26 Are Subjectively Scored Linear Type Traits Suitable Predictors of Genetic Merit for Feed Intake in Grazing Holstein-friesian Dairy Cows?

2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
Maeve Williams ◽  
Craig P Murphy ◽  
Roy D Sleator ◽  
Siobhan C Ring ◽  
Donagh P Berry
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Mixed Models ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Type Traits ◽  
Genetic Evaluations

Abstract Measuring dry matter intake (DMI) in grazing dairy cows using currently available techniques is invasive, time consuming, and expensive. An alternative to directly measuring DMI for use in genetic evaluations is to identify a set of readily available data sources that can be used in a multi-trait genetic evaluation with DMI. The objectives of the present study were to estimate the genetic correlations between readily available body-related linear type trait information and DMI in grazing, lactating Irish dairy cows and to estimate the partial genetic correlations between linear traits and DMI, after adjusting for differences in genetic merit for body weight. After edits, a total of 8,055 test-day records of DMI, body weight, and milk yield from 1,331 multiparous dairy cows were available, as were chest width, body depth, and stature scores for 47,141 first lactation dairy cows. In addition to considering the routinely recorded linear type traits individually, novel traits were defined as the product of two or three linear type traits as an approximation of rumen volume. The genetic variance of DMI, body weight, milk yield, and linear type traits were estimated using univariate animal linear mixed models. Sire linear mixed models were used to calculate genetic and phenotypic covariances. All linear type traits were moderately heritable (0.27 to 0.49) and genetically correlated (0.29 to 0.63) with DMI. The genetic correlations between the individual linear type traits and DMI, when the latter was adjusted for differences in the genetic merit for body weight, varied from 0.00 to 0.39. If the (partial) genetic correlations were validated with genetic evaluations, routinely available linear type trait records and live weight data could facilitate the selection of DMI in dairy cows, removing the need to capture large amounts of cost prohibitive feed intake phenotypes.

Genetic and phenotypic parameter estimates between production, feed intake, feed efficiency, body weight and linear type traits in first lactation Holsteins

1999 ◽  
Vol 79 (4) ◽  
pp. 425-431 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. W. Kennedy ◽  
J. C. M. Dekkers ◽  
R. K. Moore ◽  
L. Jairath
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Body Size ◽  
Total Energy ◽  
Energy Intake ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Feed Efficiency ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Total Energy Intake ◽  
Type Traits

Production and feed intake data on 36 115 first lactation Holstein cows obtained from Quebec Dairy Herd Analysis Service were combined with conformation data from the Holstein Association of Canada to estimate genetic correlations among production, energy intake, and conformation traits. Traits considered were 305-d milk yield, 305-d grain energy and total energy intake, feed efficiency (fat corrected milk yield/total energy intake), body weight at calving, capacity, size, stature, rump width and final score. Genetic and phenotypic parameters were estimated using Restricted Maximum Likelihood based on two-trait animal mixed model analyses. The model contained fixed effects of herd-year, season of calving, age of calving, sire group and a random animal genetic effect. Estimates of heritability were within the published range for all traits. Of the conformation traits examined, capacity, size and stature had the highest correlations with body weight, with phenotypic correlations between 0.36 and 0.43, and genetic correlations between 0.61 and 0.79. Feed efficiency was negatively correlated to all body size measures, both phenotypically (−0.01 to −0.29) and genetically (−0.31 to −0.53), but most significantly with body weight, capacity, size, and stature. Fat-corrected milk yield showed negligible phenotypic and low to moderately negative genetic (−0.07 to −0.29) correlations with body weight and related type traits. Total energy intake was positively related to all measures of body size, most notably body weight, while grain energy intake had moderately negative genetic correlations (−0.20 to −0.40) with the same body size traits. Because of their detrimental relationships with feed efficiency, negative selection emphasis should be placed on body weight and the related type traits capacity, size and stature. Capacity, size and stature are of moderate utility when selecting indirectly for body weight, total energy intake and feed efficiency. Key words: Dairy cattle, genetics, production, conformation, feed efficiency

scholarly journals Effect of dietary-induced increases in circulating insulin concentrations during the early postpartum period on reproductive function in dairy cows

Reproduction ◽  
2002 ◽  
pp. 419-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
JG Gong ◽  
WJ Lee ◽  
PC Garnsworthy ◽  
R Webb
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Dietary Treatment ◽  
Genetic Merit ◽  
Selection For

