Canadian scientists sequence genomes of two bulls
By Food in Canada staff
Business Operations Food Safety Research & Development University of Alberta
University of Alberta scientists from the Bovine Genomics Program have successfully sequenced the genome of two bulls, one beef and one dairy, reports the Dairy Site.com.
These are the first animals to be successfully sequenced in Canada.
Benefits of sequencing
The story reports that sequencing the genome of these two bulls will allow scientists to more accurately identify the genetic markets that are responsible for economically important traits such as efficiency, yield, fatness and tenderness.
Producers will be able to use the information to breed healthier dairy cattle that produce more and higher quality milk as well as beef cattle that produce better quality beef.
There will also be benefits for the beef industry, reports the story.
Better knowledge of the genetic variation across the breeds will, through better breeding decisions, improve production efficiency, product quality and animal health, and reduce the environmental footprint of beef cattle production.
The team sequenced the bulls’ genomes using Life Technologies Corporation’s SOLiD 3 System, which enable them to complete the work in seven months at a cost of $130,000.
The first cow was sequenced in 2009 after four years at a cost of $50 million.
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