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CapitalPress.com
April 27, 2018
People & Places
Understanding cattle genes
Brenda and Gordon
Murdoch’s research
goes beyond
Bovine Genome
Western
Innovator
By BRAD CARLSON
Capital Press
University of Idaho re-
searchers Brenda and Gordon
Murdoch believe the cattle-ge-
netics roadmap that is the Bo-
vine Genome is good at getting
travelers to town but would be
more useful if it identified im-
portant places to visit.
“There are some genes that
have a far-reaching effect on
multiple properties of cattle,”
Brenda Murdoch said. Any
given gene, she said, may af-
fect multiple traits in an animal
— like feed efficiency, repro-
ductive performance and vari-
ous measures of growth.
The Murdochs aim to ad-
vance cattle genetics under-
standing, including what cre-
ates or drives certain traits.
They also want to help in-
crease industry profitability.
In research they expect to
publish in late fall, the hus-
band-and-wife team is looking
into, among other things, why
a cow appears by grade testing
to be older than its chronolog-
ical age, thus fetching a lower
price at slaughter. Separately,
Brenda Murdoch is part of a
group seeking to further map
and detail the Bovine Genome
in a major study that began re-
cently.
Brenda Murdoch is an as-
sistant professor of animal
genomics. Her tools include
full genome sequencing, ge-
nome-wide association studies
and gene-specific sequence
analysis. Gordon Murdoch is
an associate professor in ani-
mal physiology and molecular
biology.
“Gordon does bring a sort
of physiological application
of the genetics,” Brenda Mur-
doch said. “We are able to
bring that together nicely, the
genetic and the physiological.”
He primarily studies beef.
She studies several livestock
species.
“She has the expertise to
use the most powerful genet-
ic tools to evaluate animals,”
Gordon Murdoch said. “With
my understanding of systemic
physiology, often that allows
us to put those together and
evaluate it in a biologically
Brenda Murdoch
University of Idaho
Gordon Murdoch in his molecular laboratory using a multi-channel pipette to analyze specific gene ex-
pressions for individual cattle. He said the process can be used in the lab to analyze up to 96 animals
at once.
Occupation: Assistant
professor, animal genomics,
University of Idaho Animal
and Veterinary Science,
Moscow, Idaho
Education: Ph.D., University
of Alberta; B.Sc., University
of Alberta
Gordon Murdoch
Occupation: Associate
professor of animal physiol-
ogy and molecular biology,
University of Idaho Animal
and Veterinary Science,
Moscow, Idaho
Education: Ph.D., University
of Alberta; M.S., University
of Alberta; B.Sc., University
of Alberta; B.Sc., University
of Alberta
University of Idaho
Brenda Murdoch at a fluorescent imaging station showing a single cell with fluorescent-stained chro-
mosomes (red) and recombination events (yellow dots).
meaningful way.”
Skeletal maturity
They’re studying advanced
skeletal maturity in beef cattle.
They plan to present some of
their data in July at the Amer-
ican Society of Animal Scien-
tists annual meeting, held in
Vancouver, B.C., in conjunc-
tion with the group’s Canadian
counterpart. The Idaho Beef
Council checkoff program cov-
ered about half the project’s ap-
proximately $100,000 cost.
“This is innovative because
we are right at the prime time of
utilizing genetic and physiolog-
ical tools to advance livestock
production in a similar way we
advanced from a typewriter to
a cell phone,” Gordon Murdoch
said.
USDA maturity grading has
been based on skeletal analysis
and, since late last year, a cat-
tle-specific dental examination
process called dentition. Now,
with many cattle producers
tapping breeding databases to
select animals that process feed
efficiently and grow well, it’s
more likely a cow grades older,
he said. For example, its bones
may look denser than they
should for the animal’s chrono-
logical age.
“Some animals may be
graded with an advanced ma-
turity, and that costs money”
from producers, Gordon Mur-
doch said.
If cattle producers indirectly
selected for a high rate of matu-
ration, “that speaks to possibly
having a genetic cause,” Gor-
don said.
“Some genes are very busy
and do a lot of stuff,” Brenda
Murdoch said. “Some don’t,
but they are no less important.”
Much of her gene-mapping
work looks at genes driving
economically important cattle
traits like feed efficiency, meat
quality, and disease likelihood.
The study
The Murdochs studied 90
cattle verified by dentition to be
chronologically young. They
divided them into 30-animal
groups graded A for young/op-
timal, B for slightly older and
C for advanced maturity. They
analyzed eight genes known
to be associated with cattle
maturation processes such as
growth, hormone levels and
bone ossification (from softer
to more dense and hard).
“Just as we hypothesized,
we did see some genetic chang-
es in our candidates’ genes that
are associated with advanced
maturity,” Gordon Murdoch
said. “There is definitely an as-
sociation between the genetics
of an animal and whether they
grade A, B or C maturity even
though they are chronologically
young.”
If further such study is done
across a larger sample, a genet-
ic test could be developed for
cattle producers to use volun-
tarily, he said. For example, a
producer who increasingly sees
advanced maturity could use
the test to help determine which
animals could be at greater risk
and, over time, even adjust se-
lection and operating strategies.
“We are never going to ad-
vocate single-trait selection,
but a test could be designed
and weighted toward selection
of many favorable traits,” Gor-
don Murdoch said. Such testing
could even be used to further
customize cattle herds suited to
different regions.
Brenda Murdoch is part
of a multiple-researcher team
studying the Bovine Genome
as part of a project that re-
ceived a $2.5 million USDA
grant. She said the recently
started five-year project’s goal
is to map out the genome’s
functional elements. Earli-
er research identified many
genes and their locations
within the genome.
“You can’t understand the
relationship of genes within
the Bovine Genome without
knowing where they are within
it, Brenda Murdoch said. “This
project looks at how to turn off
and on all of the genes in the
genome. Now we have a pretty
good layout of where the genes
are in the genome. But we still
don’t really know what turns
them on or off.”
Whether the Murdochs re-
search independently or as a
team, “the innovation is we
are close to delivering useful
information to the producer
on the farm to a manner and
extent we’ve never had the
opportunity to do,” Gordon
Murdoch said.
Looming trade issue opens doors for Oregon hazelnuts
By MITCH LIES
For the Capital Press
At least one agricultural
industry is utilizing the possi-
bility of Chinese tariffs as an
opportunity.
The Oregon hazelnut in-
dustry is hoping that an unex-
pected communication from
the Consulate General Office
of China will lead to reduction
or elimination of a prohibi-
tive tariff that for years has
stripped the industry of direct
sales opportunities in China.
“They did not commit or
promise anything,” said Terry
Ross of the Hazelnut Grow-
ers Bargaining Association
after meeting with Chinese
officials. “They just said the
door is open, the dialogue has
been created, that they look
forward to working with us in
the future and that they would
send a message back to Bei-
jing on our behalf.”
The connection between
the Chinese Consulate Office
Calendar
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or emailed to newsroom@capital-
press.com. Write “Calendar” in the
subject line.
Friday-Saturday
April 27-28
Horsedrawn Vehicle and Equip-
ment Auction. 8 a.m.-3 p.m Yamhill
County Fairgrounds, 2070 NE Lafay-
ette Ave., McMinnville, Ore. Friday,
April 27, 2018. Auction starts both
Hazelnut Growers Bargaining Association
Larry George, left, of George Packing Co., and Terry Ross, right,
of the Hazelnut Growers Bargaining Association, meet with Deputy
Consul General Ren Faqiang at the Chinese Consulate Office in
San Francisco on April 9.
in San Francisco and the Or-
egon hazelnut industry started
inadvertently enough after a
news report aired on Portland
television station KATU on
April 3 about the effects of
additional tariffs on Oregon
hazelnut shipments to China.
Ross told KATU reporter
Joe Douglass that he viewed
the short-term trade situation
as an opportunity for cooper-
ation. While the Oregon ha-
zelnut industry ships roughly
half of its hazelnuts to Asia,
the industry for several years
has been shut out from selling
directly to China because of a
25 percent tariff on its hazel-
nuts.
“For us the potential for
new tariffs was of less con-
cern, because we were already
at a real disadvantage to other
nuts in China anyway,” Ross
said. He added that Chinese
days at 10 a.m. Website: www.pacif-
icoverlandauction.com
of charge. Cost: $9 for ages 13 and
over. Website: http://oragfest.com/
Saturday-Sunday
April 28-29
Sunday-Tuesday
April 29-May 1
Oregon Ag Fest. 8:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Sunday.
Oregon State Fairgrounds, 2330 17th
St. NE, Salem, Ore. A two-day event,
aimed to help families better under-
stand where their food, fiber and
flora come from, is a unique learning
experience, where hands-on exhib-
its make learning about Oregon’s
vast agricultural industry educational
and entertaining. Kids 12 and under
receive free admission, and virtual-
ly all activities at the event are free
Oregon Cattlemen’s Association
Midyear Event. Sunriver Resort,
17600 Center Drive, Sunriver, Ore.
Speakers include governor candi-
dates, attorney Karen Budd Falen,
Scott Yager of the NCBA and Ethan
Lane of the Public Lands Council.
Register at http://bit.ly/2FQEhZ3
Website: http://orcattle.com/
Monday, April 30
When Animals Die, Dealing with
Livestock Mortalities on the Farm.
tariffs on California pista-
chios, which directly com-
pete with Oregon hazelnuts
in China, are 5 percent, and
Chilean hazelnuts enter China
duty-free.
Ross told KATU that he
viewed the current situation
as an opportunity to shine a
light on the Oregon hazelnut
industry’s disadvantage in
China and stress the need for
cooperation and communica-
tion.
The tactic worked bet-
ter than probably even Ross
expected. The day after the
KATU report, Ross received
an email from the Consulate
General Office of China in San
Francisco.
“They said, ‘We saw your
comments and would like to
talk further and listen to your
opinions and advice on the top-
ic,’” Ross said.
The office invited Ross
and hazelnut processor Larry
George, of George Packing Co.
in Newberg, Ore., to meet with
5:30-8:30 p.m. OSU Southern Ore-
gon Research & Extension Center,
Auditorium, 569 Hanley Road, Cen-
tral Point, Ore. This class offers an
overview of the various ways of deal-
ing with animal carcasses. Cost: $25
one/$35 two from same farm. Web-
site:
http://extension.oregonstate.
edu/sorec/SF-classes
Changing Hands: A Workshop
on Farm Succession Planning and
Access to Land. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m.
Sprout! Regional Food Hub, 418 A
St. Springfield, Ore. The workshop
will bring together aspiring and re-
tiring farmers for a full day of train-
ing on land access and succession
planning. Cost: $20 Website: www.
Deputy Consul General Ren
Faqiang and the Vice Consul
from Economic and Commer-
cial Office Zhang Taiming.
“Needless to say, we
jumped at the opportunity and
agreed to make the trip there
Monday (April 9),” Ross said.
“The China/Oregon ties are
historically very strong, so dia-
logue and communication can
only help in lowering the tar-
iffs that put Oregon hazelnuts
at a huge disadvantage to other
U.S. and Chilean nuts in the
Chinese market.”
Ross said the two-hour
meeting went well.
“It was a very positive
meeting. We are excited to
continue these discussions and
look forward to any future ad-
vancement on this issue,” he
said.
“We also want to thank
the Deputy Consul General of
China Mr. Ren Faqiang and
the Vice Consul Zhang Taim-
ing for inviting us to meet with
them,” he said.
roguefarmcorps.org/planning
Friday, May 4
Blue Mountain Seeds Open
House. 1-3 p.m. Alicel warehouse,
65569 Highway 82, Alicel, Ore.
Tuesday, May 8
Water Rights 102: Irrigation Dis-
tricts in Oregon. 7-8:30 p.m. Hermis-
ton Community Center, 415 S High-
way 395, Hermiston, Ore. April Snell,
executive director of the Oregon Wa-
ter Resources Congress, for a water
rights workshop covering the basics
of irrigation districts in Oregon. Cost:
Free. Website: https://oregonwater-
coalition.org/events/
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