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Origins of cattle on Chirikof Island, Alaska

View ORCID ProfileJared E. Decker, View ORCID ProfileJeremy F. Taylor, View ORCID ProfileMatthew A. Cronin, View ORCID ProfileLeeson J. Alexander, View ORCID ProfileJuha Kantanen, View ORCID ProfileAnn Millbrooke, View ORCID ProfileRobert D. Schnabel, View ORCID ProfileMichael D. MacNeil
doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/014415
Jared E. Decker
1S132B Animal Sciences Center, 920 East Campus Drive, Columbia MO 65211
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Jeremy F. Taylor
2S135A Animal Sciences Center, 920 East Campus Drive, Columbia MO 65211
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Matthew A. Cronin
3University of Alaska Fairbanks, School of Natural Resources and Extension, 1509 South Georgeson Drive, Palmer, AK 99645
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Leeson J. Alexander
4USDA Agricultural Research Service, 243 Fort Keogh Road, Miles City, MT 59301, USA
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Juha Kantanen
5Biotechnology and Food Research, MTT Agrifood Research Finland, FI-31600 Jokioinen, Finland, Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, FI-70211 Kuopio, Finland
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Ann Millbrooke
6Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, Daytona Beach, FL 32114, USA, 3410 Golden Valley Drive, Bozeman, MT 59718
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Robert D. Schnabel
7162 Animal Sciences Center, 920 East Campus Drive, Columbia MO 65211
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Michael D. MacNeil
8Delta G, 145 Ice Cave Rd, Miles City, MT 59301 USA
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Abstract

Feral livestock may harbor genetic variation of commercial, scientific, historical or esthetic value. Origins and uniqueness of feral cattle on Chirikof Island, Alaska are uncertain. The island is now part of the Alaska Maritime Wildlife Refuge and Federal wildlife managers want grazing to cease, presumably leading to demise of the cattle. Here we characterize the Chirikof Island cattle relative to extant breeds and discern their origins. Our analyses support the inference that Russian cattle arrived first on Chirikof Island, then approximately 95 years ago the first European taurine cattle were introduced to the island, and finally Hereford cattle were introduced about 40 years ago. While clearly Bos taurus taurus, the Chirikof Island cattle appear at least as distinct as other recognized breeds. Further, this mixture of European and East-Asian cattle is unique compared to other North American breeds and we find evidence that natural selection in the relatively harsh environment of Chirikof Island has further impacted their genetic architecture. These results provide an objective basis for decisions regarding conservation of the Chirikof Island cattle.

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The copyright holder for this preprint is the author/funder, who has granted bioRxiv a license to display the preprint in perpetuity. It is made available under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license.
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Posted January 26, 2015.
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Origins of cattle on Chirikof Island, Alaska
Jared E. Decker, Jeremy F. Taylor, Matthew A. Cronin, Leeson J. Alexander, Juha Kantanen, Ann Millbrooke, Robert D. Schnabel, Michael D. MacNeil
bioRxiv 014415; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/014415
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Origins of cattle on Chirikof Island, Alaska
Jared E. Decker, Jeremy F. Taylor, Matthew A. Cronin, Leeson J. Alexander, Juha Kantanen, Ann Millbrooke, Robert D. Schnabel, Michael D. MacNeil
bioRxiv 014415; doi: https://doi.org/10.1101/014415

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