The AJCC Research Foundation, the American Jersey Cattle Association (AJCA) and National All-Jersey Inc. (NAJ) today committed grants totaling $57,920 for nine scientific investigations related to Jersey dairy cattle, product manufacturing, and business management.

The funded projects were selected from 15 proposals covering eight major topic areas received in response to the Foundation's annual Request for Proposals. With this year's grants, a total of $547,981 has been awarded for Jersey-specific research in the past 15 years by the Foundation and the national Jersey organizations.

The largest grant, $20,000, was made by the American Jersey Cattle Association to Curtis P. Van Tassell and Tad S. Sonstegard of the Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Beltsville, Md. Their investigation is part of an industry-wide effort to characterize genetic markers in dairy cattle, based upon single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) information. According to Van Tassell, the discovery of SNP markers specific to Jersey cattle will facilitate future research on economically important traits and also contribute to new methods of promoting genetic diversity in Jersey cattle at the gene level. "Additional applications of these markers," Van Tassell says, "are limited only by the imagination of researchers and breeders."

Studies funded by AJCC Research Foundation

A second genomics study, proposed by Melissa Ashwell of North Carolina State University, Raleigh, will probe the reasons semen from some Jersey bulls freezes and thaws better than from others. By comparing the gene profile of Jersey bulls with superior and inferior post-thaw sperm survival, Ashwell expects to identify the candidate gene or genes involved in or affected by the freezing and thawing process. This will set the stage for future research evaluating the freeze/thaw capability of a larger set of Jersey bulls. A grant of $6,000 was made for this research.

Three grants of $5,000 each were made for mastitis studies and evaluating milk replacer formulations.

Sheila A. Andrew of the University of Connecticut, Storrs, will extend recent research that determined Jersey cows have higher levels of retinol in their system during the transition period compared to Holsteins, and that higher retinol levels are associated with lower risk of new mastitis infections. The new study will determine whether or not Jerseys are in fact less susceptible to mastitis during the transition period than Holsteins and pinpoint factors related to lower susceptibility.

Breeder differences in mastitis resistance will be examined from a different perspective at the University of Vermont, Burlington. David E. Kerr and Ravi S. Pareek will challenge cows with an intramammary infusion of a component of the E. coli cell wall in order to compare the mechanism of neutrophil response to mammary infections in Jersey and Holstein cows. The study could have implications for identifying and selecting genotypes that have enhanced resistance to mastitis.

Edward J. DePeters and Michael A. Ballou of the University of California, Davis, will test a practical approach to improving milk replacers through supplementation with fish oil. The omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oils have been found to increase survival by dampening the inflammatory response to septicemia, the primary cause of Jersey calf mortality. Supplementation is expected to benefit immune function and thus enhance overall health and survival.

A grant of $4,000 was awarded to Edwin H. Jaster of California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo, to continue his studies on Jersey calf management. This investigation will compare growth and performance of Jersey calves fed milk replacers and starter feeds containing different amounts of protein and fat.

A research team at the University of Minnesota, St. Paul, headed by A. J. Seykora, will receive $3,000 to evaluate the reasons for a 10-day advantage in days open for Jersey-Holstein cows compared to purebred Holsteins. The comparative fertility of the two groups will be explored through progesterone blood assay information that will be combined with other management and veterinary data to determine the causes of fertility differences.

Studies funded by National All-Jersey Inc.

--Nearly $10,000 in research grants was committed by the Board of Directors of National All-Jersey Inc., the milk and cattle marketing arm of the national Jersey organizations.

--A $5,000 grant was made to Brian Gould, Ed Jesse and Bob Cropp of the Wisconsin Center for Dairy Research in Madison, to evaluate the new cash-settled butter futures contracts from the Chicago Mercantile Exchange and determine if they offer price risk management opportunities for Jersey dairy businesses beyond Class III milk contracts. "Because of higher fat tests," notes Gould, "Jersey herds have a higher basis risk when using the Class III contract, which assumes 3.5 percent butterfat. The new contract could reduce basis risk by pricing butterfat production in excess of the 3.5 percent standard."

--NAJ committed $4,920 to evaluate the cheese yield potential of milk produced by Jersey-Holstein crossbred cows compared to purebred Holsteins. The study, to be conducted by Kent A. Weigel and John A. Lucey of the University of Wisconsin, Madison, will gather data on seven major milk proteins and the coagulation properties of milk produced by 50-50 Jersey-Holstein cows, 75-25 Jersey-Holstein cows and their purebred Holstein herdmates. Economic impact of the two types of crossbreds will also be evaluated from the producers' and cheesemakers' perspectives.

About the AJCC Research Foundation

Founded in 1967, the AJCC Research Foundation has provided seed money for well-designed scientific investigations related to high-priority areas affecting the Jersey breed of dairy cattle:

--Nutrition of high-producing Jerseys (particularly practical feeding methods to maximize production of valuable milk components);

--Factors affecting yield of products manufactured from Jersey milk;

--Factors affecting net income, longevity, and lifetime profit;

--Breeding plans to optimize genetic gain while maintaining genetic diversity;

--Biological and economic efficiencies of Jerseys; and

--Factors affecting management of Jersey calves.

An advisory committee that includes Jersey producers, dairy scientists, and allied dairy industry representatives evaluates proposals. The final decision on funding is made by the directors of the American Jersey Cattle Association.

Complete titles and summaries of the funded projects are provided on the AJCC Research Foundation's website, http://jerseyresearch.usjersey.com/RFnews_grants.htm.

The next Request for Proposals will be issued in August, with projects due by Dec. 1. Detailed information about the Competitive Grants Program can be found on the website (http://jerseyresearch.usjersey.com/RFNews_RFP.htm) or requested from Cari W. Wolfe, director of Research and Genetic Programs Development, at 614-861-3636.

Date: 3/24/05