Genetic parameters of lifetime performance traits in Holstein cows

This study estimated the genetic parameters for reproductive and performance traits and determined which ones can be used as selection criteria for egg production in laying hens using the Bayesian inference. The data of 1894 animals from three generations of White Leghorn laying hens were analyzed for fertility (FERT), hatchability (HATC), and birth rate measurements at 60 weeks of age (BIRTH), body weight at 16 and 60 weeks of age (BW16 and BW60), age at sexual maturity (ASM), egg height/width ratio, weight, and density at 28, 36, and 40 weeks of age (RHW28, RHW36, RHW40, WEGG28, WEGG36, WEGG40, DENS28, DENS36, and DENS40, respectively) traits. The genetic parameters were estimated by the Bayesian inference method of multi-trait animal model. The model included the additive and residual genetic random effects and the fixed effects of generation. The a posteriori mean distributions of the heritability estimates for reproductive traits ranged from 0.14 ± 0.003 (HATC) to 0.22 ± 0.005 (FERT) and performance from 0.07 ± 0.001 (RHW28) to 0.42 ± 0.001 (WEGG40). The a posteriori mean distributions of the genetic correlation between reproductive traits ranged from 0.18 ± 0.026 (FERT and HACT) to 0.79 ± 0.007 (FERT and BIRTH) and those related to performance ranged from –0.49 ± 0.001 (WEGG36 and DENS36) to 0.75 ± 0.003 (DENS28 and DENS36). Reproductive and performance traits showed enough additive genetic variability to respond to selection, except for RHW28. This trait alone would have little impact on the genetic gain because environmental factors would have a higher impact compared to those from the additive genetic factors. Based on the results of this study, the selection applied on the BIRTH trait can be indicated to improve FERT and HATC of eggs. Furthermore, the use of the WEGG40 could improve egg quality in this population.

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Genetic parameters and genetic and phenotypic trends of performance traits of equines from the Brazilian Army

Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia ◽

10.1590/s1516-35982012000600015 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 41 (6) ◽

pp. 1419-1425 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Mariana de Almeida Dornelles ◽

Ronyere Olegário de Araújo ◽

Dionéia Magda Everling ◽

Tomás Weber ◽

Jader Silva Lopes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genetic Parameters ◽

Performance Traits

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Estimates of genetic parameters and eigenvector indices for milk production of Holstein cows

Journal of Dairy Science ◽

10.3168/jds.2013-6708 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 96 (11) ◽

pp. 7284-7293 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

R.P. Savegnago ◽

G.J.M. Rosa ◽

B.D. Valente ◽

L.G.G. Herrera ◽

R.L.R. Carneiro ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Genetic Parameters ◽

Holstein Cows

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Genetic Evaluation of Reproductive and Metabolic Disorders and Displaced Abomasum in Czech Holstein Cows

Acta Universitatis Agriculturae et Silviculturae Mendelianae Brunensis ◽

10.11118/actaun201967040939 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 67 (4) ◽

pp. 939-946

Author(s):

Eva Kašná ◽

Petr Fleischer ◽

Ludmila Zavadilová ◽

Soňa Šlosárková

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Disorders ◽

Genetic Parameters ◽

Genetic Correlations ◽

Health Data ◽

Genetic Evaluation ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Retained Placenta ◽

Cystic Ovary ◽

On Line ◽

Parturient Paresis

We estimated the genetic parameters of the most frequent reproductive and metabolic disorders as recorded on‑line by 55 milk producers in Czech Holstein cows in the Diary of Diseases and Treatments. The dataset covered the period from July 2015 to May 2019. The coefficients of heritability were estimated for retained placenta (h2 = 0.01), metritis (h2 = 0.04), endometritis (h2 = 0.03), cystic ovary disease (h2 = 0.03), parturient paresis (h2 = 0.01), ketosis (h2 = 0.01) and displaced abomasum (h2 = 0.03). Positive genetic correlations different from 0 were estimated between parturient paresis and displaced abomasum (rg1g2 = 0.75), retained placenta and metritis (rg1g2 = 0.61), displaced abomasum and endometritis (rg1g22 = 0.49), metritis and endometritis (rg1g2 = 0.45), and metritis and displaced abomasum (rg1g2 = 0.41). Because each farmer recorded a slightly different portfolio of health data, the genetic correlations with metabolic disorders couldn’t be estimated in most cases, since the number of observations was not sufficient.

