Integration of genomic information in beef production strategies
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. Selective improvement of beef cattle production traits, especially for traits related to cow reproductive performance and efficiency, is essential to improve the competitiveness of Texas cow-calf producers as suppliers of calves in the global beef production chain and thereby improve producers' quality of life as well as those that eventually purchase and consume beef. Ultimately the genes that influence quantitative traits of importance in livestock will be known along with their individual effects. The genomic information available now is therefore "interim" information. The challenge for livestock geneticists and animal breeders is achieving the best use of the current genome information for the identification of superior (with regards to a trait or traits) individuals to use as parents for improvement in offspring. Important, incomplete steps include the appropriate 1) association of markers or other DNA characteristics with important animal phenotypes, and 2) combination of the most correct association information with the traditional quantitative genetic principles and methods for selective improvement of livestock and 3) the identification of other inheritance mechanisms .Detailed information, sequence, and genetic history of the bovine genome have been reported. Some major single (or a few) genes are responsible for discrete phenotypes such as a short sleek coat versus a long woolly coat or horns in cattle. In livestock production, many of the important traits like weight or gain are continuous traits, quantitative rather than discrete, and are controlled by probably many genes rather than a single gene. Some markers and segments of DNA have been identified that appear to be associated with or responsible for small amounts of variation for quantitatively-measured traits in livestock.........