Genetic architecture of thermotolerance traits in beef cattle: a novel integration of SNP and breed-of-origin effects.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Rising temperatures increasingly expose beef cattle to heat stress, reducing productivity and welfare, especially in tropical climates. Crossbreeding Bos t. taurus and Bos t. indicus has emerged as a critical strategy to balance the production efficiency of taurine breeds with the superior thermotolerance of indicine breeds. Understanding the genetic architecture of thermotolerance traits is essential for improving heat resilience in beef cattle populations.

Methods

Phenotypes for short hair length (SHL, undercoat) and long hair length (LHL, topcoat), sweat gland area (SGA), and thermal stress slope (TSS), a measure of body temperature fluctuations under heat stress, were collected from 3,962 crossbred Angus-Brahman heifers. Heifers wer

SUBMITTER: Zayas GA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12075150 | biostudies-literature | 2025

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature