruminants for high milk production 'on-station' and 'on-farm'; characterize changes in performance due to selection; develop and implement a new second generation central sire performance test for small ruminants; develop early-life indicators of high milk production and assess changes in physiological conditions affected by selection; evaluate economic and management considerations of whole her/flock selection; disseminate potential benefits of selection and associated economic and management considerations for adoption by small ruminant producers.
Project Methods
This project will provide small ruminant producers with a means to evaluate sires for high milk production. Level and efficiency of small ruminant production, as well as profit, will be increased via change in animal performance, increased milk production, and improved milk quality, as well as decreased expenditures in animal health management and maintenance supplies. It is projected that early life indicators of high milk production in small ruminants will be developed. The demonstration of selection activities on-farm will increase technology adoption compared with activities only on-station.

Progress 08/01/15 to 07/31/17

Outputs
Target Audience:Small Ruminant Producers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?This project has provided direct experience for, 4-H youth, undergraduate student participation, faculty and staff skill and educational development in the areas of advanced technical agriculture as it applies to small ruminants. Specific collaborations have been made by participating institutions and individuals at each institution. Laboratory techniques have been developed, methods of data analysis have been implemented and are being moved towards automation which have been used for training and professional development. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?The results are in the process of being prepared for official publication in major journals. Progress of thestudy have been widelydisseminated through popular science journals, campus-wide papers and methods of promotion as well as through social media outlets. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?Manuscripts will be completed for publication in the areas of technical developments, animal science, genomics, computerscience, and other ideal methods of dissemination of this valuable information. SNP chips will be produced for the use of thistechnical advancement by small ruminant producers and researchers alike.

Impacts
What was accomplished under these goals? Over 200 milk samples from which DNA were collected, SNP assays were conducted, Genome Wide Association Study (GWAS) analyses utilizing PLINK were used to generate deciphereable data for the purpose of reaching the major goals of the project. Specific significant associations between phenotypic traits and genotypic traits have been identified and are projected to be utilized for the future production of low density SNP chips. These SNP chips will make it more specific and cost effective for goat breeding programs in the arena of milk production that increase productivity and quality of goat milk for consumers. This project allowed early-life indication of whole herd/flock selection benefitting the efficient use of resources during selection and associated economic management considerations for adoption by small ruminant producers.

Publications


    Progress 08/01/15 to 07/31/16

    Outputs
    Target Audience:Small Ruminant Producers. Changes/Problems: Nothing Reported What opportunities for training and professional development has the project provided?Training for students, faculty, and staff as well as participants form the community are being established through this project. How have the results been disseminated to communities of interest?Through media such as at conferences, interviews, and participation on panels. What do you plan to do during the next reporting period to accomplish the goals?A one-year no-cost extension is requested in order to complete the project activities. Notification of the award was received on August 1, 2015; however, project funding was not accessible until September 30 2015.This created a logistic problem because milk production from goats is not available all year round. Plans had been made to contact producers and collect milk from goats from many different locations around the country but sample collection was delayed because of the lack of dairy goats in-milk. This is because dairy goats are seasonal breeders and most kidding, thus milking, occurs during the spring - summer seasons. Presently producers have been recruited on a volunteer basis and samples are currently being shipped to our facility here at Langston University. Thus far we have collected over 200 milk samples of which DNA have been extracted. Further plans are to send samples to a third party for single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) assays followed by analysis of data. We plan on an approximately additional 400 samples to be collected and run through the pipeline. Our plans are to complete the project by July 31, 2017.

    Impacts
    What was accomplished under these goals? The creation of capacity for genomics research with goats. Over 200 milk samples of which DNA have been extracted.

    Publications