Although it has become increasingly clear that fertility in modern dairy cattle is declining in association with increased milk yields, the underlying mechanism is poorly understood. The first ovulation post partum is delayed in dairy cows undergoing selection for genetic merit for milk yield in association with lower circulating insulin concentrations. The aim of this study was to investigate whether feeding a diet to increase circulating insulin concentrations can overcome this delay in the first ovulation post partum. The experiment was a 2 x 2 factorial design (n = 10 per group) involving diet and genetic merit for milk yield. The dietary treatment started on the day of calving and lasted for 50 days. Plasma samples were collected each day and ovarian ultra-sonography was performed three times a week during the experimental feeding period. Milk yield was recorded each day, and body weight and body condition score were determined each week. Milk samples were collected three times a week from day 50 to day 105 post partum, and reproductive performance data were recorded for all the cows as part of the routine farm practice. The dietary treatment induced significant differences in plasma insulin concentrations in both high and low genetic merit cows. Although high genetic merit cows produced more milk, lost more body weight and had lower body condition scores during the experiment, no significant effect of diet was observed on these measurements. The high insulin inducing diet increased the proportion of cows ovulating within 50 days of calving and reduced the intervals from calving to first ovulation, and tended to reduce the intervals from calving to first service and to conception. These fertility parameters were also more favourable in low than in high genetic merit cows, but no interaction between diet and genetic merit was observed for any of these parameters. Genetic merit, but not diet, also affected the number of services required per conception and the conception rate. In conclusion, these results have confirmed that genetic selection for high milk yield is associated with a decrease in reproductive performance in dairy cows. More importantly, this study has demonstrated that it is possible to alleviate this problem by nutritional manipulation.

Genetic parameters and evaluations for somatic cell counts and its relationship with production and type traits in some dairy breeds in the United Kingdom

1998 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 569-576 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Mrode ◽  
G. J. T. Swanson ◽  
M. S. Winters
Keyword(s):  
Somatic Cell ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Cell Counts ◽  
Animal Data ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Type Traits ◽  
Genetic Evaluations

AbstractSomatic cell count (SCO data collected on individual cows since 1991 were obtained from National Milk Records. Following validation genetic and phenotypic parameters were estimated from the lactation average SCCfor 63 424 Holstein/Friesian (HOD, 7966 Ayrshire (AYR) and 14 509 Jersey (JER) animals. The first three lactations were included in the analyses. The heritabilities (h2) for first lactation log SCC (LSCC) were 0·11 (s.e. 0·01), 0·12 (s.e. 0·02) and 0·09 (s.e. 0·03) for the HOL, JER and AYR breeds respectively. Estimates for herd sire interaction (c2) effects ranged from 0·01 to 0·02. Analysis of the first three lactations with a repeatability model produced similar h2 and c2 estimates. Permanent environment estimates ranged from 0·21 to 0·25. Heritabilities of individual test day LSCC ranged from 0·04 (s.e. 0·02) to 0·10 (s.e. 0·03). Genetic correlations between SCC and milk, fat and protein yield for the HOL breed were 0·06 (s.e. 0·05), 0·14 (s.e. 0·06) and 0·09 (s.e. 0·06) respectively. Genetic evaluations were obtained for 666 595 and 9136 animals for Holsteins and Ayrshires, providing evaluations on 13 525 and 1713 bulls respectively in each breed. The range of LSCC predicted transmitting abilities (PTA) was ±25% although the proportion of bulls with reliability > 0·50 was low at 0·17 and 0-05 for HOL and AYR respectively. The correlations between the LSCC PTAs for HOL bulls with at least 50 daughters and their genetic evaluations for linear type were essentially zero for body and some udder traits. Significant negative correlations were obtained for a number of traits including foot angle (0·14), fore-udder attachment (0·19) and udder depth (0·19) and a positive correlation for teat length (0·15). SCC evaluations will be implemented by the Animal Data Centre. Reliabilities will be lower than production because of the lower h2 for SCC and the lower progeny group size since only 0·80 of recorded cows have SCC records.

scholarly journals Estimation of heritability and genetic correlations between milk yield and linear type traits in primiparous Holstein-Friesian cows

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Ismael ◽  
Dobrila Janković ◽  
Dragan Stanojević ◽  
Vladan Bogdanović ◽  
Snežana Trivunović ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Type Traits ◽  
Friesian Cows

EFFECTS OF PROPYLENE GLYCOL OR GLYCEROL SUPPLEMENTATION OF THE DIET OF DAIRY COWS ON FEED INTAKE, MILK YIELD AND COMPOSITION, AND INCIDENCE OF KETOSIS

1973 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 289-296 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. J. FISHER ◽  
J. D. ERFLE ◽  
G. A. LODGE ◽  
F. D. SAUER
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Propylene Glycol ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Metabolizable Energy ◽  
Or Efficiency ◽  
Concentrate Mixture ◽  
Glucose Therapy

In two experiments designed to test the antiketogenic properties of propylene glycol and glycerol, concentrate mixtures containing 3, 6, or 9% propylene glycol or 3 or 6% glycerol were fed for the first 8 wk of lactation to a total of 120 cows. In the first experiment there were no significant effects (P > 0.05) of supplementation on milk yield and composition, feed intake, or energy balance. The cows fed a concentrate mixture containing 6% glycerol appeared to lose less body weight than the control cows or those fed concentrate containing either 3% glycerol or 3% propylene glycol. Cows fed the unsupplemented concentrate mixture were apparently less efficient in utilizing metabolizable energy than cows receiving either of the three supplemented rations but these differences were not significant (P > 0.05). There were no incidences of clinical ketosis and only 14 occurrences of positive ketone reactions in the milk (five on control, three on the 3% propylene glycol, four on 3% glycerol, and two on 6% glycerol). In the second experiment cows were subjected to slightly greater nutritional stress, which resulted in elevated ketone levels in 31 samples of milk from control cows, six from cows fed 3% propylene glycol, two for cows fed 6% propylene glycol, and three for cows fed 9% propylene glycol. Four cows, all on the control ration, developed clinical ketosis requiring glucose therapy. There were no consistent effects of propylene glycol on feed intake, body weight change, or efficiency of ration utilization. Propylene glycol supplementation appeared to increase milk yield at the 3 and 6% level and caused a slight decrease in milk fat and an increase in milk lactose percent.

