Genetic effects of season on the preweaning growth of beef cattle: A first approach to Retinta calves

Abstract

Background: Heat stress derived from global warming is causing major economic losses in the livestock industry. Objective: To develop a novel methodological approach for determining the influence of climatic factors on the estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits in Retinta cattle breed by using reaction-norm models. Methods: Live weight records (n=7,753) from 3,162 Retinta calves born from 1,249 dams and 85 sires and raised in the Andalusian region (Spain) were analyzed. The effect of heat stress was measured using the temperature-humidity index, calculated with climatological data obtained from four weather stations. A bivariate-random-regression reaction-norm model was used to estimate the (co)variance components of weight until weaning in two different climatic seasons corresponding to warm and cold months. Results: The heritability pattern of individuals reared under diverse environments during the first 90 days of age was different. However, differences were not significant at the end of the growing period. Weaned calves reared during the cold season showed greater growth from 70 to 160 days in comparison with those reared during the warm season. Conclusions: Highly significant evidence of genotype-climatic condition interaction was found during the calf´s first three months of growth.

Genomic Diversity of the Retinta Breed Derived from Two Ancestral Bovine Lineages

“…The Retinta breed, included in the Official Catalog of Livestock Breeds of Spain as a promotion breed, has an approximate national census of 200,000 cows, of which over 10% are registered in its Stud Book [ 2 ]. These data make the Retinta the second autochthonous Spanish breed with the highest census in all of Spain and the predominant breed in the southwestern peninsular quadrant, with 96% of its animals in the communities of Extremadura and Andalusia [ 26 ]. The level of complete generations of the pedigree is higher than that of other native Spanish breeds, which gives great reliability to the results obtained [ 27 ].…”

Estimation of the Genetic Components of (Co)variance and Preliminary Genome-Wide Association Study for Reproductive Efficiency in Retinta Beef Cattle

“…Retinta is an autochthonous breed with unique adaptive characteristics linked to an extensive regime in the Dehesa ecosystem. Nowadays, it is widely bred in the south of Spain, due to its excellent adaptation to the harsh environment characterized by marginal pasturelands and the hot, dry climate [31]. In 2018, the breed reported more than 42,000 breeding cows, of which 16,850 were enrolled in the Genealogical Book [32].…”

Effect of the rob(1;29) translocation on the fertility of beef cattle reared under extensive conditions: A 30‐year retrospective study

“…Retinta is a Spanish autochthonous breed largely raised extensively on the south and southeast region of the Iberian Peninsula (Morales et al., 2020), in an environment characterized by pasturelands with scarce production and a dry and hot climate. This breed was selected for its adaptability to those conditions, as well as by longevity, during the last 50 years (Morales et al., 2017).…”