The Angus cattle population of Hungary was categorized into four groups using 12 microsatellite markers exhibiting notable genetic variations. Moreover, some traits influencing the profitability and sustainability of beef cattle farming were compared between groups. Data were obtained from 5075 cows (born between 1990-2020) and 19 142 calves (born between 1997-2023), including 10 629 bull calves and 8513 heifer calves of different genetic backgrounds. Genetic groups were distinguished by origin, color, size, and type: blue group (BG), red group (RG), green group (GG), and yellow group (YG). The six investigated traits were age at first calving (AFC), productive lifespan (PL), number of calves born (NCB), culling age (AGE), birth weight (BW), and the 205 d adjusted weaning weight (WW). The averages of the six tested traits were as follows: AFC - 2.35 ± 0.54 years; NCB - 5.89 ± 3.69 heads; PL - 6.85 ± 4.13 years; AGE - 9.2 ± 4.26 years; BW - 29.4 ± 4.28 kg; and WW - 176.9 ± 44.07 kg. YG excelled in terms of NCB, PL, AGE, and WW traits, while RG performed best in terms of AFC and BW. BG displayed the lowest performance across NCB, PL, AGE, BW, and WW. The heavier Red Angus individuals were largely behind the performance of the traditional-type, smaller British-type Black and Red Angus individuals in the tested traits affecting sustainability and profitability. Significant reproduction and longevity trait differences exist among different genetic groups of Angus beef cattle genotyped by DNA microsatellite information. The results indicated significant differences in terms of the performance of different Angus types with regard to the tested traits. These findings could be useful in developing breeding concepts and making selection decisions, contributing to more efficient and sustainable breeding strategies.

In this study, 1,616,549 Holstein-Friesian females were genotyped for genomic evaluation of genetic merit (BVGenomic). Genotyping was performed using the EuroGenomics MD v3.0 chipset on the Illumina microarray scanner platform operated by an accredited Illumina laboratory. In addition, international and national reference populations were used for traditional BLUP breeding value (BV) estimation for both individuals (BVBLUP) and parents (BVPedigree). A single-step BLUP animal model was used for this estimation. A sample of 190 first lactation progeny cows from a single herd, reared and kept under consistent environmental conditions, was used to validate the three types of BV estimation methods. Correlation and regression analysis were used to study the association between the phenotypic performance and the results of three different estimation models. The average production of the 305-day standard lactation was 10,910.5 kg milk, 397.86 kg butterfat and 365.33 kg protein. Comparative analyses showed that BVBLUP had the highest accuracy, followed by BVGenomic, while BVPedigree was the least reliable, R² = 0.37 to 0.48; 0.09 to 0.23; 0.02 to 0.06, respectively.

By analyzing the genome of Hungarian Holstein Friesian cows, we looked for genomic regions which have an effect on the milk, fat, and protein yield. Among the sampled animals and the investigated nucleotides, nine were simultaneously associated with milk, fat, and protein yield. Among the nine variants, two had opposite effects; for example, while increasing the value of milk yield, the other one or two parameters’ values decreased. The acquired knowledge can help in the planning of breeding schemes to avoid unwanted interactions among the abovementioned yield parameters.

Objective: This study aims to investigate the genetic structure and characteristics of the Angus cattle population in Hungary. The survey was performed with the assistance of the Hungarian Hereford, Angus, Galloway Association (HHAGA). Methods: Genetic parameters of 1,369 animals from 16 Angus herds were analyzed using the genotyping results of 12 microsatellite markers with the aid of PowerMarker, Genalex, GDA-NT2021, and STRUCTURE software. Genotyping of DNA was performed using an automated genetic analyzer. Based on pairwise identity by state values of animals, the Python networkx 2.3 library was used for network analysis of the breed and to identify the central animals. Results: The observed numbers of alleles on the 12 loci under investigation ranged from 11 to 18. The average effective number of alleles was 3.201. The overall expected heterozygosity was 0.659 and the observed heterozygosity was 0.710. Four groups were detected among the 16 Angus herds. The breeders’ information validated the grouping results and facilitated the comparison of birth weight, age at first calving, number of calves born and productive lifespan data between the four groups, revealing significant differences. We identified the central animals/herd of the Angus population in Hungary. The match of our group descriptions with the phenotypic data provided by the breeders further underscores the value of cooperation between breeders and researchers. Conclusion: The observation that significant differences in the measured traits occurred among the identified groups paves the way to further enhancement of breeding efficiency. Our findings have the potential to aid the development of new breeding strategies and help breeders keep the Angus populations in Hungary under genetic supervision. Based on our results the efficient use of an upcoming genomic selection can, in some cases, significantly improve birth weight, age at first calving, number of calves born and the productive lifespan of animals.

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.