scholarly journals Maternal and direct genetic parameters for tail length, tail lesions and growth traits in pigs

Author(s):  
Sheila Aikins-Wilson ◽  
Mehdi Bohlouly ◽  
Sven König

Abstract Tail length and tail lesions are major trigger for tail biting in pigs. Against this background, two datasets were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters for tail characteristics and growth traits. Dataset 1 considered measurements for trait tail length (T-LEN) and for the growth traits birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), post weaning weight (PWW) and average daily gain (ADG) from 9,348 piglets. Piglets were born in the period from 2015 to 2018, and kept on the university Gießen research station. Dataset 2 included 4,943 binary observations from 1,648 pigs from the birth years 2016 to 2019 for tail lesions (T-LES) as indicators for nail necrosis, tail abnormalities or tail biting. Tail lesions were recorded at 30 ± 7 days after entry for rearing (T-Les-1), at 50 ± 7 days after entry for rearing (end of rearing period, T-LES-2), and 130 ± 20 days after entry for rearing (end of fattening period, T-LES-3). Genetic statistical model evaluation for dataset 1 based on Akaike’s information criterion and likelihood ration tests suggested multiple-trait animal models considering covariances between direct and maternal genetic effects. The direct heritability for T-LEN was 0.42 (±0.03), indicating the potential for genetic selection on short tails. The maternal genetic heritability for T-LEN was 0.05 (±0.04), indicating influence of uterine characteristics on morphological traits. The negative correlation between direct and maternal effects for T-LEN of -0.35 (±0.13), as well as the antagonistic relationships (i.e., positive direct genetic correlations in the range from 0.03 to 0.40) between T-LEN with the growth traits BW, WW, PWW and ADG, complicate selection strategies and breeding goal definitions. The correlations between direct effects for T-LEN and maternal effects for breeding goal traits, and vice versa, were positive, but associated with quite large SE. The heritability for T-LES when considering the three repeated measurements was 0.23 (±0.04) from the linear (repeatability of 0.30) and 0.21 (±0.06) (repeatability of 0.29) from the threshold model. The breeding value correlations between T-LES-3 with breeding values from the repeatability models were quite large (0.74 – 0.90), suggesting trait lesion recording at the end of the rearing period. To understand all genetic mechanisms in detail, ongoing studies are focusing on association analyses between T-LEN and T-LES, and the identification of tail biting from an actor’s perspective.

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (2) ◽  
pp. 349-355 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Diop ◽  
L. D. Van Vleck

AbstractEstimates of (co)variance components and genetic parameters were obtained for birth (no. = 3909), weaning (no. = 3425), yearling (no. = 2763), and final weight (no. = 2142) for Gobra cattle at the Centre de Recherches Zootechniques de Dahra (Senegal), using single trait animal models. Data were analysed by restricted maximum likelihood. Four different animal models were fitted for each trait. Model 1 considered the animal as the only random effect. Model 2 included in addition to the additive direct effect of the animal, the environmental effect due to the dam. Model 3 added the maternal additive genetic effects and allowed a covariance between the direct and maternal genetic effects. Model 4 fitted both maternal genetic and permanent environmental effects. Inclusion of both types of maternal effects (genetic and environmental) provided a better fit for birth and weaning weights than models with one maternal effect only. For yearling and final weights, the improvement was not significant. Important maternal effects werefound for all traits. Estimates of direct heritabilities were substantially higher when maternal effects were ignored. Estimates of direct and maternal heritabilities with model 4 were 0·07 (s.e. 0·03) and 0·04 (s.e. 0·02), 0·20 (s.e. 0·05) and 0·21 (s.e. 0.05), 0·24 (s.e. 0·07) and 0·21 (s.e. 0·06), and 0·14 (s.e. 0·06) and 0.16 (s.e. 0·06) for birth, weaning, yearling and final weights, respectively. Correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects were negative for all traits, and large for weaning and yearling weights with estimates of -0·61 (s.e. 0·33) and -0·50 (s.e. 0·31), respectively. There was a significant positive linear phenotypic trend for weaning and yearling weights. Linear trends for additive direct and maternal breeding values were not significant for any trait except maternal breeding value for yearling weight.


