Molecular Characterization of Milk Protein Genes in Sudanese Dairy Cattle

There is an urgent need to conserve the pure Sudanese dairy cattle breeds and to study the genetic components and breed attributes as a primary step in any conservation programme.
The motivation for the conservation of Sudanese local cattle breeds is their adaptation to harsh environmental conditions, which allows using them directly in subsequent breeding and cross breeding programs for the design of genetic improvement programs.
Molecular genetics offers the opportunity to dissect phenotypic differences at the molecular level, which provides more detailed genotypic information on individuals as well as information on which alleles or chromosomal segments are transmitted by a parent to its offspring, and offers the opportunity to better exploit phenotypic information to identify the genetically unique individuals which can be use in subsequent improvement program.
The composition of bovine milk protein is an important factor for the profitability of the dairy industry.
Natural variation in milk protein concentration can markedly affect the yield and quality of cheese making processes, thus causing a direct and significant economic impact on the producers.