A method of treating a symptom of neurodegenerative disease in a mammal subject includes administering a ganglioside preparation enriched in GM1, derived from an ovine animal afflicted with GM1 gangliosidosis. The ganglioside preparation is prepared through tissue isolation, extraction, and purification processes. The method includes the treatment of a symptom of Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. A selective breeding method for producing a GM1 gangliosidosis-affected, scrapie-resistant ovine animal that produces substantially high tissue concentrations of GM1 ganglioside is described. A method to produce multiple successive generations of ovine animals to produce a GM1 gangliosidosis-affected, scrapie-resistant ovine animal and the production of additional generations to improve trait characteristics. The ganglioside product enriched in GM1 is extracted from an ovine animal that is GM1 affected and scrapie-resistant.

A method of treating a symptom of neurodegenerative disease in a mammal subject includes administering a ganglioside preparation enriched in GM1, derived from an ovine animal afflicted with GM1 gangliosidosis. The ganglioside preparation is prepared through tissue isolation, extraction, and purification processes. The method includes the treatment of a symptom of Huntington's disease and other neurodegenerative diseases. A selective breeding method for producing a GM1 gangliosidosis-affected, scrapie-resistant ovine animal that produces substantially high tissue concentrations of GM1 ganglioside is described. A method to produce multiple successive generations of ovine animals to produce a GM1 gangliosidosis-affected, scrapie-resistant ovine animal and the production of additional generations to improve trait characteristics. The ganglioside product enriched in GM1 is extracted from an ovine animal that is GM1 affected and scrapie-resistant.

Single nucleotide polymorphic sites of the bovine MAP1B, PPP1R11, and DDX4 genes are associated with improved bull fertility as measured by e.g. sire conception rates. Nucleic acid molecules, arrays, kits, methods of genotyping and marker-assisted bovine breeding methods based on these SNPs are disclosed.

Single nucleotide polymorphic sites of the bovine MAP1B, PPP1R11, and DDX4 genes are associated with improved bull fertility as measured by e.g. sire conception rates. Nucleic acid molecules, arrays, kits, methods of genotyping and marker-assisted bovine breeding methods based on these SNPs are disclosed.

A non-human animal model for neurodegenerative and/or inflammatory diseases is provided, which non-human animal comprises a disruption in a C9ORF72 locus. In particular, non-human animals described herein comprise a deletion of an entire coding sequence of a C9ORF72 locus. Methods of identifying therapeutic candidates that may be used to prevent, delay or treat one or more neurodegenerative (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)), autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases (e.g., SLE, glomerulonephritis) are also provided.

A non-human animal model for neurodegenerative and/or inflammatory diseases is provided, which non-human animal comprises a disruption in a C9ORF72 locus. In particular, non-human animals described herein comprise a deletion of an entire coding sequence of a C9ORF72 locus. Methods of identifying therapeutic candidates that may be used to prevent, delay or treat one or more neurodegenerative (e.g., amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS, also referred to as Lou Gehrig's disease) and frontotemporal dementia (FTD)), autoimmune and/or inflammatory diseases (e.g., SLE, glomerulonephritis) are also provided.

Applicants have identified that three critical phenotypic/genetic measures are highly correlated with transition period health and may be used in selection and breeding protocols and/or in combination with traditional breeding and marker assisted selection methods to improve predictability of transition period health. According to the invention genetic evaluations for mastitis, ketosis, and metritis have been found to be highly predictive of overall transition health. The genetic evaluations are produced by directly measuring thousands of clinical cases of mastitis, ketosis, and metritis in ancestors of a particular animal and using this data in selection. Applicant's selection criteria and quickly impact a breeders population by reducing transition cow disease incidence in the initial population and in progeny.

Applicants have identified that three critical phenotypic/genetic measures are highly correlated with transition period health and may be used in selection and breeding protocols and/or in combination with traditional breeding and marker assisted selection methods to improve predictability of transition period health. According to the invention genetic evaluations for mastitis, ketosis, and metritis have been found to be highly predictive of overall transition health. The genetic evaluations are produced by directly measuring thousands of clinical cases of mastitis, ketosis, and metritis in ancestors of a particular animal and using this data in selection. Applicant's selection criteria and quickly impact a breeders population by reducing transition cow disease incidence in the initial population and in progeny.

The present disclosure provides methods of determining the susceptibility of a dog to liver copper accumulation, comprising detecting in a biological sample obtained from the dog the presence or absence in the genome of the dog of one or more polymorphisms, and methods of treating or breeding the dog based on such determination.

The present disclosure provides methods of determining the susceptibility of a dog to liver copper accumulation, comprising detecting in a biological sample obtained from the dog the presence or absence in the genome of the dog of one or more polymorphisms, and methods of treating or breeding the dog based on such determination.