2021 ◽  
Vol 34 (1) ◽  
pp. 12-19
Author(s):  
Mohamed Mahmoud Ibrahim Salem ◽  
Amin Mohamed Said Amin ◽  
Ayman Fouad Ashour ◽  
Mohamed Mohamed El-said Ibrahim ◽  
Mohammed Kotb Abo-Ismail

Objective: The objectives of the current study were to study the main environmental factors affecting birth weight (BW) and weaning weight (WW), estimate variance components, genetic parameters and genetic trend and to evaluate the variability and relationships among breeding value of BW and WW using principal components analysis (PCA).Methods: A total of 16,370 records were collected from 8,271 buffalo calves. Genetic parameters and breeding values were estimated using a bivariate animal model which includes direct, maternal and permanent maternal effects. These estimates were standardized and used in PCA.Results: The direct heritability estimates were 0.06 and 0.41 for BW and WW, respectively whereas direct maternal heritability values were 0.03 and 0.14, respectively. Proportions of variance due to permanent environmental effects of dam were 0.455 and 0.280 for BW and WW respectively. The genetic correlation between BW and WWs was weak approaching zero, but the maternal correlation was 0.26. The first two principal components (PC1 and PC2) were estimated utilizing the standardized breeding values according to Kaiser method. The total variance explained by the first two PCs was 71.17% in which 45.91% and 25.25% were explained by PC1 and PC2, respectively. The direct breeding values of BW were related to PC2 but those of WW and maternal breeding values of BW and WWs were associated with PC1.Conclusion: The results of genetic parameters and PCA indicate that BW and WWs were not genetically correlated and improving growth traits of Egyptian buffaloes could be achieved using WW without any adverse effect by BW.


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>


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.


2012 ◽  
Vol 104 (1-3) ◽  
pp. 62-69 ◽  
Author(s):  
M.A. Abbasi ◽  
R. Abdollahi-Arpanahi ◽  
A. Maghsoudi ◽  
R. Vaez Torshizi ◽  
A. Nejati-Javaremi

2012 ◽  
Vol 55 (6) ◽  
pp. 603-611 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Ghafouri-Kesbi ◽  
H. Baneh

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to estimate (co)variance components and corresponding genetic parameters for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), 6-month weight (W6), 9-month weight (W9), average daily gain from birth to weaning (WWDG), average daily gain from weaning to 6 months (W6DG) and average daily gain from 6 months to 9 months (W9DG) for a nucleus flock of Iranian Makooei sheep. Genetic parameters were estimated by REML procedure fitting six animal models including various combinations of maternal effects. The Akaike information criterion (AIC) was used to determine the most appropriate model. Estimates of direct heritability (h2) ranged from 0.13 (W6DG) to 0.32 (BW). Maternal effects were found to be important in the growth performance of the Makooei sheep, indicating the necessity of including maternal effects in the model to obtain accurate estimates of direct heritability. Estimates of maternal heritability (m2) ranged from 0.05 (W6) to 0.16 (WWDG) and the estimates of proportion of maternal permanent environmental variance to phenotypic variance (c2) were in the range between 0.05 (BW) and 0.10 (W6). Direct additive genetic correlations were positive in all cases and ranged from 0.00 (BW/W9DG) to 0.99 (WW/WWDG). Phenotypic correlations showed a broad range from −0.27 (WW/W9DG) to 0.99 (WW/WWDG). Estimates of genetic parameters showed that genetic improvement through selection programs is possible. WW would be a suitable selection criterion since it has acceptable direct heritability and relatively high genetic correlation with other traits.


2016 ◽  
Vol 63 (3) ◽  
Author(s):  
F. Liu ◽  
S. L. Chen ◽  
L. Wang ◽  
Y. P. Zhang ◽  
Y. S. Tian ◽  
...  

