Genetic Markers Associated with Milk Production and Thermotolerance in Holstein Dairy Cows Managed in a Heat-Stressed Environment

Abstract

Dairy production in Holstein cows in a semiarid environment is challenging due to heat stress. Under such conditions, genetic selection for heat tolerance appears to be a useful strategy. The objective was to validate molecular markers associated with milk production and thermotolerance traits in Holstein cows managed in a hot and humid environment. Lactating cows (n = 300) exposed to a heat stress environment were genotyped using a medium-density array including 53,218 SNPs. A genome-wide association study (GWAS) detected six SNPs associated with total milk yield (MY305) that surpassed multiple testing (p < 1.14 × 10^-6). These SNPs were further validated in 216 Holstein cows from two independent populations that were genotyped using the TaqMan bi-allelic discrimination method and qPCR. In these cows, only the SNPs rs8193046, rs43410971, and rs382039214, within the genes TLR4, GRM8, and SMAD3, respectively, were associated (p < 0.05) with MY305, rectal temperature (RT), and respiratory rate. Interestingly, these variables improved as the number of favorable genotypes of the SNPs increased from 0 to 3. In addition, a regression analysis detected RT as a significant predictor (R² = 0.362) for MY305 in cows with >1 favorable genotype, suggesting this close relationship was influenced by genetic markers. In conclusion, SNPs in the genes TLR4, GRM8, and SMAD3 appear to be involved in the molecular mechanism that regulates milk production in cows under heat-stressed conditions. These SNPs are proposed as thermotolerance genetic markers for a selection program to improve the milk performance of lactating Holstein cows managed in a semiarid environment.

Keywords: GWAS; Holstein cows; SNPs; heat stress; milk; thermotolerance.

Figure 1

Manhattan plot displaying single-marker GWAS for total milk yield at 305 days (MY305) in dairy Holstein cows exposed to climatic heat stress.

Figure 2

Average values (±SE) for milk production and physiological traits in Holstein cows during the experimental period according to the number of favorable genotypes (i.e., 0, 1, 2, or 3) of the three SNP markers: (a) milk yield adjusted to 305 days (MY305), (b) rectal temperature (RT), and (c) respiratory rate (RR) (^abcd p < 0.05).

Figure 2

Average values (±SE) for milk production and physiological traits in Holstein cows during the experimental period according to the number of favorable genotypes (i.e., 0, 1, 2, or 3) of the three SNP markers: (a) milk yield adjusted to 305 days (MY305), (b) rectal temperature (RT), and (c) respiratory rate (RR) (^abcd p < 0.05).

Figure 3

Rectal temperature (RT) as a predictor for milk yield at 305 days (MY305) according to the number of favorable genotypes of the three SNP markers: (a) no favorable genotypes, (b) one favorable genotype, and (c) more than one favorable genotype.

Figure 3

Rectal temperature (RT) as a predictor for milk yield at 305 days (MY305) according to the number of favorable genotypes of the three SNP markers: (a) no favorable genotypes, (b) one favorable genotype, and (c) more than one favorable genotype.