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Identification of QTL controlling distress at social separation in cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 November 2017

B. Gutiérrez-Gil*
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
N. Ball
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
M. Haskell
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems Group, Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
J.L. Williams
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
P. Wiener
Affiliation:
Roslin Institute, Edinburgh, Midlothian, United Kingdom
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Extract

Modern cattle management systems involve animals’ separation from penmates for procedures such as weighing, measuring and blood-sampling. This separation can result in distress in some individuals. Environmental and genetic factors are known to control the variability observed in behavioural responses of different individuals. We carried out a genome scan in a Holstein x Charolais cross population to identify QTL influencing temperament-related traits. One of these tests was the social separation test (SS test), which was designed to measure animals’ fearfulness to social separation (Ball et al., 2002). We present here the results obtained for the traits scored in the SS test performed in the heifers of the second-generation of this population.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2007

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References

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