# Genome-Wide Insights into Intermittent Milking Behavior of Pandharpuri Buffalo

## TL;DR

This study explores the genome of Pandharpuri buffalo to understand its unique intermittent milking behavior and identify genes related to milk production.

## Contribution

The study identifies 1337 candidate genes, including those linked to intermittent milking in Pandharpuri buffalo using whole-genome resequencing.

## Key findings

- 1337 candidate genes were identified, including those related to milk production and intermittent milking.
- Genes like ERBB4, ESR1, and PRKG1 are linked to lactation processes in Pandharpuri buffalo.
- The findings suggest genomic regions that could be targeted for breeding strategies to improve lactation efficiency.

## Abstract

Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are central to the dairy and agricultural economy, contributing high-quality milk, meat, draft power, and manure. Rich milk composition, the ability to utilize low-quality roughage, and strong disease resistance make buffaloes indispensable across diverse production systems. Among India’s major dairy breeds—Murrah, Nili-Ravi, Jaffarabadi, Surti, Bhadawari, Mehsana, and Nagpuri, none exhibit the distinctive trait of intermittent milking, which is uniquely observed in the Pandharpuri buffalo, a registered indigenous breed of Maharashtra. Despite coexisting with dominant dairy breeds such as Murrah, Pandharpuri buffalo is considered to possess primitive riverine ancestry and may represent one of the ancestral lineages from which several Indian breeds evolved. Its evolutionary relevance and unique intermittent milking capacity underscore the need to understand its genomic architecture. To address this, we applied whole-genome resequencing and the De-Correlated Composite of Multiple Signals (DCMS) approach to identify within-breed selection signatures. Our analyses identified 1337 candidate genes, including several linked to milk production, particularly those relevant to the physiological capacity for intermittent milking. Notable genes included ERBB4, ESR1, SYK, INSR, PTPN11, VAV3, MAPK3, and PRKG1. These signatures provide insights into genomic regions and biological pathways that may be involved in lactation-related processes relevant to intermittent milking. The identified genomic regions offer promising targets for functional validation and future genome-informed breeding strategies aimed at conserving this unique indigenous germplasm while improving lactation efficiency and resilience.