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10 THE RURAL VOICE
Scrap Book
Twinning registry for cattle set up
A North American Twinning
Cattle Registry has been set up to help
cattle producers who want to breed
prolific animals.
Brian Kirkpatrick, an animal
geneticist at the University of
Wisconsin said the registry is based
on the assumption that the tendency
for multiple ovulations is a genetic
characteristic that can be passed on to
offspring.
Kirkpatrick, who helped producers
set up the registry, said it has two
purposes.
"It will maintain the performance
and ancestry records of breeding
stock, as well as generate EPDs
(expected progeny difference) which
are predictions of genetic merit for the
usual traits of genetic merit such as
birth weight and yearling weight.
However this registry's EPDs will
also include predictions of twinning
potential.
"While most people don't look
favorably on twinning because it can
be a lot of extra trouble, there are
people who desire this type of animal
because of the increased profitability
potential," Kirkpatrick said.
The registry has a mailing list of
65 cattle producers interested in
increasing their twinning rates. So far
15 people want to participate in the
registry.
Kirkpatrick said the slower process
of genetic selection is better than
fertility drugs because of the drugs'
unreliable performance.
Producers who select cattle for
highly prolific genetics believe the
twinning registry is the beginning of a
new composite breed, Kirkpatrick
said. He doesn't anticipate a lot of
interest in such a breed in the
immediate future because producers
wouldn't be able to ask a price
premium for them. However, he said
producers who support the registry do
so because of the higher profit they
can make from producing more
calves.
"Through proper management
decision, these producers are showing
that twins can, in fact, be
advantageous. If enough people
discover this and are willing to adapt
their management systems
accordingly, demand for breeding
stock will increase and so will prices."
In addition to genetic factors,
Kirkpatrick said research shows there
are environmental influences in
multiple births.
"We know that the time of year
when breeding occurs can affect the
number of multiple births," he said.
Scientists also suspect some
nutritional component is involved.0
— Source: Western Producer
Scientists map bacteria's genes
Scientists have identified the genes
of the Pasteurella multocida gene
which causes multiple diseases in
people, poultry, cattle and swine, the
United States Department of
Agriculture says.
"This research breakthrough could
lead to early detection and prevention,
reducing the hundreds of millions of
dollars farmers lose each year caused
by this one bacterium," said USDA
administrator I. Miley Gonzalez in a
news release.
Researchers at the University of
Minnesota made the discovery.
Pasteurella multocida causes fowl
cholera in chickens and turkeys as well
as fatal respiratory diseases diseases in
cattle, poultry, and swine. In poultry
alone, annual losses in the U.S. are
estimated at $200 million.
"We now know its entire comple-
ment of genes, including those that
enable it to cause disease and survive
in the host," said Vivek Kapur, who
led the university's research team.
"This knowledge is likely to enable
development of new generations of
diagnostic tests, vaccines and
antibiotic agents."
The pathogen also infests people,
mainly children, who are bitten by
dogs and cats. According to the
USDA, about half of all cat bites and
20 per cent of dog bites result in
infection with Pasteurella multocida,
requiring treatment with antibiotics.0
— Source: Reuters News Agency