1. The evolution of cattle and cattle farming systems:
the genetic evidence
Patrick Cunningham, Genetics Dept, TCD
Lismullin Heritage Series, 20 April 2016

2. Timeline of Creation Hominins 8 MYA Life on Earth 3,000 MYA Universe
Solar System
5,000 MYA

3. Out of Africa

4. Cattle Density - Europe

5. Cattle
Tillage

6. Two kinds of Cattle Taurine (Bos Taurus) Zebu cattle (Bos Indicus)
Temperate climates - higher rainfall, dense vegetation. Europe, Northern Asia, West Africa.
European taurine - high milk yields, meat quality etc.
West African taurine - trypanotolerant - can resist effects of trypanosomiasis (spread by tsetse fly).
Zebu cattle (Bos Indicus)
Hot arid and semi-arid regions of Asia and Africa.
Hump, dewlap, lower metabolic rate, larger sweat glands, resistance to ticks, intestinal parasites. Lower water and fodder requirements.
Stronger herding instincts, different vocal sounds, meat is tougher.

7. Bos taurus
(taurine)
Bos Indicus
(zebu)

8. African Cattle
BUTANA, Sudan

9. KURI, Chad

10. Taurine morphology Zebu morphology Hybrid morphology Bibos species
Friesian (T)
Kuri (T/H)
Sahiwal (Z)
Taurine morphology
Zebu morphology
Hybrid morphology
Bibos species
Jersey (T)
Kankrej (Z)
N’Dama (T)
White Fulani (Z)
Kenana (Z)

11. Breeds sampled for DNA (20-50 animals per breed)
Taurine morphology
Zebu morphology
Hybrid morphology
Bibos species

12. mtDNA D loop sequence variations in
Europe
Africa
India
mtDNA D loop sequence variations in
European, African and Indian cattle
DEFINE HAPLOTYPE
Loftus et al 1994

13. Simplified phylogeny from mtDNA control region sequences
European
taurine
African
taurine
African
zebu
Indian
zebu
 300,000 years
Bison
outgroup
1 million years (fossil evidence) a

14. Europe
Near East
Africa
Bos taurus
Bos indicus a a a

15. Later
Harappan

16. Proposed migratory routes of domestic cattle from centres of domestication
Bos taurus (taurine)
Bos indicus (zebu)
Sanga (hybrid)

17. TETSE FLY
TRYPANOSOMIASIS

18. Horse

19. The origins of European cattle

20. Lascaux Cave, years ago

21. Did European aurochs (Bos primigenius primigenius) contribute to domestic populations?

22. Bos primigenius (extinct) Bos taurus Bos indicus a a a Europe
Near East
Africa
Bos taurus
Bos indicus a a a

23. The Fertile Crescent Europe Anatolia Fertile Crescent Asia Minor Egypt
Turkey
Anatolia
Black Sea
Mediterranean Sea
Caspian Sea
Persian Gulf
Jordan
Syria
Iraq
Iran
Saudi Arabia
Zagros Mts.
Asia Minor
Greece
Europe
Fertile Crescent

24. COMPOSITION OF THE FAUNAL REMAINS RECOVERED FROM EARLY NEOLITHIC SITES IN EUROPE
Date B.C.
CATTLE %
SHEEP/GOAT %
PIG
DOG
OTHER
ARGISSA
(Greece)
6000 4 83 9 1 3
KNOSSES
(Crete) 16 65 17 2
ANZA
(Macedonia)
5250 10 78 8
GYALARET
(Hungary)
5000 13 29 46
JEAN CROS
(France)
4500 11 35 27 26
BRESC KUJAWSKI
(Poland)
4250 54 36

25. mtDNA diversity in populations from Europe and the Middle East

26. Continental route
DA Genetic distances
Mediteranean route
Geographic distances (Km)

27. Diversity of milk protein genes in cattle
Frequency of lactose tolerance in humans
Beja-Pereira et al. Nat Genet 2003

28. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Dave MacHugh
Ronan Loftus
Dan Bradley
Paul Sharp
Chris Troy
Ruth Freeman