Covariance matrices for growth traits of Australian Polled Hereford cattle

1993 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Meyer

AbstractEstimates of covariance components due to direct and maternal effects among birth, weaning, yearling and final weight for Australian Polled Herefords were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood fitting an animal model. Data were obtained from commercial herds participating in the National Beef Recording Scheme and an across-herd genetic evaluation service. Analyses were carried out considering nine subsets of data, each comprising at least 3000 weaning, 1000 yearling and 500 final weight records which yielded a total of 30 506,17 105 and 9486 records for the three weights, respectively. Estimates of variances and genetic parameters varied considerably between data sets. Both genetic and permanent environmental effects were found to affect all traits except final weights significantly, with maternal environmental effects explaining proportionately more than 0·20 of the total variation in weaning weight. Estimates of the direct-maternal genetic correlation were consistently negative and moderate to strong, ranging from -0·34 to -0·82 for weaning weight. Maternal correlations between weaning and yearling weights were close to unity. Estimates of the direct genetic correlations among the three later weights were 0·8 or larger. Problems with this kind of analysis are discussed.

1993 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Meyer

Restricted maximum likelihood estimates of covariance components and the resulting genetic parameters were obtained for birth, weaning, yearling and final weights and postweaning gain of Australian Charolais cattle fitting an animal model including genetic or permanent environmental maternal effects. No 'carry-over' of maternal effects till weaning on postweaning weights was found. Direct heritability estimates were 34, 41 and 22% for yearling weight, final weight and postweaning gain respectively. Maternal genetic effects were not important for birth weight and were small for weaning weight. Permanent environmental maternal effects affected birth weight to a moderate extent, but were the main factor determining weaning weight, explaining 4% and 21% of the respective phenotypic variance while direct heritabilities were 21% (birth) and 12% (weaning). Direct genetic correlations between birth and the other weights were medium, ranging from 0.44 to 0.67, while estimates between weaning, yearling and final weight were close to unity.


1980 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Mavrogenis ◽  
A. Louca ◽  
O. W. Robison

ABSTRACTData on 792 Chios lambs born during the 1972/73 and 1973/74 lambing seasons were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for birth weight, weaning weight, age at weaning, pre-weaning daily gain, body weight at 5, 10, 15 and 20 weeks of age, and postweaning daily gain. Body weight at 15 weeks of age had the highest heritability estimate (0·73 ± 0·17) and that of post-weaning daily gain was also high (0·56 ± 0·15). Selection for either weight at 15 weeks or post-weaning daily gain would be expected to yield a greater response than selection for pre-weaning daily gain or weaning weight. Genetic correlations among weights and/or gains were positive (approximately 0·20). Phenotypic correlations among weights and gains were generally higher than genetic correlations. However, the correlation between pre— and post-weaning daily gain was small (0·08). Likewise, post-weaning daily gain had low correlations with all weights before 10 weeks. Age at weaning had moderate negative associations with all weights but a very low positive correlation with post-weaning daily gain.


2001 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio A. Elzo ◽  
Germán Martínez

