Domestic cattle (Bos taurus and Bos taurus indicus) provide an important source of nutrition and livelihood to humans. Cattle represent ruminants that live in diverse terrestrial environments and are capable of efficiently converting low-quality feed into energy-dense fat, muscle, and milk. More than 800 cattle breeds have been established, representing an important world heritage and providing a favorable scientific resource for understanding the genetics of complex traits. Efforts to sequence the bovine genome began in December 2003. Sequencing of the bovine genome provides new information about mammalian evolution as well as cattle-specific biology and points the way toward more sustainable food production in a world challenged by global population growth.

CD Genomics is a leading service provider for agricultural genomics research, offering reliable bovine genome sequencing services to support research and breeding efforts in the field of bovine genomics for clients worldwide. Our services provide an enabling resource for understanding mammalian evolution and accelerating the genetic improvement of livestock for milk and meat production.

Our bovine genome sequencing service

CD Genomics offers comprehensive and customizable genome sequencing services for bovine, and identifies a large number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and small insertions and deletions (Indels). We utilize advanced next-generation sequencing and long-read sequencing technology platforms, as well as bioinformatics tools to perform whole genome sequencing on different dairy and beef cattle breeds to provide reliable data support for genomic and other research on bovine genome structure, organization, and function.

Our services cover all stages of the sequencing process, from library preparation to data analysis, ensuring high-quality and accurate results. We offer whole genome sequencing programs for bovine species, including but not limited to:

What we offer

Our comprehensive services cover all aspects of bovine genomics, contributing to a deeper understanding of bovine genetics and advancing livestock research.

• Genetic variation analysis

The bovine genome sequencing enables researchers to identify and catalog genetic variation within cattle populations, allowing for the detection and analysis of SNPs, insertions, deletions, and structural variants on a genome-wide scale. By comparing the genomes of different cattle breeds or individuals, researchers can reveal the genetic basis of traits such as milk yield, meat quality, disease resistance, and fertility.

• Bovine evolutionary research

Bovine genome sequences provide information to understand the evolutionary history of cattle and their relationships with other species. Comparative genomics studies enabled by bovine genome sequencing can reveal the conservation and differences in genetic elements across mammalian lineages. By identifying evolutionary breakpoints and homozygosity-based chromosome comparisons, researchers can gain insight into the structural rearrangements that have occurred during bovine evolution.

• Functional genomics

The bovine genome sequencing can reveal functional elements within the genome and understand their role in gene regulation and function. A comprehensive analysis of cross-species selective splicing patterns can enhance understanding of gene expression and regulation in livestock.

• Enhancing disease resistance

The bovine genome sequencing can help enhance disease resistance in cattle. By analyzing the genomes of individuals with different disease susceptibilities, researchers can identify genetic markers associated with resistance or susceptibility to specific diseases. This information can help develop breeding strategies aimed at improving disease resistance in cattle.

• Marker-assisted breeding

The bovine genome sequencing can help implement marker-assisted breeding programs to accelerate genetic improvement in cattle. By identifying genetic markers associated with economically important traits such as milk production, meat quality and fertility, researchers can guide breeding efforts to select animals with desired traits.

Case study of bovine genome sequencing

Accurately assembling the genomes of important species provides a valuable foundation for future research. For example, the study of genetic diversity requires a good reference genome to classify differences in new strains or lineages. Creating a more complete and accurate reference genome can avoid a lot of wasted effort caused by trying to use the wrong polymorphisms or other errors. The researchers sequenced the genome of the domestic bovine Bos taurus using a combination of hierarchical sequencing and whole-genome shotgun sequencing methods.

The researchers enhanced the latest assembly software with additional post-processing algorithms that use paired-end sequence information, map data, and synteny with the human genome to detect errors, correct inverted fragments, and fill gaps in the sequence. With the help of extensive marker data, they were able to anchor approximately 91% of the assembled genome to chromosomes. The resulting assembly provides a very high-quality resource for the annotation and ongoing study of domestic cattle genetics as well as comparative mammalian genomics.

Fig. 1. Chromosome (Chr) lengths (in base pairs) based on amount of sequence in the B. taurus assembly placed on each chromosome. (Zimin et al., 2009)

CD Genomics provides comprehensive bovine genome sequence information to help understand key genes and haplotypes, including their regulatory mechanisms, as markers of productivity traits that can improve current and future dairy cow selection strategies. If you are interested, please feel free to contact us.

Reference

1. Zimin, Aleksey V., et al. A whole-genome assembly of the domestic cow, Bos taurus. Genome biology. 10 (2009): 1-10.