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Assessment of adaptability of zebu cattle (Bos indicus) breeds in two different climatic conditions: using cytogenetic techniques on genome integrity

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Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genome integrity so as to assess the adaptability of three breeds of indigenous cattle reared under arid and semi-arid regions of Rajasthan (Bikaner) and Haryana (Karnal) India. The cattle were of homogenous group (same age and sex) of indigenous breeds viz. Sahiwal, Tharparkar and Kankrej. A total of 100 animals were selected for this study from both climatic conditions. The sister chromatid exchanges (SCE’s), chromosomal gaps and chromatid breaks were observed in metaphase plates of chromosome preparations obtained from in vitro culture of peripheral blood lymphocytes. The mean number of breaks and gaps in Sahiwal and Tharparkar of semi-arid zone were 8.56 ± 3.16, 6.4 ± 3.39 and 8.72 ± 2.04, 3.52 ± 6.29, respectively. Similarly, the mean number of breaks and gaps in Tharparkar and Kankrej cattle of arid zone were 5.26 ± 1.76, 2.74 ± 1.76 and 5.24 ± 1.84, 2.5 ± 1.26, respectively. The frequency of SCEs in chromosomes was found significantly higher (P < 0.05) in Tharparkar of semi-arid region (4.72 ± 1.55) compared to arid region (2.83 ± 1.01). Similarly, the frequency of SCEs was found to be 4.0 ± 1.41 in the Sahiwal of semi-arid region and 2.69 ± 1.12 in Kankrej of arid zone. Statistical analysis revealed significant differences (P < 0.05) amongst the different zones, i.e. arid and semi-arid, whereas no significant difference (P > 0.05) was observed in the same zone. The analysis of frequency of CAs and SCEs revealed significant effects of environmental conditions on the genome integrity of animals, thereby indicating an association with their adaptability.

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Acknowledgments

The study was supported by the National Innovations on Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA) project. Investigators are thankful to the director of ICAR-NDRI, Karnal for providing all facilities; vice chancellor of Rajasthan University of Veterinary and Animal Sciences (RAJUVAS), Bikaner, Rajasthan for their help in providing the blood samples and the director of ICAR-CSSRI, Karnal for providing metrological data for this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Dairy Cattle Physiology, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001, India

    Anil Kumar

  2. Dairy Cattle Physiology, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001, India

    Syma Ashraf Waiz, T. Sridhar Goud, S. V. Singh & R. C. Upadhyay

  3. Dairy Cattle Breeding Division, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana, 132 001, India

    R. K. Tonk & B. R. Yadav

  4. Department of Biotech. Engineering, UIET, Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra, Haryana, 136 119, India

    Anita Grewal

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  1. Anil Kumar
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  2. Syma Ashraf Waiz
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  3. T. Sridhar Goud
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  4. R. K. Tonk
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  5. Anita Grewal
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  6. S. V. Singh
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  7. B. R. Yadav
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  8. R. C. Upadhyay
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Correspondence to Anil Kumar.

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The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Ethics approval

All the animals were closely monitored and were provided similar managemental inputs during experimental period. The animals were treated following the compliance of the institute’s norms for ethical treatment. The experiment was approved by the Institutional Animal Ethics Committee (IAEC) constituted as per the article number 13 of the CPCSEA rules laid down by government of India. Norms regarding the ethical treatment of animals during the whole operation were strictly followed.

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Kumar, A., Waiz, S.A., Sridhar Goud, T. et al. Assessment of adaptability of zebu cattle (Bos indicus) breeds in two different climatic conditions: using cytogenetic techniques on genome integrity. Int J Biometeorol 60, 873–882 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-015-1080-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00484-015-1080-0

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