| Accession
Development: The overall NAGP collection in Ft. Collins
continues to grow. Presently, 36 breeds and 41 unique lines of dairy,
beef, sheep, goats, chickens and swine are included in the collection.
The NAGP staff would like to thank the industry, university and other
ARS locations that have contributed to this effort. |
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Dairy:
Sufficient quantities of Holstein semen and embryos have been acquired
so that the breed can be considered secure and, if need be, regenerated.
The Holstein collection currently consists of over 500 bulls and 150
embryos. The collection has been developed by contributions from ABS
Global, Select Sires, the University of Minnesota’s control line,
and industry-wide sampling performed by Virginia Tech and Iowa State
Universities. The semen acquired represents Holstein genetics from the
1960’s to bulls currently being progeny tested. Now that sufficient
quantities of Holstein germplasm have been collected, it will be evaluated
to determine if the collection is representative of the Holstein’s
genetic diversity. The Dairy Committee will hold their annual meeting
at the Animal and Dairy Science Societies
meetings in Phoenix this June. |
Poultry:
The NAGP Policy Coordinating Committee designated 37 research lines at
ARS’s Avian Disease and Oncology Laboratory in East Lansing, MI
as part of the “National Registry of Genetically Unique Animal
Populations”. The Policy Coordinating Committee took this step
after reviewing the significant contributions these lines have made and
continue to make in avian disease research. These inbred and selected
lines have been used to explore resistance and susceptibility to avian
leucosis virus and Marek’s disease virus. In addition, seven of
the congenic lines have been used to define DNA sequences of expressed
genes from major histocompatability complex haplotypes and to produce
highly specific antisera to the major histocompatability complex B haplotype
antigens.
An agreement between Cobb VanTress and NAGP has been developed so that tissue
samples from Cobb VanTress’ elite lines can be collected and stored with
NAGP. The collection effort will be initiated in April. In July, the Poultry
Committee will have its annual meeting at the Poultry Science Association meetings
in Madison, WI. |
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Beef
Cattle Collection: The NAGP beef collection has grown
significantly during the past six months. Currently, germplasm from
14 breeds has been placed in the repository. Significant numbers
of bulls from the Limousin, Hereford, Salers, Longhorn and Gelbvieh
breeds have been acquired, and Hereford, Salers and Gelbvieh embryos
have been obtained. The Beef Committee will hold their annual meeting
at the Animal and Dairy Science Societies meetings in Phoenix this
June. |
| Swine:
The NAGP Swine collection continues to increase with emphasis upon the
Yorkshire, Berkshire, and Hereford breeds. The Universities of Missouri
and Purdue continue identifying potential boars that can be collected
for the repository. The committee has also been discussing the potential
for developing a third maternal breed of swine, which would assist the
industry in developing composite populations. |
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Aquaculture:
Kent SeaTech and Louisiana State University have been developing a protocol
for collecting, extending, shipping and cryopreserving White Bass and
Striped Bass samples. The samples were collected and extended in California
and then cryopreserved in Louisiana. Using their approach, fertilization
rates were achieved that would enable NAGP to reestablish a cryopreserved
population. As a result of this activity the Aquaculture Committee, at
their annual meeting in Louisville, KY, established collection goals
for the next year to include trout, mollusks, catfish, Striped Bass and
White Bass. To facilitate this collection effort, Louisiana State University
has established the structure and personnel to facilitate the collection
and cryopreservation
of these aquatic species. |
Small
Ruminant Populations: The Small Ruminant Committee
met in Mobile, AL in February and continues to develop sheep and
goat collections.
- ARS’s
Meat Animal Research Center (MARC) collected semen from 71 rams of
the Romanov, Finnsheep, Dorset, Katahdin, Dorper, Rambouillet, Suffolk
and Texel breeds. The rams collected were acquired during a broad
industry sampling that is part of MARC’s genetic evaluation
program.
- Sul
Ross University collected Spanish and Angora germplasm in Texas.
- Virginia
State University initiated work with NAGP in developing a protocol
for holding ram and buck semen for 24 hours prior to cryopreservation.
They are utilizing St. Croix, Blackbelly, Katahdin, Spanish and Myotonic
breeds of sheep and goats.
- A new
foundation, Swiss Village Farm (Newport, RI), has contributed Gulf
Coast Native samples to the repository.
- Prairie
View A&M University has received a Capacity Building grant to
initiate development of live populations of Myotonic and Spanish
goats for conservation purposes and to develop their capacity to
cryopreserve goat germplasm.
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Personnel
Changes:
At NAGP
Dr. Phil Purdy has joined the staff to work
on germplasm cryopreservation methods. Phil completed his Ph.D.
at Colorado State University where his dissertation work addressed
modification
of bull sperm membranes with cholesterol and other lipids as a
mechanism to increase cell recovery following cryopreservation.
Terry
Tiersch from Louisiana State University is the new Aquaculture
Committee chairman. We wish to express our appreciation to Joe
Cloud for his efforts as the first Aquaculture Committee chair.
Ronnie
Green has come on board with ARS as the new National
Program Leader for Food Animal Production, in which NAGP is
a component.
As many
of you know Dick Frahm has retired
from USDA/CSREES. Dick was very active in working with ARS
in initiating
NAGP. We wish
him well in his retirement. |