<p>Se utilizaron datos de crecimiento de terneros del rebaño multirracial Sanmartinero-Cebú localizado en el Centro de Investigaciones La Libertad, con el objeto de obtener la estimación de razones genéticas aditivas (heredabilidades), no aditivas (interactibi-lidades) y correlaciones genético aditivas, no aditivas, directas y maternas para peso al nacimiento, peso al destete (240 d),y ganancia de peso postdestete (240 a 480 d). Se obtuvieron también predicciones de valores genéticos aditivos y no aditivos de los tres caracteres de crecimiento para todos los toros usados en el rebaño enlre r97ty 1996. La metodología utilizada,tanto para el cálculo de la estimación de componentes de varianza y covarianza, como para las predicciones genéticas de toros, fue de tipo multirracial. La estimación de heredabilidades en las razas Sanmartinero y Cebú fue: 0.26 y 0.30 para peso al nacimiento directo, 0.10 y 0.08 para peso al destete directo, 0.44 y 0.37 para ganancia postdestete directa, 0.29 y 0.36 para peso al nacimiento materno, 0.11 y 0.10 para peso al destete materno y 0.46 y 0.38 para ganancia postdeste materno, respectivamente. Las estimaciones de correlaciones genéticas aditivas y no aditivas entre todos los caracteres y efectos genéticos fueron bajas; la mayoría de ellas (38 de 45) menores de 0.10. Las predicciones genéticas aditivas y totales directas indican que los toros Sanmartinero tuvieron, en general, terneros más pequeños al nacimiento, de menor peso al destete y de similar ganancia postdestete que en los terneros de toros Cebú. Las predicciones genéticas aditivas y totales maternas, por el contrario, sugieren que hijas de toros Sanmartinero tuvieron terneros más grandes al nacimiento, de mayor peso al destete y de mayor ganancia postdestete que terneros de hijas de toros Cebú. Las predicciones genéticas no aditivas directas fueron mayores que las no aditivas maternas para toros Sanmartinero y Cebú. Por su parte, las predicciones aditivas y no aditivas pre y postdestete maternas sugieren que terneros de madres de menor habilidad materna (e.g., menor producción de leche) crecieron más en el período postdestete. Estos resultados indican que animales Sanmartinero fueron competitivos con animales Cebú para caracteres de crecimiento y demostraron excelente habilidad combinatoria interracial bajo Ias condiciones de nutrición y manejo del Centro de Investigación La Libertad.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Variability  and additive, non additive and total genetic predictions in the multibreed, Sanmartinero-Cebu beef cattle herd in La Libertad Research Center</strong></p><p>Calf growth data from the Sanmartinero-Zebu multibreed herd located at the La Libertad Research Center were used to obtain estimations of additive genetic ratios (heritabilities), non additive genetic atios (interactibilities), and additive, non additive, direct and maternal genetic correlations for birth weight, weaning weight (240 d), and postweaning gain (240 to 480 d). Additive and non additive genetic values were predicted for the three growth traits, for all sires used in the herd from 1971 to 1996. Multibreed methodology was used to compute estimates of covariance components and to predict sire genetic values. Heritability estimates in the Sanmartinero and Zebu breeds were 0.26 and 0.30 for birth weight direct, 0.10 and 0.08 for weaning weight direct, 0.44 and 0.37 for postweaning weight direct, 0.29 and 0.36 for birth weight maternal, 0.11 and 0.10 for weaning weight maternal, and 0.46 and 0.38 for postweaning weight maternal. Estimates of additive and non additive genetic correlations among all traits and genetic effects were low; most of them (38 of 45) were smaller than 0.10. Additive and total direct genetic predictions indicate that calves sired by Sanmartinero bulls were, in general, smaller at birth and at weaning, but had similar postweaning gains to calves from Zebu bulls. Additive and total maternal predictions, on the other hand, suggest that daughters of Sanmartinero sires had larger calves at birth that were heavier at weaning, and had larger postvveaning gains than calves of daughters of Zebu sires. Non additive direct genetic predictions were larger than non additive maternal ones for both: Sanmartinero and Zebu sires. Additive and non additive maternal predictions for pre and postweaning gain, however, suggest that calves of dams of lower maternal ability (e.g., lower milk production) grew more postweaning than those of higher maternal ability. These results suggest that Sanmartinero cattle were competitive with Zebu cattle for growth traits, and demonstrated an excellent interbreed combining ability under the nutritional and management conditions of La Libertad.</p>


2018 ◽  
Vol 34 (4) ◽  
pp. 433-441
Author(s):  
Houari Yerou ◽  
Hakim Ouldouelhadj ◽  
Abdelrahmane Berber ◽  
Amine Mokadem ◽  
Bachir Koudad

The data base for body weights and growths of 411 Hamra lambs were used to estimate genetic parameters. These lambs were obtained from 31 rams and 493 ewes between 2012 and 2017. Traits analysed were weights at birth (BW), 30 days (W30), 90 days (W90) of age, and average daily gains from 10 to 30 (ADG10-30) and30-90 (ADG30-90) days. REML estimates of variance and covariance components were obtained assuming animal models that included the fixed effects for year-type of birth (2012 single, 2012 twin, . ., 2017 single, 2017 twin), sex (male, female), and ewes age at lambing (< 18, 18-30, 30-42, 42-54, >54 months). Heritabilities were 0.12, 0.06 and 0.11 respectively for BW, W3Oand W90and the average daily gains were 0.05 and 0.17 for ADG0-30and ADG30-90. The estimates of genetic correlations showed no genetic antagonisms among the growth traits. The genetic correlations estimated were positive and medium to high, except those between ADG30-90 and ADG0-30 and between ADG30-90 and W30 which were slightly negative. Phenotypic correlations were positive and ranged from 0.12 to 0.85. They were high between adjacent weights and between ADG and their corresponding weights.