Genetic parameters of growth traits at different growing stages of Paralichthys olivaceus (Temminck and Schlegel, 1846) were estimated using 30 families. The estimates of heritability for body weight at four developmental stages viz., 210, 450, 720 and 830 days of age, varied from 0.12 to 0.37. The heritability at 720 days of age was the lowest and that of 450 days was the highest. The maternal effect was 0.08 at 210 days, 0.03 at 450 days and almost zero (8.89 E-8 and 2.40 E-7) at 720 and 830 days. Correlation coefficients of the estimated breeding value (EBV) and phenotypic value (PV) of body weight at different developmental stages were 0.470-0.803, which were highly significant (p<0.01). Correlation of estimated breeding value (EBV) and phenotypic value (PV) was the highest at 210 days of age and the lowest at 720 days. Genetic correlation among the four stages showed large variation (0.339-0.811), which were highly significant except that of 210 and 830 days. The value and accuracy of estimating genetic parameters for growth traits at different stages was different. Therefore, the growth stage should be taken into account when designing a breeding program for growth traits in P. olivaceus.


2010 ◽  
Vol 53 (1) ◽  
pp. 26-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Bene ◽  
I. Füller ◽  
A. Fördős ◽  
F. Szabó

Abstract. Weaning weight, preweaning daily gain and 205-day weight of Hungarian Fleckvieh calves (n=8 929, bulls =4 539, heifers =4 390) born from 232 sires between 1980 and 2003 were examined. Variance, covariance components and heritability values and correlation coefficients were estimated. The effect of the maternal permanent environment on genetic parameters and breeding values were examined. Two animal models were used for breeding value estimation. The direct heritability (hd2) of weaning weight, preweaning daily gain and 205-day weight was between 0.37 and 0.42. The maternal heritability (hm2) of these traits was 0.06 and 0.07. The direct-maternal correlations (rdm) were medium and negative −0.52 and −0.74. Contribution of the maternal heritability and maternal permanent environment to phenotype is smaller than that of direct heritabilities (hm2+c2< hd2). The ratio of the variance of maternal permanent environment in the phenotypic variance (c2) changed from 3 to 6 %. Estimated breeding values changed whether the permanent environmental effect of dam wasn’t taken into consideration but the rank of the animals was not modified. The genetic value for weaning results of Hungarian Fleckvieh population has increased since 1997.


2012 ◽  
Vol 34 (3) ◽  
pp. 138
Author(s):  
Veronika Yuneriati Beyleto ◽  
Sumadi (Sumadi) ◽  
Tety Hartatik

<p>This research was conducted to estimate heritability, repeatability and genetic correlation values on growth traits of Boerawa goat at Sumber Rejeki farmer group at Campang Village, Gisting District and Karya Makmur I and Karya Makmur II farmer group at Wonoharjo and Sukoharjo Village, Sumber Rejo District, Tanggamus regency, Lampung province. Data consisted of production record and 238 Boerawa goat derived from 93 PE and 7 Boer buck.<br />The research was started on October 30, 2009 up to January 30, 2010. The results indicated that heritability value of birth weight, weaning weight, yearling weigth, average of preweaning daily gain, and average of postweaning weight<br />analyzed by paternal half-sibs correlation were 0.80±0.40; 0.30±0.17; 0.80±0.04; 0.32±0.18 and 0.30±0.17, respectively. The repeatability values of birth weight, weaning weight and yearling weight analyzed based on two<br />recording per every dam were 0.42±0.07; 0.32±0.08; 0.30±0.08; 0.30±0.08 and 0.53±0.06. The genetic correlation values among birth weight and weaning weight, birth weight and yearling weight, weaning weight and yearling weight,<br />average of preweaning weight and postweaning weight daily gain analyzed by paternal half-sibs correlation were 0.50±0.04; 0.44±0.08; 0.21±0.03 and 0.20±0.05, respectively. The result also indicated that the heritability and<br />repeatability values was high and the genetic correlation values were moderate to high.</p><p>(Key words: Boerawa goat, Genetic parameter, Growth character)</p>


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