The effect of long-term daily administration of bovine somatotrophin on the performance of dairy cows over a second consecutive lactation

1989 ◽  
Vol 1989 ◽  
pp. 20-20
Author(s):  
R.F. Butterwick ◽  
T.E.C. Weekes ◽  
P. Rowlinson ◽  
D.S. Parker ◽  
D.G. Armstrong
Keyword(s):  
Body Weight ◽  
Dairy Cows ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Body Condition ◽  
Feed Intake ◽  
Body Condition Score ◽  
Post Partum ◽  
Reproductive Status ◽  
Condition Score ◽  
Bovine Somatotrophin

The objectives of the trial were to investigate the effects of bovine somatotrophin (BST) from either week 2 or week 10 post-partum on the yields of milk, milk components, body weight, body condition, feed intake, health and reproductive status of dairy cows over a second consecutive lactation. The results from the heifer lactation have been reported previously (Butterwick et al. 1988).17 Friesian dairy cows in their second lactation were continued on the same treatment as in their heifer lactation: daily subcutaneous injection of recombinantly derived bovine somatotrophin (BST;25mg/d) from either week 2 (BST2;n=6) or week 10 (BSTl0;n=5) post-partum, or injection of a buffer solution from week 2 of lactation (C;n=6). Treatments continued until week 42 of lactation or until 60 days prior to predicted calving date, if this occurred before week 42 of lactation. Initially cows were housed in cubicles and fed ad libitum through Calan doors, on a diet consisting of concentrate and grass silage (Table 1) on a 60:40 dry matter ratio. After day 110 of lactation cows were turned out to pasture but continued to receive concentrates according to milk yield and body condition score. Milk yield and feed intake were recorded daily, milk composition, body weight and body condition score were recorded twice weekly. Health and reproductive status were monitored over the lactation.

Relationships between bull proofs for lifespan (LS) in the United Kingdom (UK) and various countries

2000 ◽  
Vol 2000 ◽  
pp. 111-111
Author(s):  
C. M. Lindberg ◽  
G. J. T. Swanson ◽  
R. A. Mrode
Keyword(s):  
United Kingdom ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Bivariate Analysis ◽  
Replacement Rate ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Type Traits ◽  
Important Trait ◽  
Genetic Evaluations ◽  
Indirect Information

Longevity or lifespan has proved to be an important trait when it comes to profitability for the dairy farmer. Selecting for longer herdlife not only reduces the replacement rate and thereby the replacement cost, but also gives the opportunity to cull for low production (as opposed to health problems) and increases the milk yield through a higher proportion of mature cows in the herd. Predicted Transmitting Abilities (PTA's) for LS are calculated from a bivariate analysis including indirect information in the form of a phenotypic index of four linear type traits (fore udder attachment, foot angle, udder depth and teat length) closely related to longevity, and from direct lactation information, i.e. survival measured in number of lactations corrected for milk yield (Brotherstone et al., 1998). Genetic evaluations for LS were introduced in the United Kingdom (UK) in August 1998 (Mrode et al., 1999).

Dairy herd life in relation to linear type traits and production 1. Phenotypic and genetic analyses in pedigree type classified herds

1991 ◽  
Vol 53 (3) ◽  
pp. 279-287 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Brotherstone ◽  
W. G. Hill
Keyword(s):  
Milk Yield ◽  
Milk Fat ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Dairy Herd ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Linear Type ◽  
The United Kingdom ◽  
Holstein Friesian ◽  
Type Traits ◽  
Total Type

AbstractThe relation between survival to complete lactations 2, 3 and 4 and both linear type and production traits of pedigree Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle in the United Kingdom was analysed. There were records on 23 071 pedigree animals which were themselves type classified as heifers. The linear and quadratic phenotypic regressions of survival on most type traits were significant, even with yield fitted as a covariate. Phenotypic regressions of survival on milk, fat and protein yield were significantly positive, but that on protein content significantly negative. Phenotypic correlations with survival were under 0·1 for the linear traits, 0·16 for a subjective total type score, and 0·14 for milk yield. Genetic correlations between survival and type traits, estimated by multivariate restricted maximum likelihood, were as high as 0·4 for several traits of the udder and teats and for total score, and higher than for milk yield or composition. Regressions of survival on estimated sire transmitting abilities gave rather lower estimates of genetic correlations, except for total score. The results indicate that in these pedigree and classifying herds the total score is a culling criterion in its own right.

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