librarian
Well-known member
I've been thinking about something AJ said a while back about backfat on cows.
Back fat on a steer in a feedlot is waste. Backfat on a cow on a "sawdust and sand" nutrional diet is a source of survival. A cow can store up fat and save the energy for tough times. I think IMF is probably kinda corelated with the ability to back fat.....just a guess though.
And I was wondering about the "obesity gene" which I saw that 6807 might carry. When someone says, 'that's a 6807 type cow', it's usually a cow that looks pretty good to me.
I don't really understand this obesity gene, but maybe I have been selecting for it. Lots of folks around here are talking about how skinny looking cows that raise a big calf are so great because they don't eat much. They might actually eat a lot, but that's not the point, right now. In the natural world, some animals kind of track the environment with their reproductive effort and will cut their losses if the environment takes a real turn for the worse in any given breeding season. It seems like cows with more back fat would be better in harsh situations. Which is stored first, back fat or intramuscular fat? Which is burned first?
I also hear about "selfish" cows that stay so fat that they don't put any energy into milk for their offspring.
I wonder if that happens every year, or just in bad years? How do all those environmental triggers that operate on genetic expression figure into this?
Then I read this: (they are trying to sell us bulls wit the tt variant of the obese gene)
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cattlelandfeedyards.com%2FGenomics___Genetic_Breeder_Alliance.pdf&ei=OmlDU4W7L6vgsAScioGQDA&usg=AFQjCNGWZ_kA-MCOm2ug9hS8e90__YHnYQ&bvm=bv.64367178,d.cWc&cad=rja
GENOMICS
Through ongoing genomic research with Quantum Genetics in Saskatoon, Cattleland has identified
significant performance benefits in feeding cattle with certain variants in the obese gene, or Leptin gene.
The obese gene, which produces the hormone leptin, has three variants identified. These are either
normal (cc), one copy variant (ct), or two copies variant (tt). Cattleland believes that feeding of known ct
and tt marketing groups results in more consistent quality carcasses which are ready for slaughter earlier
than a cc animal.Significant amounts of research have also been conducted highlighting that ct and tt
cows wean heavier calves when compared to cc cows. These tt cows also have higher rebreeding rates
and a longer productive life than cc cows.
CATTLELAND GENETIC BREEDER ALLIANCE
Aim
Breeding and feeding the right cattle
Using superior sires of known genomic make-up for the improvement of overall profitability and
marketability of the calf crop. To feed the most efficient cattle in the feedyard to produce a consistent,
quality carcass. The alliance is designed for the cow-calf operator interested in genetic improvement
while reducing the capital investment required to do so.
Background
Cattleland Feedyards in Strathmore, Alberta is a vertically integrated agricultural enterprise with a one-
time feeding capacity of over 30,000 head. Reliability and consistency of end product are of great
importance for Cattleland and the company is continually looking for ways to guarantee quality supply to
the end user, the consumer. Through ongoing genomic research with Quantum Genetics in Saskatoon,
Cattleland has identified significant performance benefits in feeding cattle with certain variants in the
obese gene, or Leptin gene. The obese gene, which produces the hormone leptin, has three variants
identified. These are either normal (cc), one copy variant (ct), or two copies variant (tt). Cattleland
believes that feeding of known ct and tt marketing groups results in more consistent quality carcasses
which are ready for slaughter earlier than a cc animal. Significant amounts of research have also been
conducted highlighting that ct and tt cows wean heavier calves when compared to cc cows. These tt cows
also have higher rebreeding rates and a longer productive life than cc cows.
Figure 1 demonstrates that ct and tt cows have a higher level of back fat at a lower body weight in both
the spring prior to calving, as well as in the fall at weaning. This higher back fat has a direct correlation
with body condition score which in turn affects reproduction rates. Figure 1 also shows that the higher
weaning weights and daily gains of ct and tt calves.
Would someone please educate me about this obese gene? Thanks.
Back fat on a steer in a feedlot is waste. Backfat on a cow on a "sawdust and sand" nutrional diet is a source of survival. A cow can store up fat and save the energy for tough times. I think IMF is probably kinda corelated with the ability to back fat.....just a guess though.
And I was wondering about the "obesity gene" which I saw that 6807 might carry. When someone says, 'that's a 6807 type cow', it's usually a cow that looks pretty good to me.
I don't really understand this obesity gene, but maybe I have been selecting for it. Lots of folks around here are talking about how skinny looking cows that raise a big calf are so great because they don't eat much. They might actually eat a lot, but that's not the point, right now. In the natural world, some animals kind of track the environment with their reproductive effort and will cut their losses if the environment takes a real turn for the worse in any given breeding season. It seems like cows with more back fat would be better in harsh situations. Which is stored first, back fat or intramuscular fat? Which is burned first?
I also hear about "selfish" cows that stay so fat that they don't put any energy into milk for their offspring.
I wonder if that happens every year, or just in bad years? How do all those environmental triggers that operate on genetic expression figure into this?
Then I read this: (they are trying to sell us bulls wit the tt variant of the obese gene)
http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0CC0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.cattlelandfeedyards.com%2FGenomics___Genetic_Breeder_Alliance.pdf&ei=OmlDU4W7L6vgsAScioGQDA&usg=AFQjCNGWZ_kA-MCOm2ug9hS8e90__YHnYQ&bvm=bv.64367178,d.cWc&cad=rja
GENOMICS
Through ongoing genomic research with Quantum Genetics in Saskatoon, Cattleland has identified
significant performance benefits in feeding cattle with certain variants in the obese gene, or Leptin gene.
The obese gene, which produces the hormone leptin, has three variants identified. These are either
normal (cc), one copy variant (ct), or two copies variant (tt). Cattleland believes that feeding of known ct
and tt marketing groups results in more consistent quality carcasses which are ready for slaughter earlier
than a cc animal.Significant amounts of research have also been conducted highlighting that ct and tt
cows wean heavier calves when compared to cc cows. These tt cows also have higher rebreeding rates
and a longer productive life than cc cows.
CATTLELAND GENETIC BREEDER ALLIANCE
Aim
Breeding and feeding the right cattle
Using superior sires of known genomic make-up for the improvement of overall profitability and
marketability of the calf crop. To feed the most efficient cattle in the feedyard to produce a consistent,
quality carcass. The alliance is designed for the cow-calf operator interested in genetic improvement
while reducing the capital investment required to do so.
Background
Cattleland Feedyards in Strathmore, Alberta is a vertically integrated agricultural enterprise with a one-
time feeding capacity of over 30,000 head. Reliability and consistency of end product are of great
importance for Cattleland and the company is continually looking for ways to guarantee quality supply to
the end user, the consumer. Through ongoing genomic research with Quantum Genetics in Saskatoon,
Cattleland has identified significant performance benefits in feeding cattle with certain variants in the
obese gene, or Leptin gene. The obese gene, which produces the hormone leptin, has three variants
identified. These are either normal (cc), one copy variant (ct), or two copies variant (tt). Cattleland
believes that feeding of known ct and tt marketing groups results in more consistent quality carcasses
which are ready for slaughter earlier than a cc animal. Significant amounts of research have also been
conducted highlighting that ct and tt cows wean heavier calves when compared to cc cows. These tt cows
also have higher rebreeding rates and a longer productive life than cc cows.
Figure 1 demonstrates that ct and tt cows have a higher level of back fat at a lower body weight in both
the spring prior to calving, as well as in the fall at weaning. This higher back fat has a direct correlation
with body condition score which in turn affects reproduction rates. Figure 1 also shows that the higher
weaning weights and daily gains of ct and tt calves.
Would someone please educate me about this obese gene? Thanks.