2001 ◽  
Vol 137 (3) ◽  
pp. 365-371 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. A. AL-SHOREPY

Genetic parameters were estimated for purebred and crossbred lambs of a local breed using a single trait animal model. The traits recorded were: birth weight (BWT), weight at 30 days (WT30), weaning weight (WWT), average daily gain from 1 to 30 days (ADG1) and average daily gain from 30 to 90 days (ADG2). Five different animal models were fitted for each trait; all including additive direct genetic variance and various combinations of additive maternal and environmental maternal effects. The most appropriate model was chosen based on likelihood ratio tests. Additive maternal and permanent environmental effects were important (P < 0·05) for birth weight in purebred and crossbred lambs, when compared with a model containing only additive direct effects. Inclusion of maternal permanent environmental effects provided a better fit (P < 0·05) for weaning weight in purebred lambs than a model containing only additive direct effects. Estimates of heritability from the model containing additive direct, maternal effects and maternal permanent environmental effects, but not additive direct-maternal correlation, for combined purebred and crossbred lambs were 0·32 for BWT, 0·19 for WT30, 0·24 for WWT, 0·26 for ADG1 and 0·12 for ADG2. Estimates of additive maternal and maternal permanent environmental variances, respectively, as a proportion of phenotypic variance were 0·06 and 0·07 for BWT, 0·05 and 0·02 for WT30, 0·02 and 0·03 for WWT, 0·03 and 0·05 for ADG1 and 0·00 and 0·03 for ADG2. Estimates of direct-maternal correlation in subsequent analyses were significant and ranged from −0·16 to −0·95 for live weights and from −0·73 to −1·0 for daily gains. However, the very large negative correlations probably resulted from undefined non-genetic covariances as well as possible antagonistic genetic effects. These results indicate that it would be possible to improve growth traits in a local sheep breed through genetic selection.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodrigo Alfredo Martínez ◽  
Juan Esteban Pérez ◽  
Teófilo Herazo

<p>Se establecieron componentes de varianza, así como parámetros fenotípicos y genéticos, respecto de las variables ‘peso al nacimiento’, ‘peso al destete’ (ajustado a los 270 días) y ‘peso a los 480 días’ en un hato del ganado criollo colombiano Costeño con Cuernos. Se analizaron 2.281 registros de pesos al nacer, 1.722 de pesos al destete  y 1.086 de pesos ajustados a los 480 días utilizando la metodología de máxima verosimilitud restringida (DFREML). También se ajustó un modelo animal que incluyó efectos genéticos directos, maternos y de ambiente permanente, asumiendo como efectos fijos el año de nacimiento, el sexo del ternero y el número de partos de la madre; finalmente, se estimaron los parámetros genéticos ‘heredabilidad’, ‘repetibilildad’ y se establecieron correlaciones genéticas y fenotípicas. Se reportan bajas estimaciones de heredabilidad de los efectos directos, que varían entre 0,17 ± 0,001 y 0,21 ± 0,074 para los pesos al nacer y al destete, respectivamente; así mismo, fue baja la heredabilidad de los efectos genéticos maternos con relación al peso al nacimiento, aunque estos estimados aumentaron respecto de los pesos al nacer y al destete. Las correlaciones entre efectos directos y maternos fueron negativas, pero el mayor valor se encontró para el peso al nacimiento (-0,89). La contribución del ambiente permanente como proporción de la varianza fenotípica total fue baja y disminuyó a medida que aumentó la edad del animal.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Genetic and phenotypic evaluation to characterize growth traits of the native Colombian breed Costeño con Cuernos</strong></p><p>For a herd of native Colombian breed of cattle -Costeño con Cuernos (CCC)- estimates of variance components for phenotypic and genetic parameters were obtained for birth weight, weight at weaning (adjusted to 270 days) and weight at 480 days. Using the restricted maximum likelihood (REMI) methodology, 2281 birth weight records (PN), 1722 weaning weight records and 1086 weight records adjusted to 480 days were analyze by fitting a model which included direct and maternal genetics effects as well as permanent environmental effects, assuming that fixed effects were year of birth weight, calf gender and the mother number of births. The genetic parameters for heritability, repeatability, genetic and phenotypic correlation were estimated and genotypic and phenotypic correlation was established. Heritability estimates for direct effects are low and range from 0.17 ± 0.001 and 0.21 ± 0.074 for birth and weaning weight respectively; while estimates for maternal genetics effects were also low for PN, they were higher for weaning weight and weight at 480 days. There was a negative correlation between direct and maternal effects, and the higher value was for PN (-0.89). The contribution of the variable permanent environment measured as the contribution of the phenotypic variance was low and diminished as animal age increased.</p>


2001 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 449-456 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Albera ◽  
R. Mantovani ◽  
G. Bittante ◽  
A. F. Groen ◽  
P. Carnier

AbstractEstimates of genetic parameters for beef production traits were obtained for Piemontese cattle. Data were from 988 young bulls station-tested from 1989 till 1998. Bulls entered the station at 6 to 8 weeks of age and, after an adaptation period of 3 months, were tested for growth, live fleshiness and bone thinness. Length of test was 196 days. Growth traits considered were gain at farm, gain during the adaptation period, gain on test and total gain at the station. Six different fleshiness traits and bone thinness were scored on live animals at the end of the test using a linear system. Live evaluations of fleshiness were adjusted for the weight at scoring in order to provide an assessment of conformation independent of body size. Genetic parameters were estimated using animal models. Heritability of live-weight gain ranged from 0·20 in the adaptation period to 0·60 for total gain at the station. Genetic correlations between gains at station in different periods were high (from 0·63 to 0·97). Residual correlation between gain during the adaptation period and gain during test was negative, probably due to the occurrence of compensatory growth of the animals.Live fleshiness traits and bone thinness were of moderate to high heritability (from 0·34 to 0·55) and highly correlated indicating that heavy muscled bulls also have thin bones. Accuracy of breeding values and therefore response to selection were improved by multiple trait analysis of the live fleshiness traits and bone thinness. Overall weight gain at the station had a moderate negative genetic correlation with all live fleshiness traits and bone thinness (from –0·11 to –0·39).


