Animals, Agriculture & Food
Kit Predicts Twinning in Cattle
WARF: P130303US02
Inventors: Brian Kirkpatrick
The Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF) is seeking commercial partners interested in developing a genetic test that can be used to select cattle based on their likelihood to produce twin offspring.
Overview
Commercial cattle breeding constantly strives to improve efficiency. One relevant issue is ‘twinning,’ when multiple calves are birthed at once. Twinning is undesirable in the dairy cattle sector because less milk is produced from cows having multiple calves. On the other hand, in the beef cattle sector, multiple calves per birth can boost production.
The specific genes behind twinning have not yet been identified. A better understanding would help breeders select for cattle that are more or less likely to produce multiple offspring per birth.
The specific genes behind twinning have not yet been identified. A better understanding would help breeders select for cattle that are more or less likely to produce multiple offspring per birth.
The Invention
A UW–Madison researcher has developed a genetic test to determine the likelihood a cow or a bull’s female progeny will produce twin offspring. The test is based on the presence or absence of the ‘trio’ haplotype, which is a set of three genetic markers on bovine chromosome 10 (BTA10). In combination, these markers suggest a cow or bull has a higher propensity for twinning.
Applications
- Testing and selectively breeding cattle based on twinning rate
Key Benefits
- Helps optimize the genetics of cattle herds
- Can be used to avoid twinning in dairy cattle
- Can be used to promote twinning in beef cattle
- Employs standard methods for testing biological samples
Additional Information
For More Information About the Inventors
Related Technologies
Tech Fields
For current licensing status, please contact Emily Bauer at [javascript protected email address] or 608-960-9842