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Estimation of genetic parameters of fatty acids composition in flesh of market size common carp (Cyprinus carpio L.) and their relation to performance traits revealed that selective breeding can indirectly affect flesh quality

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/30/2018-cjas ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 63 (No. 7) ◽

pp. 280-291 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

M. Prchal ◽

M. Vandeputte ◽

D. Gela ◽

M. Doležal ◽

H. Buchtová ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Fatty Acids ◽

Common Carp ◽

Genetic Parameters ◽

Selective Breeding ◽

Market Size ◽

Pufa Ratio ◽

Flesh Quality ◽

Supplemental Feed ◽

Fa Composition ◽

Performance Traits

Fish are a rich source of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFAs) and thus, they should be an integral part of human diet at least twice a week. As a result, high attention has been devoted to the improvement of fatty acids (FA) content in the flesh of farmed fish through nutrition. Conversely, there are very few data on the potential of selective breeding to improve FA composition in fish. We estimated genetic parameters of fillet fatty acid content and performance traits in market size common carp cultured under semi-intensive pond conditions. The experimental stock arose through factorial mating of 7 dams and 36 sires. All families were reared communally. Pedigree was reconstructed with microsatellite markers, and 158 individuals were dressed out and selected for flesh FA composition analysis. Heritability estimates of total muscle fat, FA composition in total fat (TF) (n-3 PUFA-TF, PUFA-TF, EPA-TF – eicosapentaenoic acid, n-6/n-3 – omega6/omega3 PUFA ratio), and most performance traits were moderately heritable (h² = 0.23–0.41), and body weight was highly heritable (h2 = 0.62 ± 0.20). Genetic correlations show that selection for faster growth would indirectly lead to fillet yield improvement (rg = 0.50–0.62) while having little impact on muscle fat (rg = 0.21). However, lipid quality in flesh would be affected: n-3 PUFA-TF would decrease and the n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio would increase. A likely interpretation is that faster growing genotypes consume more supplemental feed, which was poor in the beneficial FAs. For sustainable selective breeding, supplemental feed composition should be modified, so that faster growing carps would maintain an appropriate flesh quality.

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Genetic parameters for female fertility and milk production traits in first-parity Czech Holstein cows

Czech Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.17221/5562-cjas ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 57 (No. 3) ◽

pp. 108-114 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

V. Zink ◽

J. Lassen ◽

M. Štípková

Keyword(s):

Milk Production ◽

Genetic Parameters ◽

Selection Index ◽

Female Fertility ◽

Holstein Cows ◽

Production Traits ◽

Milk Production Traits ◽

Clear Trend ◽

Genetic Potential ◽

Fertility Traits

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for female fertility and production traits in first-parity Czech Holstein cows and to quantify the effect of using this information on the accuracy of a selection index in seven different scenarios. In order to estimate genetic (co)variance components, the DMU software running an AI-REML algorithm was used. The analyses were made using a series of bivariate animal models. The pedigree included 164 125 animals and it was set up using a pruned animal model design. The present study included the following female fertility traits for the first lactations: calving to the first insemination (CF), days open (DO), calving from the first to the last insemination (FL), and milk production traits: milk production (MLK), kg of fat (FAT), and kg of protein (PROT). The heritability for all the investigated fertility traits was low and close to 0. Moderate heritabilities for production traits ranging from 0.20 (MLK) to 0.23 (PROT) were estimated. The strongest unfavourable correlation was found between PROT and DO (0.49). Other estimated correlations between fertility traits and production traits were moderate, ranging from 0.26 to 0.41. The results of this study evidence that cows with the poorest genetic potential for reproductive performance are those having high genetic potential for milk production and milk components. The results also show that the number of days from calving to new pregnancy depends on the production level. Seven investigated scenarios using selection index theory show a clear trend for increasing accuracy when more fertility traits were added as well as when higher numbers of daughters with information on reproduction traits per sire were available.  

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