Body measurement and some conformation data recorded in the national breeding mare performance test of the Hungarian Association of Gidran Horse Breeders were processed. The initial database contained the data of the entire Hungarian active (living) breeding mare stock (N = 293), which were born between 1994-2016 and were offspring of 44 breeding stallions. During the study, eight traits-height at withers measured with stick and tape (HWS, HWT), chest girth (CHG), cannon circumference (left fore/front) (CAC), pedigree score (PES), conformation score (COS), movement score (MOS), total score (TOS)-were evaluated. One-and multi-trait analysis of variance (GLM) and weighted linear regression analysis were used to process the data. The corrected mean values (± SE) of the examined traits were as follows: HWS 161.6 ± 0.4 cm, HWT 169.6 ± 0.5 cm, CHG 188.4 ± 0.7 cm, CAC 19.9 ± 0.1 cm, PES 29.1 ± 0.3 points, COS 72.8 ± 0.5 points, MOS 40.5 ± 0.4 points, TOS 142.4 ± 0.7 points. The heritability of HWS, HWT, COS and TOS was moderate and high (0.37-0.47), CHG and CAC proved to be moderate (0.29-0.31), while low h² values were estimated for MOS (0.20). In the case of body measurements, moderate, decreasing trends (b =-0.25,-0.33,-0.35 and-0.08 cm/year, respectively; P < 0.01), for the other traits while stagnant (NS) phenotypic trends were observed. It can be concluded that the average body measurements as well as the results of the other examined traits for the Gidran breeding mares did not change essentially over time.

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate basic information on genetic structure and characteristics of Limousin population in Hungary. Obtained results will be taken into consideration when adopting the new breeding strategy by the Association of Hungarian Limousin and Blonde d'Aquitaine Breeders (AHLBB). Methods: Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of 3,443 Limousin cattle from 16 different herds were investigated by performing genotyping using 18 microsatellite markers. Amplified DNA was genotyped using an automated genetic analyzer. Results: Mean of effective alleles (ne) of the populations was 3.77. Population C had the lowest number of effective alleles (3.01) and the lowest inbreeding coefficient (FIS) value (-0.15). Principal component analysis of estimated genetic distance (FST) values (p<0.000) revealed two herds (C and E) distinct from the majority of other Limousin herds. The pairwise FST values of population C compared to the others (0.066 to 0.120) fell into the range of moderate genetic distance: 0.050 to 0.150, while population E displayed also moderate genetic distance (FST values in range 0.052 to 0.064) but only to six populations (G, H, J, L, N, and P). FST(C-E) was 0.148, all other pairs -excluding C and E herds- displayed low genetic distance (FST<0.049). Population D, F, I, J, K, L, N, O, and P carried private alleles, which alleles belonged to 1.1% of the individuals. Most probable number of clusters (K) were 2 and 7 determined by Structure and BAPS software. Conclusion: This study showed useful genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship data that can be utilized for the development of a new breeding strategy by AHLBB. The results presented could also contribute to the proper selection of animals for further whole genome scan studies of Limousins.

Our genome-wide association study identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with estimated breeding values (EBVs) for udder traits and longevity in Holstein-Friesian cows. While no SNP was individually associated with multiple EBVs, the functional profiles of the associated genes revealed overlapping biological processes across traits, including cell signaling, transcription regulation, immune response, metabolism, and cellular maintenance. Notably, nearby SNPs BTB-01738708 and ARS-BFGL-NGS-111478 were associated with EBVlongevity and EBVudder and located near numerous genes, including GPR85, BMT2, IFRD1, and DOCK4, suggesting a potential for shared genetic influence on these traits. Our findings provide insights into the complex genetic architecture of these economically important traits and highlight the need for further research, including fine-mapping and functional genomics, to elucidate the specific variants and their effects.

The aim of this study was to identify SNPs in the cattle genome associated with estimated breeding values of feet (EBVfeet) in Holstein-Friesian (HF) cows in Hungary. Foot health is of major importance in dairy cattle industry whereas claw disorders are leading to lameness and thus result in low fertility rates and productivity. Genotyping was performed using the EuroG_MDv4 microarray platform. The final database comprised 2963 animals and 59,151 SNPs. EBVfeet values have been divided into high and low groups. All calculations regarding the genetic differentiation (genome-wide and locus-specific) between high- and low-value groups for EBVfeet, linear regression, and haplotype association tests have been performed with the SNP and Variation Suite software. Thirty-nine SNPs associated with EBVfeet were determined on BTAs 3, 7, 8, 15, 21, and X. The maximum values of the identified SNPs were 0.22 for Fst_marker, 23.1 for the −log10(p) of the linear regression, and 26.3 for the −log10(p) of the haplotype association tests on BTA 3. The closest genes to SNPs associated with estimated breeding values for feet (EBVfeet) are mainly associated with tissue structure, immune response, metabolism, growth, development, transport and signaling. Our results could add additional information to the genetic programs focusing on the improvement of foot health in HF cattle.