SABRE

The Animal Breeding and Genomics Centre, which is comprised of several top researchers of Wageningen UR Livestock Research and Wageningen University, is one of the thirty six leading animal breeding research groups and businesses joined forces in “SABRE – Cutting Edge Genomics for Sustainable Animal Breeding”. SABRE is an innovative 4.5 year, €23 million pan-European project which utilised the latest techniques in genetic science to develop more economically and environmentally sustainable production systems for cattle, pigs and chickens.

The integrated SABRE project, which commenced in April 2006 and ended September 2010, was made possible by a major grant from the EU Sixth Framework Programme.

SABRE is designed to provide a range of new breeding strategies to improve animal health and welfare; reduce chemical and energy inputs; minimise livestock waste and pollution; and, maximise food safety and quality.

The work programme, involving over 200 scientists from 36 organisations, is divided into 12 research, development and communication packages. These harnessed key areas of emerging genomic and epigenetic science to generate new knowledge and apply it in practical breeding improvement strategies throughout Europe.

The mammary gland, the digestive system and fertility are the focus of separate basic research packages, with more applied research aimed at enhancing eggshell quality for food safety; improving animal behaviour linked to welfare; and eliminating boar taint in pigmeat.

Topics which Wageningen UR Livestock Research worked on within SABRE

• Numerical genetics
• GutHealth
• Fertility

SABRE - Final scientific report

Papers

Final report

Papers

Pszczola, M.J.; Mulder, H.A.; Calus, M.P.L. (2011) Effect of enlarging the reference population with (un)genotyped animals on the accuracy of genomic selection in dairy cattle Journal of Dairy Science 94 (1). - p. 431 - 441. Calus, M.P.L.; Koning, de, D.J.; Haley, C.S. (2010) Including copy number variation in association studies to predict genotypic values In: Including copy number variation in association studies to predict genotype values. - Genetical Research 92 (2). - p. 115 - 125. Mulder, H.A.; Calus, M.P.L.; Veerkamp, R.F. (2010) Prediction of haplotypes for ungenotyped animals and its effect on marker-assisted breeding value estimation Genetics, Selection, Evolution 42 . - p. 10. Mulder, H.A.; Meuwissen, T.H.E.; Calus, M.P.L.; Veerkamp, R.F. (2010) The effect of missing marker genotypes on the accuracy of gene-assisted breeding value estimation: a comparison of methods Animal 4 (1). - p. 9 - 19.

Papers

Schokker, D.J.; Smits, M.A.; Hoekman, A.J.W.; Parmentier, H.K.; Rebel, J.M.J. (2010) Effects of Salmonella on spatial-temporal processes of jejunal development in chickens Developmental and Comparative Immunology 34 (10). - p. 1090 - 1100. Schokker, D.J.; Hoekman, A.J.W.; Smits, M.A.; Rebel, J.M.J. (2009) Gene expression patterns associated with chicken jejunal development Developmental and Comparative Immunology 33 (11). - p. 1156 - 1164. Pas, M.F.W. te; Hemert, S. van; Hulsegge, B.; Hoekman, A.J.W.; Pool, M.H.; Rebel, J.M.J.; Smits, M.A. (2008) A Pathway Analysis Tool for Analyzing Microarray Data of Species with Low Physiological Information Advances in Bioinformatics 2008 . - p. 719468. Niewold, T.A.; Veldhuizen, E.J.; Meulen, J. van der; Haagsma, H.P.; Wit, A.A.C. de; Smits, M.A.; Tersteeg, M.H.; Hulst, M.M. (2007) The early transcriptional response of pig small intestinal mucosa to invasion by Salmonella neterica serovar typhimurium DT104 Molecular Immunology 44 (6). - p. 1316 - 1322. Hemert, S. van; Hoekman, A.J.W.; Smits, M.A.; Rebel, J.M.J. (2007) Immunological and gene expression responses to a Salmonella infection in the chicken intestine Veterinary Research 38 (1). - p. 51 - 63. Hemert, S. van; Hoekman, A.J.W.; Smits, M.A.; Rebel, J.M.J. (2006) Gene expression responses to a Salmonella infection in the chicken intestine differ between lines Veterinary Immunology and Immunopathology 114 (1). - p. 247 - 258. Pas, M.F.W. te; Hemert, S. van; Hulsegge, B.; Rebel, J.M.J.; Smits, M.A. (2006) Pathway analysis of intestinal microarray data for two chicken lines differing in response to salmonella enteritidis infection In: Statistical genomics and bioinformatics: 8th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil, August 13-18, 2006. - Statistical genomics and bioinformatics (23 23-17).

Papers

Boer, H.M.T.; Stötzel, C.; Röblitz, S.; Deuflhard, P.; Veerkamp, R.F.; Woelders, H. (2010) A simple mathematical model of the bovine estrous cycle: follicle development and endocrine interactions Germany : Konrad-Zuse-Zentrum für Informationtechnik Berlin, (ZIB-Report 10-06) Boer, H.M.T.; Veerkamp, R.F.; Beerda, B.; Woelders, H. (2010) Estrous behavior in dairy cows: identification of underlying mechanisms and gene functions Animal 4 (3). - p. 446 - 453. Boer, H.M.T.; Stötzel, C.; Röblitz, S.; Deuflhard, P.; Veerkamp, R.F.; Woelders, H. (2010) Mathematical model of the bovine oestrous cycle In: Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science and the Agricultural Research Forum, Belfast, United Kingdom, 12-14 April 2010. Kommadath, A.; Mulder, H.A.; Wit, A.A.C. de; Woelders, H.; Smits, M.A.; Beerda, B.; Veerkamp, R.F.; Frijters, A.C.J.; Pas, M.F.W. te (2010) Gene expression patterns in anterior pituitary associated with quantitative measure of oestrous behaviour in dairy cows Animal 4 (8). - p. 1297 - 1307. Beerda, B.; Wyszynska-Koko, J.; Pas, M.F.W. te; Wit, A.A.C. de; Veerkamp, R.F. (2008) Expression profiles of genes regulating dairy cow fertility: recent findings, ongoing activities and future possibilities Animal 2 (8). - p. 1158 - 1167. Veerkamp, R.F.; Beerda, B. (2007) Genetics and genomics to improve fertility in high producing dairy cows Theriogenology 68 (suppl. 1). - p. S266 - S273. Beerda, B.; Veerkamp, R.F. (2006) Functional Genomics of Female Reproduction In: 8th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Belo Horizonte-MG, Brazil, August 13-18, 2006. - Reproduction (11c 11-10).Brazil : Belo Horizonte-MG, MinasCento Convetion, 2006-08-13/ 2006-08-18