UQ research sharpens new genetic test to breed hornless cattle

Australian cattle producers can more accurately determine whether animals in their herd will grow horns, thanks to a new genetic test developed using University of Queensland research. 

UQ’s commercialisation company UniQuest licensed the research to Neogen Corporation, which unveiled its new genetic test at the Australian Brahman Breeders’ Association annual conference in Airlie Beach this week.

Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation Associate Professor Elizabeth Ross said her team identified a previously undetected variant of the polled, or hornless, gene in Australian cattle.

“The Guarani poll test is a specialised genetic test used in cattle breeding to identify the presence of a specific hornless genetic variant in Bos indicus breeds, such as the Australian Brahman,” Dr Ross said.

“This is the first test able to detect a Guarani poll mutation, which is one of 4 gene variants associated with hornless cattle including Celtic, Friesian and Mongolian.”

Dr Ross said existing commercial genetic tests detected only 2 of the 4 known hornless or polled mutations .

“Cattle producers are increasingly using DNA tests to breed horns out of their cattle herds because polled animals are safer and allow for more welfare-friendly management,” Dr Ross said.

“We know the Pg allele, the variant gene causing horns not to grow on some animals, is out there in the Australian Brahman population because we have found it directly in 3 of the 4 herds we studied.

“This test will finally give producers with hornless cattle more accurate genetic test results and allow them to purposely breed hornless calves.”

Neogen strategic beef accounts manager Hannah Bourke said it was pleased to partner with UniQuest to deliver the new Guarani Poll DNA test to the Australian market.

“We are proud to be able to deliver commercially relevant solutions to industry,” Ms Bourke said. 

UniQuest CEO Dr Dean Moss said it was exciting to see UQ research drive meaningful results for Australian producers.

“This test will give Australian cattle producers confidence in their breeding decisions and it’s fantastic UQ research has played a vital role in that,” Dr Moss said.

The test will be available to Australian producers from May 2026.

The Poll Guarani allele was originally discovered by Utsunomiya et al in 2019 in cattle in Brazil, and named as Guarani (PG) after the aquifer beneath its assumed region of origin.