The influence of genotypic factors (breed, Holstein share heredity, line or related group, sire) on the longevity and lifetime production of dairy cows has been investigated. The study was carried out in a retrospective statistical experiment on the commercial dairy farm “Terezyne”, which located in Kyiv region. The formed matrix of observations in the sta format generally contained information about 5703 cows for 458 variables. Holstein cows were characterized by higher longevity (1489 ± 27.8 days) and higher lifetime milk production (21940 ± 500.9 kg), the lowest longevity and lifetime milk production had cows of Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed. Holstein cows compared to animals of Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed had in average more lactations (+0.57 ± 0.187) and higher number of total calves (+0.59 ± 0.244). They had an advantage in lifespan by 218 ± 80.1 days, productive lifespan – by 326 ± 82.0 days, total lactation length – by 282 ± 62.2 days. During the lifetime, they produced 4119 ± 1398.4 kg more milk and 549.3 ± 99.62 kg more milk fat and milk protein. Lifetime daily milk yield of Holstein cows was on average 2.6 ± 0.37 kg higher, lifetime daily milk fat and milk protein – 208 ± 26.7 g more compared to animals of the Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed. Cows of Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed in most traits were intermediate between Holstein and Ukrainian Red-and-White dairy breed. While increasing Holstein share heredity the longevity and lifetime production of cows tended for curvilinear growing. Lifetime of Holstein cows (100%) in the herd was 0.16 ± 0.405 lactations and 325 ± 170.7 days (P < 0.1) longer compared to animals with Holstein share heredity less than 75%. Their lifetime milk production was 8969 ± 2351.6 kg (P < 0.001) higher, lifetime milk fat and milk protein production by 709.9 ± 164.73 kg (P < 0.001) higher, lifetime daily yield by 3.0 ± 0.62 kg (P < 0.001) and 250 ± 43.5 g (P < 0.001), respectively, higher. The cows of Starbuck 352790, Valiant 1650414 and Elevation 1491007 lines and daughter of V. Astronomer 2160438 and H. R. Artist 6284191 sires showed the best longevity and lifetime production. The advantage of cows of the related group of Starbuck 352790 in comparison to animals of other lines in total number of lactations was 0.28–1.29, number of total calves – 0.16–1.20, lifespan – 90–508 days, productive lifespan – 116–603 days, total lactation length – 98–500 days, lifetime milk production – 1402–12161 kg, lifetime milk fat and milk protein production – 115–892 kg. Daughters of bull V. Astronomer 2160438 characterized by 0.96–2.72 more total number of lactations than daughters of other bulls; they had 0.80–2.33 higher average number of total calves. In terms of lifespan, productive lifespan and total lactation length, daughters of this bull were predominated the daughters of other bulls by 392–1037, 297–1143 and 278–971 days, respectively. One-way analysis of variance showed that the greatest influence on longevity and lifetime production of dairy cows had a paternal inheritance, the lowest – breed, it means there is a tendency of increasing the influence of genotypic factors on the researched traits while reducing the level of selection group in the system hierarchy. The strength of breed influence (higher level of intraspecific selection system hierarchy) on the traits of longevity and lifetime production of cows ranged from 1.1 to 12.5%, Holstein share heredity – 3.9 to 19.5%, line or related group – 4.0–19.8% and paternal inheritance – 25.0–47.6%. Greater degree of influence of paternal inheritance is explained both by the lowest (basic) level of intrabreed system hierarchy (the closest level of intragroup kinship) and (partially) by a much higher number of gradations of the organized factor.
