Genetic associations between reproductive and linear-type traits of Holstein cows in Brazil

Abstract

-This study aimed to estimate heritability, genetic, and residual correlations between reproductive traits such as age at first calving, calving interval, dry period, and first service period and linear type traits measured in Holstein cows born between the years 1990 and 2008 in Brazil. The (co)variance components were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood, using the MTDFREML software. The heritability for reproductive traits and linear-type traits ranged from 0.02 to 0.03 and from 0.07 to 0.40, respectively. Estimates of genetic correlations between reproductive and linear-type traits ranged from -0.23 (top line) to 0.28 (angularity) to age at first calving, from -0.54 (final score) to 0.34 (foot angle) to calving interval, from -0.23 (angularity) to 0.56 (stature) to dry period, and from -0.52 (final score) to 0.36 (height udder) to first service period. Direct selection for any of the reproductive traits implies low genetic gains by virtue of their low heritabilities. Among the linear-type traits, the final score, chest width, top line, angularity, teat length, udder attachment, rear teat placement were highlighted as good auxiliary traits to improve reproductive efficiency of Holstein cows in Brazil. The simultaneous selection for reproductive and linear-type traits can lead a higher genetic progress in the reproductive traits.Key Words: age at first calving, dairy cattle, genetic parameters, reproductive efficiency Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia

Expected Impact of Selection for Milk Yield on Reproductive Performance Traits in Holstein Friesian Cows Under Egyptian Conditions

“…Heritability estimate of calving interval (0.09, Table 1; 0.09, Zambrano and Echeverri, 2014;0.11, Ayalew et al, 2017) was slightly higher than the estimates ranged from 0.002 to 0.07 reported in previous works (e.g. Toghiani, 2012;El-Bayoumi, 2015;Almeida et al, 2017) and much lower than the estimate of 0.28 given by Goshu et al (2014).…”

Türkiye’de Yetiştirilen Siyah Alaca İneklerin Doğrusal Tip Özellikleri, Birinci Laktasyon Karlılığı ve Verim Özellikleri Arasındaki Genotopik Korelasyonlar

“…Most udder traits had low heritabilities except for teat length (0.36). The heritability values of most udder traits were similar to previously published studies (Mrode and Swanson, 1994;Veerkamp and Brotherstone 1997;Vollema and Groen, 1997;Toghiani, 2011;Bohlouli et al, 2015;Viegas et al, 2015;Prestes et al, 2017).…”

Productive and reproductive performance of Holstein cows in Agreste, Pernambuco, from 2007 to 2017

“…The values found for IP and PS were higher than those reported by other researchers. Grebogi et al (2008) and Almeida et al (2017) found mean values of 390 and 110, and 420 and 61 days, for IP and PS respectively. However, they were like those found by Marestone et al (2013), who reported mean values of 449 (±118.2) and 178 (±118.73) days for Holstein cows in the states of São Paulo and Paraná, respectively.…”

“…Eastham et al (2018) stated that the ideal goal for the breed is rarely achieved in any country and that the average IPP ranges from 735 to 930 days. Almeida et al (2017) evaluated data from the Brazilian Association of Breeders of Cattle of the Holstein Breed and its state affiliates, between 1995 and 2010, and reported that the average IPP in the herd was 805.8 days. Parity interval (IP) and service period (PS) showed significant differences between farms (P< 0.05).…”