Can milk cell or skim milk miRNAs be used as biomarkers for early pregnancy detection in cattle?

ABSTRACT: The most critical phase of pregnancy is the first three weeks following insemination. During this period about 50% of high yielding lactating cows suffer embryonic loss prior to implantation, which poses a high economic burden on dairy farmers. Early diagnosis of pregnancy in cattle is therefore essential for monitoring breeding outcome and efficient production intervals. Regulated microRNAs (miRNAs) that reach easily accessible body fluids via a 'liquid biopsy' could be a new class of pregnancy predicting biomarkers. As milk is obtained regularly twice daily and non-invasively from the animal, it represents an ideal sample material. Our aim was to establish a pregnancy test system based on the discovery of small RNA biomarkers derived from the bovine milk cellular fraction and skim milk o

SUBMITTER: Schanzenbach CI 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5325256 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature