All Dairy Producers Want More Healthy Cows The

All Dairy Producers Want More Healthy Cows The Problem • Difficult to improve genetically – low heritability • Poor data quality & inconsistency in disease diagnosis • Selection to fight one disease may be counter-productive to other diseases

Increasing Incidence of Disease % 50 45 40 35 Repro (Metritis) 30 Retained Placenta 25 Respiratory 20 Lameness 15 Mastitis 10 5 0 1996 2001 2007 NAHMS Dairy 2007 Part II: Changes in the Dairy Cattle Industry 1991 -2007

What if… • What if there was a way to genetically enhance disease resistance through improved overall immune response • We could actually reduce the incidence of disease with each generation

Immunity+ Sires • Bulls tested for immune response • Transfer high immunity to their daughters • Daughters have lower incidence of mastitis, metritis, retained placenta, Johne’s & other diseases

High Immune Response • Semex has exclusive rights to test bulls using “High Immune Response Technology” • Professor Bonnie A. Mallard (Ph. D) Department of Pathobiology Ontario Veterinary College University of Guelph

What Does Immunity Mean?

Immunity Types • Passive Immunity • Innate Immunity • Acquired Immunity

Passive Immunity • Initial and temporary • Passed through colostrum • Contains protective features from the dam • Fades as own immune system matures

Innate Immunity Core of immune system – First line of defense against harmful disease • • Non-specific responses No memory of past exposure

Two Types of Acquired Immunity Fights intracellular infections y. M at e ed i od d te ia ed ll M tib Ce ex. Bacteria (mastitis) An d ex. Virus or mycobacterium that causes Johne’s Fights extracellular infections

Overall Immune Response Disease Balanced defense against all diseases – both viral & bacterial Immune Response Genes

Selection for Immune Response • Measuring strength & effectiveness of the overall immune response – Provides balanced attack between viral & bacterial infections – Strengthens both first & subsequent exposures to pathogens – Feasibility of selective breeding due to high heritability

What is Heritability?

Heritability Definition Proportion of variation observed in a trait which is due to genetics – Genetics vs. Management, feeding, housing & environment

Immune Response

Testing For High Immune Response

HIR test HIR Test Protocol 15 Day Process is a 15 day test that requires 3 farm visits: DAY 1 1. Antibody: Collect initial blood for ELISA 2. Antibody: Immunize intramuscularly with type 1 & 2 antigens DAY 14 1. Cell: Take initial skinfold measurement & surface injection 2. Antibody: Collect final blood for ELISA DAY 15 1. Cell: Take final skin-fold measurement 24 -48 hours

Exclusive Product At Semex

Bulls Designated as Immunity+ Approximately 10% of sires Immunity+ Sires

Immunity+ Sires • General improvement in overall immunity across the herd – More high immune response daughters – Daughters will pass on the higher immune response • Just like High Immune Response Cows – Less disease – Better immune response to vaccines – Better immune quality colostrum – Longer herd life

What’s The Significance of High Immune Response?

High Immune Cows vs. Herd • 27% less Mastitis • 17% less Metritis • 32% less Retained Placenta 700 cows in 3, 000 Cow Dairy in North Florida • Range in all herds was 19– 30% less incidence of disease (High vs. Herd)

Immune Response vs Disease Incidence Average Incidence (combined diseases) n= 64 herds Disease data from: Wagter et al. 2000 JDS 83: 488 and De Lapaz, J. 2008 MSc Thesis, University of Florida. Thompson-Crispi, K. et al. , 2011 Technical Report to the Genetic Evaluation Board, Canadian Dairy Network

High Immune Cows. Vaccines Better Response to Commercial Respond better to commercial vaccines ELISA OD Lumens OF SERUM ANTIBODY TO J 5 E. coli VACCINE Reference: Wagter & Mallard et al 2000 JDS 83: 488

High Immune Cows Greater Antibody in Colostrum & Milk Have higher quality colostrum with more antibodies 3 OD ELISA 2. 5 2 High 1. 5 Ave Low 1 0. 5 0 wk 2 wk 3 wk 4 wk 6 Ref – Wagter & Mallard et al 2000 JDS 83: 488

Economic Value of High Response Cows + Lower incidence of disease – Mastitis, metritis, ketosis, retained placenta, milk fever + Improved vaccine response + Higher quality colostrum + Lower cull rates High Immune Cow vs. Herd Average Cow Additional $124 per cow per year

Transmission to Daughters 25% – Heritability of high immune response (proportion explained by genetics) 50% – Proportion of genes that sire passes on to daughters

Future Research & Development • Validation of health results in daughters of Immunity+ bulls • Genomic studies for immune response

HIR Genome-Wide Association Study Objective: To determine genetic profiles associated with enhanced IR Methods: • Selective genotyping of High and Low immune responders using the Illumina Bovine SNP 50 • 163 cows genotyped (81 HIR and 82 LIR) • Generalized quasi-likelihood score method • Minor allele frequency > 0. 05 • Minimum call rate > 0. 85

Genomic markers for AMIR

Genomics of Immunity+ • Chromosome 23 contains the Bovine Major Histocompatibility Complex (Bo. LA) which is responsible for acquired immunity in cattle • This confirms that HIR measurements are hitting the right target • More than 2, 000 genes involved • Could lead to HIR genomics in future

First Bulls Tested at Semex No adverse reactions and no cross-reactivity were found before and after HIR testing protocol

Immune Response Distribution

Immunity+ Bulls (9 Proven + 32 Genomax) Sire Proof TPI Average Immunity+ Bulls 2106 Advantage Over Tested Non. Immunity+ Bulls +80 Net Merit $564 +$91 Productive Life 4. 8 +0. 8 SCS 2. 76 -0. 06 (favourable) DPR +0. 3 +0. 5 Daughter Calving Ease 6. 5 -0. 2 (favourable)

Released on December 4, 2012 Contact us at: Immunity@semex. com