2011 ◽  
Vol 56 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 381-389 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Rzewuska ◽  
J. Jamrozik ◽  
A. Żarnecki ◽  
T. Strabel

&nbsp;Genetic parameters for somatic cell score in the first three lactations of Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle were estimated. A multiple-lactation model was applied with random herd-test-day effect, fixed regressions for herd-year and age-season of calving, and random regressions for the additive genetic and permanent environmental effects. The large data set was used that included over one million test-day records and more than 58 000 cows. Estimates of covariance components and genetic parameters were obtained by Bayesian methods using the Gibbs sampler. Average daily heritabilities of somatic cell score (SCS) in the first three lactations were 0.11, 0.12 and 0.14 for the first, second and third lactation, respectively. Estimates of daily heritabilities were rather independent of days in milk (DIM), with no serious abnormalities at the beginning or the end of lactation. Average genetic correlations between SCS on the same DIM were 0.68, 0.62 and 0.70 for first and second, first and third, and second and third parities, respectively, and did not exceed 0.77. The low level of heritability estimates and relatively low genetic correlations between lactations would suggest that selection based on the first lactation only could limit a response in mastitis resistance for later lactations.


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 779 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hannah E. Willson ◽  
Hinayah Rojas de Oliveira ◽  
Allan P. Schinckel ◽  
Daniela Grossi ◽  
Luiz F. Brito

More recently, swine breeding programs have aimed to include pork quality and novel carcass (e.g., specific primal cuts such as the Boston butt or belly that are not commonly used in selection indexes) and belly traits together with growth, feed efficiency and carcass leanness in the selection indexes of terminal-sire lines, in order to efficiently produce pork with improved quality at a low cost to consumers. In this context, the success of genetic selection for such traits relies on accurate estimates of heritabilities and genetic correlations between traits. The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for 39 traits in Duroc pigs (three growth, eight conventional carcass (commonly measured production traits; e.g., backfat depth), 10 pork quality and 18 novel carcass traits). Phenotypic measurements were collected on 2583 purebred Duroc gilts, and the variance components were estimated using both univariate and bivariate models and REML procedures. Moderate to high heritability estimates were found for most traits, while genetic correlations tended to be low to moderate overall. Moderate to high genetic correlations were found between growth, primal-cuts and novel carcass traits, while low to moderate correlations were found between pork quality and growth and carcass traits. Some genetic antagonisms were observed, but they are of low to moderate magnitude. This indicates that genetic progress can be achieved for all traits when using an adequate selection index.


1993 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 179 ◽  
Author(s):  
GP Davis

This paper reviews published estimates of genetic parameters for traits of growth, reproduction and resistance to environmental stresses for Bos indicus and Zebu derived breeds in northern Australia. Most published estimates of heritabilities for growth and reproduction traits were higher for tropically adapted breeds in northern Australia than for Bos taurus breeds in temperate Australia. Weighted mean estimates of heritabilities for the direct component of weaning weight were 39% for the Brahman breed and 30% for Zebu-derived breeds in northern Australia compared with 13% for Bos taurus breeds in temperate areas of Australia. Mean estimates for the maternal component of weaning weight were 5, 24 and 13% respectively. Mean heritabilities for yearling and 550 day weights for Zebu derived breeds in northern Australia (24 and 25%) were similar to those for Bos taurus breeds in temperate areas, though estimates for Brahmans were higher (39 and 39%). Published estimates of heritabilities of later weights (700 and 900 days), which are most relevant to northern Australian production systems, were rare but averaged between 32 and 45% for Zebu-derived breeds and Brahmans. Weighted mean heritability for female calving success was 14% and for realised bull fertility was 5%. Published estimates of heritabilities of scrota1 circumference averaged 31%, and testosterone response to GNRH stimulation was 52%. Heritabilities of resistance to various environmental stresses were all moderate with weighted means between 20 and 34%. Genetic correlations between growth, reproduction and resistance to environmental stresses are also reviewed. There appears to be predictable variation in estimates of parameters between breeds in different environments which is related to level of resistance to environmental stresses, and this is likely to affect the prediction of breeding values for cattle in northern Australia.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document