A mass screening programme of Angus cattle for the mannosidosis genotype - a prototype programme for control of inherited diseases in animals

Authors: Digby JG, Rammell CG, Jolly RD
Publication: New Zealand Veterinary Journal, Volume 22, Issue 11, pp 218-222, Nov 1974
Publisher: Taylor and Francis

Animal type: Cattle, Livestock, Production animal, Ruminant
Subject Terms: Biosecurity, Diagnostic procedures, Disease surveillance, Genetics, Inherited disease/conditions, Nervous system/neurology
Article class: Scientific Article

---

Abstract: Recent research has shown that the gene frequency for mannosidosis (pseudolipidosis) may approximate 0.05 in pedigree Angus herds (Jolly, unpublished data). As epidemiological studies suggest an equal frequency in commercial non-pedigree herds, the disease is of economic importance to the national beef industry. Mannosidosis is an inherited lysosomal storage disease associated with a defect in catabolism of the heterosaccharide fraction of glycoproteins (Whittem and Walker, 1957; Jolly 1971; Hocking et al 1972; Phillips et al 1974). Whereas animals with mannosidosis have negligible tissue and plasma levels of α-mannosidase, heterozygotes having one normal gene and one defective gene have approximately half the normal level of enzyme in their tissues and plasma. This observation forms the basis for a control programme in which heterozygotes are identified by their plasma α-mannosidase levels (Jolly et al 1973, 1974a, b). The general principles of heterozygote screening programmes, and outlines of the technical and organizational procedures to be employed in the mannosidosis control scheme in New Zealand are discussed in this paper.

---