Gene mutation found to cause calf respiratory disease

Gene mutation has been identified as the cause of a recurring respiratory disease and juvenile mortality in Braunvieh and Fleckvieh calves.

Scientists in Germany, Switzerland and Austria, led by Hubert Pausch from the Technical University of Munich, discovered a chromosome 19 mutation – which alters the movement of the cilia of the airways – in Braunvieh and Fleckvieh calves.

The mutation prevents the expulsion of sufficient amounts of secretion from the respiratory tract.

Insufficient clearing of the airways can lead to chronic infection.

They discovered, however, that chromosome 19 mutation only manifests in homozygous Fleckvieh and Braunvieh calves.

See also: Genetic abnormality found to cause Holstein calf deaths

Since the results were published, some Fleckvieh and Braunvieh farmers have taken a “rather radical” approach and removed carriers of the gene mutation from their breeding programmes, says Mr Pausch.

Instead, he suggests Fleckvieh and Braunvieh farmers genotype female as well as male cattle to avoid allowing those both carrying the mutated gene to breed.

Without some sort of intervention, the mutation could quickly spread through the Braunvieh and Fleckvieh populations, he warns.

“A breeding animal with a very good genetic make-up can results in 10,000, if not 100,000 offspring, so recessive variants such as the mutation on chromosome 19 can very quickly accumulate within a population,” he says.