This cow could change the livestock industry

Elrose Naomi 3492, an inconspicuous but important Brahman cow in the industry, became a key player in science when her lung tissue was sacrificed for a genomic sequencing project worth millions of dollars. This initiative seeks to better understand what makes northern Australian livestock farming and how to improve it. Researchers are focused on understanding how genes from cattle breeds from temperate climates have influenced production characteristics in the modern Brahman breed, adapted to tropical climates.

The Sequencing Legends project, funded by the Department of Agriculture and the University of Queensland, has analyzed and studied the DNA of 50 prominent Brahman bulls, identifying genes associated with specific traits. The goal is to unravel the complete DNA sequences to capture the best of the genetics of the Brahman breed and improve it.

The Brahmans adapted to tropical climates, and have a genetic history of more than 300,000 years of separation from the Bos taurus races of temperate climates. Although global genetic research has focused primarily on Bos taurus, understanding the genes that influence production traits in cattle adapted to tropical climates is essential for their development and breeding strategies.

Elrose Naomi will become a reference point for the Brahman breed, allowing for more accurate reconstruction of DNA from sequenced bulls. This will provide a complete picture of the majority of the Brahman population in Australia and enable improvements in the quality and productivity of the livestock industry.

The impact of this genomic project is expected in a couple of years through programs such as Breedplan, which could boost the competitiveness of the Australian livestock industry by improving animal quality and productivity.