Effect of LHCGR and FSHR gene polymorphisms on fertility traits and milk yield of cross-bred dairy cows in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) analysis of fertility genes will be useful in improving the genetic potential of dairy cows. A population of 142 cross-bred dairy cows was screened for SNPs in bovine luteinizing hormone choriogonadotropin receptor (LHCGR) and bovine follicle stimulating hormone receptor (FSHR) genes. The effect of reported SNPs on selected fertility traits (average calving interval, average number of services per conception and age at first calving) and milk yield was determined. Altogether six SNPs were detected in animals screened under the present study. Among them, four SNPs (rs41256848, rs41256850, rs465790244, and rs45463781) were located in the exon 11 region of the LHCGR gene and two SNPs (rs43676359 and G-278-A (GU253337) were located in the five upstream region of the FSHR gene. Minor alleles identified for SNPs in the FSHR gene in the studied small population of cows differed from those reported in other research. In this study, only rs45463781 SNP at exon 11 of the LHCGR gene significantly affected the average milk yield in cross-bred cows. The nucleotide change from “G” to “A” negatively affected the average milk yield. Further investigations are needed to confirm the reported association with a larger sample size.

Keywords:

• Dairy cows
• fertility
• LHCGR
• FSHR
• SNP

Ethics approval

All procedures involving animals were approved by the Ethics review committee of the Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka. (Application number – 201810AI01.)

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Sri Lanka National Research Council grant 15-153. The staffs of the NLDB farms, Marandawila, Rukkattana and Siringapatha are also gratefully acknowledged for the support given during the sample and data collection. The authors wish to sincerely appreciate the assistance given by Mr. IWMDN Sandaruwan, technical officer, Department of Livestock and Avian Sciences, Faculty of Livestock, Fisheries and Nutrition, Wayamba University of Sri Lanka.

Disclosure statement

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Data availability statement

The datasets used and analyzed in the current study are available with the corresponding author on reasonable request.