Are scurs in heterozygous polled (Pp) cattle a complex quantitative trait?

ABSTRACT: BACKGROUND:Breeding genetically hornless, i.e. polled, cattle provides an animal welfare-friendly and non-invasive alternative to the dehorning of calves. However, the molecular regulation of the development of horns in cattle is still poorly understood. Studying genetic characters such as polledness and scurs, can provide valuable insights into this process. Scurs are hornlike formations that occur occasionally in a wide variety of sizes and forms as an unexpected phenotype when breeding polled cattle. METHODS:We present a unique dataset of 885 Holstein-Friesian cattle with polled parentage. The horn phenotype was carefully examined, and the phenotypic heterogeneity of the trait is described. Using a direct gene test for polledness, the polled genotype of the animals was determined. Subse

SUBMITTER: Gehrke LJ 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7006098 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Feb

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature