Correlation between MBL Genotypes and Mastitis in Kholmogory Cows

Addressing the issue of high mastitis incidence in cows is critically important for Russian agriculture as it directly impacts the national food security, the economic efficiency of the agro-industrial complex, and the veterinary well-being of dairy farming. Kholmogory cows, one of the oldest domestic dairy breeds, are well-adapted to harsh climates, undemanding in their feeding requirements, and quite sturdy, which makes them a popular subject of marker-assisted selection. This article describes the incidence of mastitis in Kholmogory breed cows at an agricultural breeding enterprise in the Arkhangelsk Region. A comprehensive study of lectin (MBL1) genotypes linked the incidence of mastitis with MBL1 genotypes. The MBL1C allele of the lectin gene dominated in the cattle sample with a frequency of 54.1% while the frequency of the MBL1T allele was 45.9%. Out of 524 cows, 349 contracted mastitis one or more times during the entire observation period, accounting for 66.6% of the herd. The highest incidence of mastitis among the animals with MBL1 genotypes belonged to the group with the MBL1TT genotype – 72.4% (76 / 105 cows). A total of 1,197 cases of mastitis was recorded in the herd during the observation period. The largest number of mastitis cases (628) was registered in the animals with the MBL1TC genotype, which constituted 52.5% of the total number of mastitis cases in the entire sample. The average number of mastitis cases in cows with different MBL1 genotypes increased from the first to the third and subsequent lactations. The gene for mannose-binding lectin (MBL) requires further study and could serve as a genetic marker for cow resistance to udder diseases. Furthermore, the practical application of this research enables the development of a reliable and timely epizootiological herd modeling.