It is known that the intensity of the formation of repair heifers in some way correlates with the weight gain and their future milk productivity, but contradictory conclusions about the direction and strength of this correlation need to be further studied, this idea was chosen as an aim of our research. This study was conducted on breeding farm «Terezyne». Data included 861 animals of Holstein, Ukrainian black and white and red and white dairy breeds. The age dynamics of the body weight of repair heifers is estimated from birth to the age of 18 months at an interval of three months, the average daily gain is estimated in three months intervals (0–3, 3–6, 6–9, 9–12, 12–15, 15–18) and half-yearly intervals (0–6, 6–12, 12–18). Intensity of formation was evaluated according to Yu. K. Svechin (1979; 1985). It is established that the value of the index of formation depends on the duration and age of the comparable periods. The higher value of the index acquires in comparison of periods 0–6 and 12–18, 0–6 and 6–12, 0–3 and 9–12 months, the lowest – 6–9 and 9–12. Coefficients of variation for different variants of calculating the index of formation vary in the range from 6.7 to 46.2%, which determines the sufficient possibilities for selection. Growing of heifers was carried out at a rather high level. Their daily average gain decreased from 740 g (the first three months after birth) to 519 g (15–18 months). The firstborns had an advantage over the standard of Holstein breed in the milk yield, milk fat and milk protein by 53.7–60.1%, Ukrainian black and white dairy breed − 190–198.1%, Ukrainian red and white dairy breed − by 200.9–204.8%. Due to the correlation analysis, a statistically significant result of correlated variability was found in the most of the studied variants of the index of formation with a body weight of heifers at the age of 18 months, 305 days milk yield of firstborns and the calving interval between the first and second calving. When comparing of periods 0–3 and 3–6, 0–3 and 6–9, 0–3 and 9–12 and 6–12 and 12–18 months, the correlation coefficients have a higher level of statistical probabilities. When comparing of the second and third half-year periods of postnatal development these correlations have a reliable inverse direction. The inverse correlation between the intensity of formation of body weight and the milk yield of firstborn was noted. Emphasis should be placed on the decrease of the values of the correlation coefficients to the unreliable level in the case of comparing two periods either before or after the intensive maturing of heifers (0–3 and 3–6, 6–9 and 9–12, 6–12 and 12–18 months). The highest statistically significant inverse correlation with the milk yield of firstborns was defined in the cases of comparison of semi-annual periods at the age of 0–6 and 12–18 and 0–6 and 6–12 months and three-month periods − at the age of 3–6 and 9–12 and 0–3 and 9–12 months. There was not find correlation between the intensity of formation of heifers body weight and the calving interval between the first and second calving. Correlation coefficients were low (less than 5%), multidimensional and in all cases insignificant. In all studied variants, heifers with the fast formation of body weight had significantly higher average daily gain from birth to three and six months and it was lower in the age from nine to fifteen months. The revealed tendency has led to the maximum increasing of advantage of these animals over heifers of the same age with a slow formation of body weight at the age of three (by 1.6–11.4 kg or 1.5–11.6%) and six (by 9.8–17.5 kg or 5.9–9.8%) months with the next decrease of intergroup difference and its practical leveling to insignificant level at the age of 18 months. By milk yield, milk fat and milk protein of firstborns the significant advantage was marked for in animals with a slow decline in relative growth rate. The most significant this advantage was at the age of 3–6 and 9–12 months (respectively 402; 15.3 and 13.4 kg or 6.4; 6.5 and 6.5%), 0–6 and 12–18 months (381; 13.9 and 12.6 kg or 6.1; 5.9 and 6.1%) and 0–6 and 6–12 months (321; 12.1 and 10.4 kg or 5.1; 5.1 and 5.0%). Thus, taking into account the maximum correlation and the most effective advantage over milk productivity of firstborns, it has been found that the most effective is the selection of heifers with a slow formation of body weight at the ages of 3–6 and 9–12 months. On the base of one-factor dispersion analysis it was found a significant influence (over 20%) of the father's origin on the variability of most tested indexes of formation at the age of 0–3 and 9–12, 3–6 and 9–12, 0–6 and 12–18 and 0–6 and 6–12 months. The significant influence of father's origin demonstrates the potential effectiveness of the bulls’ selection on a certain characteristics of their daughters. Conclusions. 1. Heifers with a fast formation of body weight have significantly higher average daily gain from birth to six months and lower average daily gain at the age from nine to fifteen months, which results in the maximum increasing of the advantage of these animals over the heifers of the same age with a slow formation of body weight at age three (by 1.6–11.4 kg or 1.5–11.6%) and six (by 9.8–17.5 kg or 5.9–9.8%) months (P < 0,001). For the milk yield, fat content and protein content of firstborns a significant advantage, on the contrary, had the animals with a slow formation of body weight. The most significant this advantage was in comparison of relative gains of body weight at the age of 3–6 and 9–12; 0–6 and 12–18; 0–6 and 6–12 months (5.0–6.5%, P< 0.001). Any tendencies of changes of fat content and protein content, depending on the intensity of the body weight formation of repair heifers and a significant correlation between the formation of live weight and calving interval between the first and second calving was not found. A high significant level of inheritance (up to 26.3%) gives grounds to expect sufficient results of selection in increasing of milk yield of firstborns by indirect predictive constitutional indicator of the intensity of body weight formation.
