@article {3672,
	title = {MATN3 underlies a QTL for stature in cattle},
	journal = {New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production},
	volume = {78},
	year = {2018},
	month = {07/2018},
	pages = {51-55},
	address = {Lincoln},
	abstract = {Live weight (LWT) in dairy cattle is associated with milk production efficiency, and also has a high genetic correlation with
stature. To identify genetic regions impacting stature and LWT, we conducted a genome-wide association study using 65,500
mixed-breed NZ dairy cattle and 16,243,015 imputed genotypes. We identified a quantitative trait locus (QTL) at BTA11:78-
79Mbp for stature that was significant at a genome-wide level (β=3.98mm {\textpm} 0.56; P=1.6{\texttimes}10-12) but not significant for LWT
(β=1.253 {\textpm} 0.393 kg; P=1.4{\texttimes}10-3). Ensembl{\textquoteright}s Variant Effect Predictor was used to search for coding variants to attempt to identify
a candidate causative gene for this QTL, and gene expression from RNA sequence data representing 373 cows were analysed for
16 genes and 3,640 markers to highlight expression QTL (eQTL) in this region. The gene with the most significant eQTL was
MATN3 (ENSBTAG00000020893; P=2.5{\texttimes}10-38), encoding a protein which is involved in bone development. The correlation
between variant effects (-log p-values) was calculated for the stature QTL and MATN3 eQTL (r=0.584), with the same variant
(rs475277351) most significant for both QTL. This suggests a common genetic signal underlying both QTL, supporting the
hypothesis that the MATN3 gene underlies the stature QTL.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Lopdell TJ and Littlejohn MD}
}
@conference {75861,
	title = {Temporary alterations to milking frequency, immediately post-calving, modified the expression of genes regulating milk synthesis and apoptosis in the bovine mammary gland},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {71},
	year = {2011},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {3-8},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	address = {Invercargill},
	abstract = {Temporary changes to milking frequency during early lactation can elicit lactation-long changes in milk production. This study tested whether altered milking frequency, immediately post-calving, would affect mammary gene expression during and/or following treatment. Multiparous, grazing dairy cows (n = 150) were allocated to one of five treatments post-calving: milking thrice-daily (3X) for three or six weeks, and twice-daily (2X) thereafter; milking once-daily (1X) for three or six weeks, and 2X thereafter; or milking 2X for the entire lactation. Mammary tissue was biopsied from 12 cows per treatment at three, six and nine weeks postcalving and expression of milk synthesis and apoptosis genes measured using quantitative PCR. The milk fat, lactose and protein genes were down-regulated (P <0.05) in cows milked 1X compared with cows milked 2X. At nine weeks post-calving, cows milked 1X for three weeks had reduced mRNA levels of milk synthesis genes compared with cows milked 1X for six weeks (P <0.05). The expression of apoptosis genes was up-regulated (P <0.05) in cows milked 1X relative to 2X, during and post-treatment. There were no gene expression changes during 3X milking compared with cows milked 2X. Changes in gene expression observed in cows temporarily milked 1X reflect physiological changes consistent with longer-term reductions in milksolids yield.},
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Grala TM and Phyn CVC and Kay JK and Rius AG and Littlejohn MD and Snell RG and Roche JR}
}
