Genomic regions associated with Holstein heifer times bred to artificial insemination and embryo transfer services

Victoria Kelson; Jennifer Kiser; Kimberly Davenport; Emaly Suarez; Brenda Murdoch; Holly Neibergs

doi:10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110972

Genomic regions associated with Holstein heifer times bred to artificial insemination and embryo transfer services

Genomics. 2024 Dec 2;117(1):110972. doi: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110972. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Victoria Kelson¹, Jennifer Kiser², Kimberly Davenport³, Emaly Suarez⁴, Brenda Murdoch⁵, Holly Neibergs⁶

Affiliations

¹ Washington State University Department of Animal Sciences, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
² Washington State University Department of Animal Sciences, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA; Washington Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory, College of Veterinary Medicine, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
³ Washington State University Department of Animal Sciences, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁴ Washington State University Department of Animal Sciences, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁵ University of Idaho, Department of Animal, Veterinary and Food Sciences, Moscow, Idaho 83844, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].
⁶ Washington State University Department of Animal Sciences, Pullman, Washington 99164, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39631552
DOI: 10.1016/j.ygeno.2024.110972

Abstract

This study aimed to identify loci (p < 1 × 10^-5) and gene sets (normalized enrichment score (NES) ≥ 3.0) associated with the number of times a heifer is bred to attain a successful pregnancy (TBRD) for Holstein heifers bred by artificial insemination (AI, n = 2754) or that were embryo transfer (ET, n = 1566) recipients. Eight loci were associated (p < 1 × 10^-5) with TBRD in AI bred heifers and four loci were associated with TBRD in ET recipients. The gene set enrichment analysis with SNP data identified one gene set enriched (NES ≥ 3.0) with TBRD in AI bred heifers and two gene sets that were enriched with TBRD in ET recipients. The estimated pseudo-heritability for times bred to AI was 0.063 and 0.043 for ET. The identification of loci associated with embryonic loss aids in the selection of Holstein heifers with higher reproductive efficiencies that are AI bred or that are ET recipients.

Keywords: Cattle; Dairy; Embryonic loss; Loci, genes; Times bred.