Influence of vaccination and time on gene expression of healthy backgrounded beef cattle

Twelve clinically healthy backgrounded cattle (n=6 vaccinated, n=6 non-vaccinated), over four time points (median age in days: 107, 114, 183, 230) were selected for whole blood (Tempus Blood RNA Tubes) mRNA sequencing via NovaSeq 6000 S4 workflow. Sequenced raw reads (~35M/sample) were analyzed for the influence of time (immunological development) and vaccination with a commercial modified live viral multivalent vaccine on host gene expression. Comparative time-course RNA-Seq analysis on lysed whole blood samples across four time points. Cattle (n=12) were evenly distributed based on vaccine administration at median day 107 and boostering at median day 183, or no vaccination. Grant: #2019-67015-29845 Title: "Impact of management decisions during the cow-calf, backgrounding, and feedlot phases of beef production on BRD morbidity and mortality risks" Funding source: USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (NIFA) Agriculture and Food Research Initiative (AFRI).