Including microbiome information in a multi-trait genomic evaluation: a case study on longitudinal growth performance in beef cattle.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Growth rate is an important component of feed conversion efficiency in cattle and varies across the different stages of the finishing period. The metabolic effect of the rumen microbiome is essential for cattle growth, and investigating the genomic and microbial factors that underlie this temporal variation can help maximize feed conversion efficiency at each growth stage.

Results

By analysing longitudinal body weights during the finishing period and genomic and metagenomic data from 359 beef cattle, our study demonstrates that the influence of the host genome on the functional rumen microbiome contributes to the temporal variation in average daily gain (ADG) in different months (ADG₁, ADG₂, ADG₃, ADG₄). Five hundred and

SUBMITTER: Martinez-Alvaro M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10943865 | biostudies-literature | 2024 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature