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Examination of bovine pituitary gland transcriptome by strand-specific RNA-seq allows detection of putative single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within potential candidate genes (CGs) or QTLs regions as well as to understand the genomics variations that contribute to economic trait. Here we report a breed-specific model to successfully perform the detection of SNPs in the pituitary gland of young growing bulls representing Polish Holstein-Friesian (HF), Polish Red, and Hereford breeds at three developmental ages viz., six months, nine months, and twelve months. A total of 18 bovine pituitary gland polyA transcriptome libraries were prepared and sequenced using the Illumina NextSeq 500 platform. Sequenced FastQ databases of all 18 young bulls were submitted to NCBI-SRA database with NCBI-SRA accession numbers SRS1296732. For the investigated young bulls, a total of 113,882,3098 raw paired-end reads with a length of 156 bases were obtained, resulting in an approximately 63 million paired-end reads per library. Breed-wise, a total of 515.38, 215.39, and 408.04 million paired-end reads were obtained for Polish HF, Polish Red, and Hereford breeds, respectively. Burrows-Wheeler Aligner (BWA) read alignments showed 93.04%, 94.39%, and 83.46% of the mapped sequencing reads were properly paired to the Polish HF, Polish Red, and Hereford breeds, respectively. Constructed breed-specific SNP-db of three cattle breeds yielded at 13,775,885 SNPs. On an average 765,326 breed-specific SNPs per young bull were identified. Using two stringent filtering parameters, i.e., a minimum 10 SNP reads per base with an accuracy ≥ 90% and a minimum 10 SNP reads per base with an accuracy = 100%, SNP-db records were trimmed to construct a highly reliable SNP-db. This resulted in a reduction of 95,7% and 96,4% cut-off mark of constructed raw SNP-db. Finally, SNP discoveries using RNA-Seq data were validated by KASP™ SNP genotyping assay. The comprehensive QTLs/CGs analysis of 76 QTLs/CGs with RNA-seq data identified KCNIP4, CCSER1, DPP6, MAP3K5 and GHR CGs with highest SNPs hit loci in all three breeds and developmental ages. However, CAST CG with more than 100 SNPs hits were observed only in Polish HF and Hereford breeds.These findings are important for identification and construction of novel tissue specific SNP-db and breed specific SNP-db dataset by screening of putative SNPs according to QTL db and candidate genes for bovine growth and reproduction traits, one can develop genomic selection strategies for growth and reproductive traits.

Selenium is an essential trace element in the diet of humans and domesticated animals. It is a component of more than 30 selenoproteins, which play a significant role in the body. Selenoproteins protect cells from damage inflicted by free radicals, the cause of many chronic diseases. They also participate in the metabolism of thyroid hormones, control reproductive functions and exert neuroprotective effects. In addition to its anti-proliferative and anti-inflammatory properties, selenium stimulates the immune system. The role of selenium is aided by vitamin E and sulfur-containing amino acids. Selenium deficiency contributes to pathological changes in farm animals, which incur large financial losses each year. Low selenium levels can lead to the development of nutritional muscular dystrophy, also known as white muscle disease, in lambs, kids, foals, calves and poultry from birth to 3 months of age. Selenium deficiency may also cause exudative diathesis in poultry as well as dietary necrotic liver degeneration and mulberry heart disease in pigs. Parturition problems resulting from reduced tension of the muscular layer of the uterus, postparturient paraplegia, placental retention and purulent inflammations of the uterine lining are also attributed to low selenium levels. Selenium deficiency contributes to the formation of ovarian cysts and increased embryonic mortality in the first 3-4 weeks after insemination. Selenium and vitamin E facilitate neutrophil migration to the mammary gland, and they enhance the bactericidal effects of neutrophils, thus shortening and alleviating the symptoms of clinical mastitis. Selenium poisoning is rarely encountered, and it most often results from an overdose of selenium supplements. The most common forms of selenosis are chronic selenosis, referred to as alkali disease, and acute selenosis, popularly known as blind staggers.

The purpose of this study was to investigate possible alterations in acid-base balance parameters and the coagulation profile in neonatal diarrheic calves. Twenty neonatal diarrheic and 20 clinically healthy neonatal calves aged between 1 week to 10 days were used. All blood samples were taken on the third day from the onset of diarrhea symptom. Venous blood samples were collected from each animal to determine platelet numbers, pH, pCO 2 , pO 2 , HCO 3-, BE, O 2 SAT, ctCO 2 and electrolytes (K + , Na + and Cl -). Plasma samples were collected from each animal for the measurement of prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), thrombin time (TT), the concentrations of fibrinogen, D-dimer and the activity of antithrombin III (AT III). Blood pH (7.19), BE (-10.6 mmol/l), HCO 3 -(25.15 mmol/l), pO 2 (3.33 kPa), O 2 SAT (24.12 %) were significantly lower and serum concentration of K + (6.55 mmol/l) was significantly higher in diarrheic calves. These changes indicate the state of uncompensated metabolic acidosis with accompanying hyperkalemia. TT (32.05s) and APTT (39.9s) values were more prolonged in calves with diarrhea than in the control group. D-dimer (587.25 μg/l) concentrations were significantly increased while a visible drop in AT III (103.75%) activity and platelets counts (598 x10 9 /l) were observed in diarrheic group of calves. The results suggest that a consumptive type of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) developed in diarrheic calves.

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