A genome expression profiling strategy towards better disease control and improved animal welfare

An immunogenetic approach to disease control strives to define genetic markers for susceptibility and/or resistance to diseases through identification of genes involved in immune function and immune regulation. Genetic factors regulating immune responses are essential for an animal?s ability to survive in the environment, and directly influence animal welfare. This project aims to investigate how breeding programs for improved animal health influence animal welfare, by studying the immunological and genet ic basis of resistance to disease in cattle. Recent advances in bovine genomics, in particular sequencing of the genome, strongly increase our ability to identify genes influencing production and disease resistance. Taking advantage of state-of-the-art t echnologies in functional genomics we want to investigate gene expression patterns and haplotype structures in extreme animals from selection groups with documented differences in mastitis susceptibility and milk production. As a result our hope is to unr avel associations between genomics and immune response, with a main objective to reduce incidence of disease in dairy cattle, and thereby improve animal welfare.