Aim
Using modern genetic techniques to investigate the relatedness and historical development of the three Nordic Mountain Cattle breeds, and to inform future breeding and conservation strategies.
Activities
WP5 addressed key genetic questions – for example, how the Finnish, Norwegian, and Swedish mountain cattle are genetically related and how the modern breeds are related to ancient cattle of past centuries. To answer these, the WP5 analysed both modern DNA (existing data) and ancient DNA (aDNA, produced in this project) from historical cattle bone samples (some dating to ~600 years ago). By comparing genomes from past and present, the WP5 gained insights into genetic continuity and changes over time.
Results
Analysis of ancient DNA revealed that some medieval cattle samples clustered closely with modern Nordic Mountain Cattle, indicating long-term genetic continuity of these breeds. Phylogenetic comparisons of nuclear and mitochondrial DNA further clarified the relationships among the Finnish, Swedish, and Norwegian mountain cattle, and identified unique historical genetic variants (novel SNPs) not previously documented. These genetic findings provide a strong scientific basis for future conservation efforts and support increased collaboration across scientific disciplines and countries to preserve the breeds’ adaptive traits and genetic diversity.
WP5 also resulted in the publication below:
Weldenegodguad, Melak; Bläuer, Auli; Kjetså, Maria, Ginja, Catarina; Hufthammer, Anne Karin; Johansson, Anna Maria; Solala, Hilja; Kantanen, Juha; and Honkatukia, Mervi. Genomic and mitochondrial analyses show close genetic affinities between ancient cattle and modern native breeds originating from northern Fennoscandia. Manuscript in preparation (2026).