Scientists Find Fleckvieh Bull Infertility Gene
GERMANY – A genetic mutation in Fleckvieh bloodstock is responsible for bull infertility, geneticists at the Technical University of Munich have discovered.
16 January 2014
1 minute read
An analysis of a specific gene on chromosome 19 by staff at Munich’s Institute for Animal Health found the defect leaves bull insemination success rates below two per cent.
The research pinned the problem on gene TMEM95 and compared a data base 40 subfertile animals tracing back the defect to one Fleckvieh animal born in 1966.
But, Dr Hubert Pausch, lead author of the study, explained the trait only manifests when bulls inherit from both male and female sides.
“It is only in this case that the animals should be excluded from breeding,” said Dr Pausch.
He stated that this means it is a homozygous characteristic, but still has a big impact on fertility in the breed.
He added that the findings could help human genetics.
“Our findings indicate that genetic defects in TMEM95 could also cause infertility in men,” he explained.
The study was conducted as part of the Synbreed research cluster and is published in Plos Genetics.
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