Productive bovine sequencing

2009/04/28 Lakar Iraizoz, Oihane - Elhuyar Zientzia

• Bioteknologia
• Abeltzaintza
• Genetika

They have just presented the sequencing of another animal. On this occasion it has been the genome of the cow, specifically a specimen of the beef breed Hereford of England. It has not only served to enlarge the list of the number of sequenced species. Ranchers, for example, have seen sequencing as a way to improve their production.

Now cows and bulls of good characteristics are crossed (high quality meat, abundant milk, etc.) for good performance downgrades. However, the characteristics of the descendants are good or bad, but often they cannot know until they become calves. From now on, if they get to know the nucleotide differences that exist from one individual to another and identify, for example, the peculiarities of cows with high milk content, they will know immediately after crossing how the fecund cows will happen.

Image courtesy of: Bart Hiddink