A Survey of Genome-Wide Genetic Characterizations of Crossbred Dairy Cattle in Local Farms in Cambodia

Abstract

To improve the dairy sector in Cambodia in the future, we aimed to reveal the genetic variation and the milk production in Cambodian crossbred dairy cattle. We calculated the percent (%) milk fat content and the average milk yield per cow (L/day) for two farms (Farm R and M) based on the farmers’ records and interviews. The crossbred cows originated from Cambodian local farmers and Thailand breeders in Farm R, whereas the crossbred cows originated in Thailand breeders in Farm M. Then, we performed genetic characterization for 75 individuals from the two farms and an individual Japanese pure Holstein-Friesian cow based on 133,705 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) obtained by the GRAS-Di method. The milk fat contents in the bulk milk in the dry season and the average milk yield per cow on Farm R were 3.77 ± 0.98% and 7.81 ± 2.66 L/day, respectively, and were higher than those on Farm M (3.35 ± 0.54% and 6.5–7.5 L/day). Cattle originating in Cambodia in Farm R possessed a unique genetic character different from cattle from Thailand in Farm M. The present study suggests that the differences in milk fat content between the two farms might be explained by the genetic differences in crossbred cows.