Genotype × prenatal and post-weaning nutritional environment interaction in a composite beef cattle breed using reaction norms and a multi-trait model

Abstract

Environmental effects have been shown to influence several economically important traits in beef cattle. In this study, genotype × nutritional environment interaction has been evaluated in a composite beef cattle breed (50% Red Angus, 25% Charolais, 25% Tarentaise). Four nutritional environments (marginal-restricted [MARG-RES], marginal-control [MARG-CTRL], adequate-restricted [ADEQ-RES], and adequate-control [ADEQ-CTRL]) were created based on two levels of winter supplement provided to dams grazing winter range during gestation (MARG and ADEQ) and two levels of input to offspring during post-weaning development (RES and CTRL). Genetic parameters of average daily gain (ADG) during the 140-d post-wean trial, yearling weight (YW), and ultrasound measurement of fat depth (FAT) at the 12th rib and intramuscular fat percentage (IMF) of 3,020 individuals in the four environments were estimated. The heritabilities estimated using a single trait mixed linear model were: ADG: 0.21, 0.23, 0.19 and 0.21; YW: 0.27, 0.33, 0.20 and 0.26; FAT: 0.30, 0.29, 0.29, 0.55; IMF: 0.45, 0.51, 0.33, 0.53 for MARG-RES, ADEQ-RES, MARG-CTRL and ADEQ-CTRL, respectively. The extent of genotype × environment interaction was modeled using two separate methods: reaction norms and multi-trait models. The genetic correlations were estimated using a multi-trait model for ADG, YW, FAT and IMF. Growth traits (ADG, YW) and FAT showed correlations less than 0.80 across the four different environments indicating genotype by environment interaction. For example, genetic correlation for ADG between MARG-CTRL and MARG-RES was 0.65 and 0.73 between ADEQ-RES and MARG-RES. In this example, the former genetic correlation corresponds to differences in post-weaning nutritional environment, and the later represents a nutritional difference imposed on dams (i.e., prenatal environment), potentially mediated via fetal programming. The reaction norm model results were in concordance with the multi-trait model, genotype by environment interaction had a higher effect on traits with a lower heritability.

The superiority of multi-trait models with genotype-by-environment interactions in a limited number of environments for genomic prediction in pigs

“…Similarly, Li et al [ 25 ] reported on the across-country genetic correlations (ranging from 0.604 to 0.726) of dairy cattle, indicating that an important G × E interaction exists between Brazilian and Nordic (or Nordic and French) populations. Hay and Roberts [ 26 ] also reported the existence of genotype-by-nutritional environment interactions for growth and carcass traits in beef cattle with genetic correlations below the threshold value of 0.8. In this study, SNP markers were used to construct the relationships (G matrix) between the two populations in order to estimate the genetic correlations, as no linked pedigree was available.…”

Normas de reação para peso aos 365 e 550 dias de idade em bovinos Guzerá no Nordeste do Brasil

“…Os MNR já foram utilizados para avaliar a IGA em bovinos (Ambrosini et al, 2016a(Ambrosini et al, , 2016bSouza et al, 2016;Mota et al, 2016;Hay & Roberts, 2018) e bubalinos (Rodrigues et al, 2015), mostrando-se adequados nestes estudos quando combinados com modelos hierárquicos Bayesianos (MHB). Entretanto, não foram encontradas pesquisas relacionadas a IGA em bovinos da raça Guzerá, sendo escassas informações a respeito da existência destes efeitos em bovinos desta raça.…”

Amino Acids Influencing Intestinal Development and Health of the Piglets

“…Nutrients in the solid diets stimulate the further development of the intestines [12]. The deficiency of essential nutrients could result in intestinal dysfunction, diarrhoea, growth performance disease and even death [13,14]. Although piglet intestinal diseases are understood throughout the world, the pathomechanisms associated with the impacts of nutrition are not well recognized.…”