Research Finds Genetic Markers for Cattle Health, Growth
New University of Florida research findings could improve cattle breeding by giving ranchers desirable traits such as faster animal growth and greater resistance against disease.
In their study, researchers uncovered links between genetic markers in beef cattle and the development of health- and growth-promoting bacteria in an animal’s gastrointestinal tract.
The study was led by KC Jeong, an associate professor of microbiology in the department of animal sciences in UF’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences and a faculty member of UF’s Emerging Pathogens Institute.
“We found host genes that are associated with several healthy gut bacteria,” Jeong says. “These could eventually become biomarkers for breeders to target so that we can produce cattle with better performance.”
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