It is proved that the live weight of replacement heifers, the intensity of their formation and milk productivity in primiparous cows depends on father origin, in particular, the value of the index of live weight formation between groups of half-siblings ranges from 68,9 to 82.3 (for comparing ages 6–0 and 12–6 months), from 15,1 to 18,4 (6–3 and 9–6 months), from 23,8 to 28,6 (6–3 and 12–9 months); average daily growth rate in the age of 0–12 months – from 659 to 717 g, 12–18 months – from 500 to 585 g; live weight at the age of 12 months – from 367 to 399 kg; 305-day milk yield – from 5295 to 7595 kg, fat content in milk – from 3,70 to 3,78 %, protein content – from 3,23 to 3,34 %, milk fat – from 197 to 286 kg, milk protein – from 175 to 253 kg. Regardless of the method of determining the index of live weight formation, the higher values of them had daughters of sires M. Nirvana 101709244 (82,3; 18,3; 26,9, respectively), B. Buick 10789585 (80,0; 18,1; 28,6) and M. W. Tahoe 8189401 (80,1; 18,4; 27,7). There were determined differences (P < 0,001) between half-siblings by the average daily growth at the age 0-12 and 12-18 months. At the age of 0-12 months, the higher average daily growths showed daughters of sires M. W. Tahoe 8189401, Flame 112302008 and B. Buick 10789585 (on average 711 g), aged 12–18 months – daughters of sires M. Nirvana 101709244, N. Alfons 353588796, H. R. Artist 6284191 and H. Hadley 123055802 (on average 566 g). The higher intensity of growth of replacement heifers up to 12 months was not related to higher milk productivity in primiparous cows. The advantage of milk yield (+606…+1373 kg, P < 0,001), milk fat (+25…+54 kg, P < 0,001) and milk protein (+22…+48 kg, P < 0,001) was observed in daughters of sires M. Estimate 5925716 and N. Alfons 353588796, whose live weight at the age of 18 months did not exceed the average in the group. The low milk productivity (–525…–927 kg of milk compared to the average, –18…–44 kg of milk fat and –8…–30 kg of milk protein) were characterized for daughters of bulls Flame 112302008 and M. W. Tahoe 8189401, which had significantly higher intensity of growth and live weight formation. Based on the variance analysis it was established that the effect of parentage on the live weight of cows from birth to 18 months was 24,4–43,6 % of the total phenotypic variation, the average daily growth rate – 27,5–47,7 %, traits of milk productivity – 18,0–30,1 % with a high probability (P < 0,001) Key words: dairy cattle, parentage, half-siblings, the index of live weight formation, milk productivity, power of influence.
Петренко (1999) консолідованістю певної групи тварин називає тривалий селекційно-генетичний процес досягнення певної стабільності їхньої генотипової і фенотипової подібності за селекційними ознаками серед структурних одиниць породи, стада, яка реалізується через відносне звуження генотипової і фенотипової відмінностей, закріплен-ня їх на бажаному рівні прояву за відповідної взаємодії «генотип-середовище», що гарантовано забезпечує високу спадкову стійкість їх передачі тваринами своєму потомству. Фенотипова консолідованість різних селекційних груп тварин є бажаним процесом, який вказує на спрямованість та ефективність селекційної роботи із певною групою тварин та сприяє збереженню міжгрупової диференціації та мінливості (Полупан,
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.