Australian scientists say they are seeking a gene-screening test for dairy cattle which will enable farmers to select animals less susceptible to mastitis.
CSIRO Livestock Industries (CLI) said it planned to help Australian farmers who were losing A$140 million ($164 million) each year due to dairy cows contracting udder infections.
Researcher at
the innovative dairy products co-operative research centre - known in Australia as the Dairy CRC - were analysing the gene activity profiles of infected and mastitis-resistant cattle.
"Mastitis is an infection of the mammary tissue caused by a range of bacteria," said CLI research team leader, Dr Ross Tellam.
"In dairy cattle this disease results in reduced milk production and altered milk quality and costs Australian dairy farmers between A$120 and A$150 per cow to treat."
There is the possibility of "selecting and breeding dairy cattle with an increased natural resistance to the disease", Dr Tellam said.
According to Dairy CRC chief executive Dr Paul Donnelly, the genetic screening will also help the Australian industry reduce its dependence on antibiotics.
The research is part of the Dairy CRC gene discovery programme, which aims to identify, isolate and determine the function of specific dairy cow genes.
Similar work in pinning down the functions of individual genes or groups of genes is being done in New Zealand by Fonterra's Vialactia biotechnology arm and Livestock Improvement, which maintains the main database for the nation's dairy genetics.
- NZPA
