# Phylogenetic Position of Hungarian Grey Cattle Breed Based on Total-Representation Sample

## TL;DR

The Hungarian Grey cattle breed has a unique genetic makeup, preserving original taurine DNA and showing no signs of hybridization with European aurochs.

## Contribution

This study provides the first comprehensive genomic analysis of the Hungarian Grey cattle breed using a fully representative sample.

## Key findings

- The Hungarian Grey cattle breed has a high haplotype diversity and belongs to the taurine T macro-haplogroup.
- The breed shows no genetic traces of hybridization with European aurochs.
- The breed's genetic similarity to other Podolian breeds suggests a preserved genetic background.

## Abstract

The Hungarian Grey cattle breed was almost extinct after WW2, with only 200 cows and six bulls surviving. Therefore, it was possible to generate a complete representative sample for phylogenetic analysis of the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) inherited along maternal lineages. Our results show a high genetic variability and testify that the breed conserves the original taurine (T) mtDNA sequences and does not carry genetic traces of hybridization with European aurochs. This is presumably because this breed has never been used for anything other than extensive beef production and, therefore, was not hybridized. This suggests that the original Podolian breeds not used for intensive production are genetically distinct from other intensive Podolian breeds.

The Hungarian Grey (HG) cattle breed was almost extinct after WW2; only 200 cows and six bulls survived. Despite the historical significance of the HG, no comprehensive genomic analysis has been conducted to clarify its genetic diversity and evolutionary history. Previous studies have relied on random or limited pedigree sampling, lacking a fully representative dataset determining genetic and conservation status. Here, the founder sampling of 110 individuals and the analysis of their mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequence variation aim to investigate the phylogenetic placement of the breed using, for the first time, a fully representative sample. All identified haplogroups belong to the taurine T macro-haplogroup, with a predominance of T3 (89.1%), followed by T2 (4.5%), T1 (3.6%), and T1′2′3 (2.7%). The phylogenetic analysis confirms the absence of ancient haplogroups derived from European aurochs, suggesting a purely taurine origin for the HG breed. The high haplotype diversity (Hd = 0.94) and the genetic similarity to other Podolian breeds, particularly Maremmana cattle, indicate a preserved genetic background despite centuries of selective breeding. The lack of intensive crossbreeding practices has maintained the original beef production purpose of the breed, distinguishing it from the crossbred Podolian cattle used for dual-purpose or dairy production.