Comparisons of the domestic cattle genome sequence to those of the human, dog, mouse, rat, opossum and platypus could reveal new insights about the human genome, scientists said.

They warned that present cattle came from a diverse ancestral population from Africa, Asia and Europe that has undergone a recent rapid decrease in population size, most likely because of domestication.

"Understanding the cattle genome and having the sequence will allow researchers to understand the genetic basis for disease in domestic cattle and could result in healthier production of meat and milk while reducing producers' dependence on antibiotics," U.S. Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack said in a statement.

The large-scale undertaking, led by researchers at Baylor College of Medicine and the U.S. Agricultural Research Service, mobilized more than 300 scientists from 25 countries over six years.

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Editor:Yang Jie