Twinner Cattle Newsletter -- Spring 2002
Annual pre-sale gathering of twinner breeders, Wednesday February 6th
USDA-MARC will be holding their annual sale of twinner breeding stock on Thursday, February
7th. There is a change in location: unlike in years past the sale will not be held at MARC. Instead
the sale will be held in Kearney, NE at the Kearney Livestock Commision. Consequently,
different arrangements have been made for the Wednesday evening gathering of those with an
interest in twinner cattle. We will meet on Wednesday evening, February 6th at the Ramada Inn
restaurant in Kearney. I've reserved a room at the restaurant for our get-together (Persimmon
room), starting at 7 pm. Those who desire can order dinner (“dutch treat”) off the cafe’s menu at
7:00 pm, and after we’ve had a chance to eat and visit there will be a short program. I'll share an
abbreviated version of a talk I gave at the 2001 American Society of Animal Science meetings on
management of twinning cattle. To get to the Ramada Inn take the Kearney exit off Interstate 80
and look for the Ramada sign (about three blocks to the north). They tell me you can't miss it.
When you come in, just ask the host or hostess for the “twinner cattle” group or the Persimmon
room and they'll point you in the right direction.
MARC twinner cattle sale, Thursday, February 7th
If you haven't already gotten a sale flier and catalog request postcard, you can obtain a catalog
from MARC by sending a request to "MARC SALE CATALOG REQUEST, University of
Nebraska, RLHUSMARC, P.O. Box 166, Clay Center, NE 68933-0166". Gordon Hayes informs
me that this year's sale will include 12 twinner cows and 16 to 18 twinner bulls (23 bulls will be
catalogged but not all will sell).
Not Baaaaad ! During the past year and a half two genes with profound effects on ovulation rate
and litter size have been identified in sheep. The first to be identified was known informally as
the "Inverdale" gene, with the name taken from the geographic location of the sheep. It was
apparent from the original characterization of the sheep (reported in 1986) that the gene was on
the X chromosome (ie. that could be deduced from the pattern of inheritance). This simplified the
genetic mapping work by narrowing the search to one chromosome. Another interesting aspect
of the gene was the effect of having 0, 1 or 2 copies of the Inverdale allele (the high ovulation rate
form of the gene) versus having 2, 1, or 0 copies of the normal or common allele for typical
ovulation rate. Ewes which were homozygous normal (ie. two common alleles) had typical
ovulation rates of about 1.1 eggs shed per cycle. Ewes which were heterozygous (ie. one
inverdale allele and one normal allele) had high ovuation rates of approximately 2 eggs per cycle.
Interestingly, ewes which were homozygous for the Inverdale allele (ie. two Inverdale alleles)
had abnormally developing, non-functional ovaries. The scientists mapping this gene exploited
this by making matings of heterozygous ewes to rams with the Inverdale allele (since the gene is
on the X chromosome and the ram has only one X, all daughters inherit the Inverdale allele from
the sire in this mating). All resulting females offspring then fell into two clearly discernable
categories: fertile (one normal allele and one Inverdale allele) or infertile (two Inverdale alleles).
These easily distinguished phenotypes greatly simplified the genetic mapping. Once the gene
was mapped to a narrow region of the sheep X chromosome the investigators turned to the
wealth of information from the human genome project to identify genes predicted to reside in the
corresponding region. Two genes with potential effects on cells of the ovary were examined, and
a mutation with likely causative effect was found in one. The story was further solidified by the
fortuitous identification of another, independent population of sheep with an X-linked, high
ovulation rate phenotype. Examination of the same gene from these sheep revealed a different
mutation, which like the first, would render the gene non-functional.
I'll save the story of the second gene for the next newsletter. The exciting thing about these
discoveries for those of us who work with cattle is that mutations in these genes could be the
basis for some of the variation in cattle ovulation rate and twinning rate. We have already done
some preliminary work genetically screening some cattle with records of high twinning rate for
mutations in the Inverdale gene. We have found one mutation, but it is doubtful that this
mutation has any functional effect. We would like to broaden the screening, and that's a place
where you can help. If you have a cow in your herd that has an exceptional reproductive record
and is unrelated to the MARC population we'd ask you to consider providing us with a small
tissue sample from her for collection of DNA. We can send you a mechanical punch that could
be used to obtain a small, 1/4 inch circle of tissue from the ear. Of course, we'd prepay the return
shipping on the punch and tissue sample. "Exceptional reproductive record" requires some
definition. Our requirement would be that the cow in question have had 3 or more twin births
and had a twinning rate of 50% or greater over her lifetime. If you have a cow that meets this
profile and are willing to help us out, please get in touch with me using the contact information
given below.
Marketplace:
Twinner females wanted: Mark Albrecht of Cozad, NE is interested in purchasing twinner
females. You can contact Mark by phone at 308-784-2846 or 308-325-0669 or by email at
malbrecht@cozadtel.net.
I'm re-running this information on sires from whom semen is available. If you have a sire for
whom semen is available and you'd like to list it in the next newsletter, please contact me.
Semen from twinner bulls:
USDA ID#928507, 26.8 twinning rate EBV (USDA), polled. Owner: Dave Serfling. Contact Dave
Serfling at 507-765-2797.
USDA ID#888521, 48.0 twinning rate EBV (USDA), Owner: Daren Cyphers. Contact ABS Global
Inc, 1 - 800 - ABS - STUD
USDA ID#949673, 42.8 twinning rate EBV (USDA). Owner: Daren Cyphers. Contact Hoffman
A.I. Breeders, 801 - 753 - 7883.
USDA ID #918521, 50.7 twinning rate EBV (USDA), contact Sean Smith, 1211 240 th Avenue,
Thurman, IA 51654, 712-628-3005.
USDA ID#969549, 55.9 twinning rate EBV (USDA). Owner: Dave Serfling. Contact Dave Serfling
at 507-765-2797.
USDA ID#969381, 67.3 twinning rate EBV (USDA), contact Brian Kirkpatrick, 5615 Longford
Terrace, Madison, WI 53711, 608-271-6904.
USDA ID#998628, 64.0 twinning rate EBV (USDA), progeny test pending, contact Brian
Kirkpatrick, 5615 Longford Terrace, Madison, WI 53711, 608-271-6904.
Twinner Cattle Newsletter -- Spring 2002
That's all I have for now. I look forward to visiting with those that can attend the meeting on the
Wednesday, February 6th.
Brian Kirkpatrick
University of Wisconsin-Madison
1675 Observatory Drive
Madison, WI 53706
608-263-4323
608-262-5157 (fax)
kirkpat@calshp.cals.wisc.edu