Genomic Structure and Selection History across Angus Populations Worldwide: Insights from ROH, Selection Mapping, and Functional Analyses
Open accessAbstract
Angus cattle, originally from Scotland, have been selectively bred for over 400 years, making them one of the most prominent beef breeds globally. Known for their adaptability, natural polled traits, and high-quality beef, Angus cattle have been intensively selected for growth, body size, and feed efficiency. This study investigates the genetic diversity, selection history, and key genomic regions across five Angus populations from the USA, Canada, Australia, Brazil, and Red Angus of America. Genomic data from 71,283 animals born between 1961 and 2024 were analyzed using Principal Component Analysis (PCA), phylogenetic tree construction, and Runs of Homozygosity (ROH), with the Generation Proxy Selection Mapping (GPSM) approach used to assess selection history. Functional annotation identified candidate genes and pathways related to selection. Our analysis revealed both similarities and differences across populations. The PCA and FST metrics showed minimal differentiation between the American, Canadian, Australian, and Brazilian populations, with greater differentiation observed in the Red Angus population. The ROH analysis revealed that the Brazilian population had the highest number of ROHs. The ROH islands identified on BTA8 and BTA13 in the American and Australian populations were linked to traits like body weight, marbling, and tenderness. The GPSM identified significant markers associated with body weight and growth in all populations, reflecting ongoing selection pressures. This study highlights the potential of genomics to improve our understanding of Angus cattle's genetic architecture and selection history. It underscores the feasibility of integrating global populations for more accurate genomic evaluations, enhancing genetic predictions, and supporting sustainable beef production worldwide.
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In the United States, the establishment of the "Certified Angus Beef" brand in 1978 further focused the breeding objectives for intramuscular fat content, achieving standardized and premium product quality.
“In the United States, the establishment of the “Certified Angus Beef” brand in 1978 further focused the breeding objectives for intramuscular fat content, achieving standardized and premium product quality [80].”
From The Genomic Landscape of Cattle: Domestication, Dispersal, and Adaptive Evolution (2026) · cites this paper as [80]
The Introduction (page unavailable) says branded beef programs partly facilitated Angus selective breeding and describes the breed as valued for marbled, high-quality beef. It does not identify Certified Angus Beef, give a 1978 establishment date, or say that this brand focused US breeding on intramuscular fat and achieved standardized premium quality. (LLM, conf=0.82)
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- Authors
- Mulim, H. A., Campos, G. S., Cardoso, F. F., Pedrosa, V. B., Latimer, K., Upperman, L. R., Knowles, A. J., Garcia, A., Retallick, K., Miller, S., & de Oliveira, H. R.
- Affiliations
- Purdue University West Lafayette (US)
- Embrapa (BR)
- Neogen (United States) (US)
- New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Mulim, Henrique A.
- Venue
- Mammalian Genome
- Published
- 2025-12-22
- Volume
- 37
- Issue
- 1
- Pages
- 19-19
- ISSN
- 0938-8990 (ISSN-L)
- 1432-1777
- PMC
- PMC12722264
- OpenAlex
- W7116690248
- Cited by
- 5
- References
- 39
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5
- FWCI
- 2.94
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- hybrid
- doi.org
- Locations
- Mammalian Genome (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic and phenotypic traits in livestock
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic Mapping and Diversity in Plants and Animals
- Life Sciences › Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology › Genetics › Genetic diversity and population structure
- Keywords
- Angus cattle, selection history, runs of homozygosity, genetic diversity, genetic differentiation, beef cattle, growth traits, body weight, marbling, meat tenderness, candidate genes, genomic evaluation, Red Angus
- MeSH terms
- Animals, Australia, Cattle, Chromosome Mapping, Genetics, Population, Homozygote, Phylogeny, Selection, Genetic, Genetic Variation, Genome, Genomics, Principal Component Analysis
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