This paper reports an exploratory study based on quantitative genomic analysis in dairy traits of American Alpine goats. The dairy traits are quality-determining components in goat milk, cheese, ice cream, etc. Alpine goat phenotypes for quality components have been routinely recorded for many years and deposited in the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding (CDCB) repository. The data collected were used to conduct an exploratory genome-wide association study (GWAS) from 72 female Alpine goats originating from locations throughout the U.S. Genotypes were identified with the Illumina Goat 50K single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP) BeadChip. The analysis used a polygenic model where the dropping criterion was a callrate≥0.95. The initial dataset was composed of ~60,000 rows of SNPs and 21 columns of phenotypic traits and composed of 53,384 scaffolds containing other informative data points used for genomic predictive power. Phenotypic association with the 50K BeadChip revealed 26,074 reads of candidate genes. These candidate genes segregated as separate novel SNPs and were identified as statistically significant regions for genome and chromosome level trait associations. Candidate genes associated differently for each of the following phenotypic traits: test day milk yield (13,469 candidate genes), test day protein yield (25,690 candidate genes), test day fat yield (25,690 candidate genes), percentage protein (25,690 candidate genes), percentage fat (25,690 candidate genes), and percentage lactose content (25,690 candidate genes). The outcome of this study supports elucidation of novel genes that are important for livestock species in association to key phenotypic traits. Validation towards the development of marker-based selection that provides precision breeding methods will thereby increase the breeding value.

The Alpine goat (Capra aegagrus hircus) is parasitized by the barber pole worm (Haemonchus contortus). Hematological parameters from transcript and metagenome analysis in the host are reflective of infestation. We explored comparisons between blood samples of control, infected, infected zoledronic acid-treated, and infected antibody (anti-γδ T cells) treated wethers under controlled conditions. Seven days post-inoculation (dpi), we identified 7,627 transcripts associated with the different treatment types. Microbiome measurements at 7 dpi revealed fewer raw read counts across all treatments and a less diverse microbial flora than at 21 dpi. This study identifies treatment specific transcripts and an increase in microflora abundance and diversity as wethers age. Further, F/B ratio reflect health, based on depression or elevation above thresholds defined by the baseline of non-infected controls. Forty Alpine wethers were studied where blood samples were collected from five goats in four treatment groups on 7 dpi and 21 dpi. Transcript and microbiome profiles were obtained using the Partek Flow (St. Louis, Missouri, USA) software suites pipelines. Inflammation comparisons were based on the Firmicutes/Bacteriodetes ratios that are calculated as well as the reduction of microbial diversity.

The Alpine goat Capra aegagrus hircus is parasitized by the barber pole worm ( Haemonchus contortus ). This relationship results in changes that affect the gene expression of the host, the pest, and the microbiome of both. Hematological parameters indicating genes that are expressed and/or the % Composition of abundant and diverse microbial flora are reflective of infestation. We explored the similarity/dissimilarity between and among blood samples of non-infected, infected, infected zoledronic acid-treated, and infected antibody (anti-γσ T cells) treated wethers under controlled conditions. We identified responses to barber pole worms using blood-based analysis of transcripts and the microbiome. Seven (7) days post-inoculation (dpi) we identified 7,627 genes associated with different treatment types. Across all treatments we identified fewer raw read counts and a reduced diversity in microbial flora on 7 dpi than in 21 dpi wethers. We also identified that there were differences in % Composition of microbial flora known to be associated with inflammation. This study identifies treatment specific genes, and an increase in microflora abundance and diversity as wethers age post infestation. Further, Firmicutes / Bacteriodetes (F/B) ratio reflect metabolic health, based on depression or elevation above thresholds defined by the baseline of non-infected hosts depending on the type of intrusion exhibited by the pest.

Assessing infection by a parasite, such as Haemonchus contortus, requires time and experienced personnel. Field-based diagnostics using metagenomic species-specific targeting methods would be beneficial. Here, we examine two helminth control methods, zoledronic acid (ZA), an activator of γ δ T cells, and a neutralizing antibody (AB) against γ δ T cells. We conducted a randomized complete block designed investigation for the effects of Haemonchus contortus (Hc) infection on Alpine wethers (young castrated male goats) to identify if metagenomic methods will provide strong evidence for diagnostics. Different tissues were collected from wethers and the microbiome compositions were identified. The relative proportion of microbial community members in the environments; the richness of the microbial community; and the evenness of distribution in microbial community members were determined. It was hypothesized that numerous parameters that include many data points will provide a more precise means to identify infection or health based on similarity to uninfected control data parameters. We found that samples did not sequence well, when multiplexed with high concentration libraries, giving taxonomic numbers that had residual and unmeasured confounding bias related to analysis or selection that define significance of OTUs in the tissue samples at the phylum or species level.

The interaction between inclement weather and disease acquisition is a long-recognized relationship. In the case of coccidiosis, a parasitic infestation of the intestines, wet weather is known to promote incidences in livestock. Our opportunistic investigation tracks blood chemistries of goats that were exposed to coccidian in a 100 year rain event in Oklahoma. Our results suggest a potentially patterned response of blood chemistries that may be developed into a clinical tool in the future and provide warnings for producers of the risks associated with growing incidences of excessively wet weather related to climate change.