scholarly journals Are subjectively scored linear type traits suitable predictors of the genetic merit for feed intake in grazing Holstein-Friesian dairy cows?

Author(s):  
M. Williams ◽  
C.P. Murphy ◽  
R.D. Sleator ◽  
S.C. Ring ◽  
D.P. Berry
2021 ◽  
Vol 99 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 17-17
Author(s):  
Maeve Williams ◽  
Craig P Murphy ◽  
Roy D Sleator ◽  
Siobhan C Ring ◽  
Donagh P Berry

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.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
A. Sorensen ◽  
M. Alamer ◽  
C. H. Knight

Genetic selection has greatly improved individual cow productivity. A high genetic merit Holstein Friesian cow will produce 10,000 of litres of milk in a 305 day lactation, those of lower genetic merit half this amount. Despite major research effort in generating these differences, quantitative biological description of what has been achieved is lacking. The aim of this study was to compare biological variables of relevance to milk synthesis in well defined high genetic merit and lower genetic merit dairy cows.12 cows of high genetic merit (HGM: top 5% of UK national herd) and 12 of lower genetic merit (LGM: close to UK average) were purchased from the Blythbank and Langhill herds; the ontogeny of these selection lines has been described elsewhere (Woolliams et al, 1993). Mean parity was 3.7±0.3 and was balanced between HGM and LGM. Management of the two groups was identical. Measurements were made over a period of two weeks close to peak lactation. Milk yield was recorded at each milking. Plasma samples were collected and analysed for a variety of hormones by radioimmunoassay and metabolites by established spectrophotometric assays. Udder size was determined by a casting technique (Dewhurst et al., 1993) and mammary biopsies for key enzyme activities were obtained as described by Knight et. al. (1992). Differences between lines were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA).


2020 ◽  
Vol 36 (4) ◽  
pp. 407-416
Author(s):  
Radica Djedovic ◽  
Vladan Bogdanovic ◽  
Dragan Stanojevic ◽  
Hasan Ismael ◽  
Dobrila Jankovic ◽  
...  

Data set including 10860 primiparous Holstein-Friesian breed cows first calved in the period from 2011 to 2015, was used in determining phenotypic variability and correlation between the traits of milk yield and linearly estimated traits of udder and angularity. The average values obtained for type traits (angularity, fore udder attachment, front teats placement, teats length, udder depth and rear udder height) were 6.47; 5.74; 4.96; 5.20; 5.99 and 6.25, respectively. The values obtained for phenotypic correlations between linear type traits and traits of milk yield ranged from -0.042 (udder depth and milk yield) to 0.335 (fore udder attachment and protein yield). Positive phenotypic correlation (0.293) was recorded also between fore udder attachment and milk yield which is deemed the most important trait of milk yield while the lowest correlation between milk yields was determined in relation to udder depth (-0.033). The results obtained indicate a possibility of applying direct and indirect multiple traits selection which should be conducted within a national progeny-testing programme on Holstein-Friesian bulls by using the method of selection indexes.


1998 ◽  
Vol 1998 ◽  
pp. 4-4 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sorensen ◽  
M. Alamer ◽  
C. H. Knight

Genetic selection has greatly improved individual cow productivity. A high genetic merit Holstein Friesian cow will produce 10,000 of litres of milk in a 305 day lactation, those of lower genetic merit half this amount. Despite major research effort in generating these differences, quantitative biological description of what has been achieved is lacking. The aim of this study was to compare biological variables of relevance to milk synthesis in well defined high genetic merit and lower genetic merit dairy cows.12 cows of high genetic merit (HGM: top 5% of UK national herd) and 12 of lower genetic merit (LGM: close to UK average) were purchased from the Blythbank and Langhill herds; the ontogeny of these selection lines has been described elsewhere (Woolliams et al, 1993). Mean parity was 3.7±0.3 and was balanced between HGM and LGM. Management of the two groups was identical. Measurements were made over a period of two weeks close to peak lactation. Milk yield was recorded at each milking. Plasma samples were collected and analysed for a variety of hormones by radioimmunoassay and metabolites by established spectrophotometric assays. Udder size was determined by a casting technique (Dewhurst et al., 1993) and mammary biopsies for key enzyme activities were obtained as described by Knight et. al. (1992). Differences between lines were analysed by analysis of variance (ANOVA).


2021 ◽  
Vol 61 (1) ◽  
pp. 38
Author(s):  
Ratchataporn Lunsin ◽  
Suntriporn Duanyai ◽  
Ruangyote Pilajun

Context Several agro-industrial by-products such as oil palm meal could be useful as animal feeds in support of low cost of feed for livestock production. Aims This study investigated the effects of oil palm meal and urea pellet (PMUP) as a protein replacement for soybean meal (SBM) on feed intake, nutrient digestibility, rumen fluid characteristics, milk yield and milk composition in lactating dairy cows. Methods Five multiparous, early to mid-lactation, Holstein-Friesian crossbred dairy cows (75% Holstein-Friesian × 25% Thai Native Bos indicus) were randomly allocated in a 5 × 5 Latin square design to receive PMUP replacement for SBM at 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% in concentrate. Key results The results show that roughage, total dry matter (DM), organic matter (OM) and acid detergent fibre (ADF) intakes in the cows fed with 25–75% PMUP were significantly higher than in the cows fed 100% PMUP (P < 0.05), whereas the ether extract (EE) intake of the cows receiving the PMUP was higher than that of the control (P < 0.05). Accordingly, the apparent digestibility, ruminal ammonia nitrogen (NH3-N) and total volatile fatty acid (VFA) of cows fed with PMUP replacement of SBM at 25–75% was higher than that in cows fed with 100% PMUP. In addition, milk yield and milk composition were not significantly different among treatments, whereas feed costs per kg milk yield was lowest in cow fed with 100% PMUP (P < 0.05). Conclusions Replacing SBM with PMUP up to 50–100% in concentrate could reduce costs of feed per kg milk yield, but lower feed intake, nutrient utilisation and rumen fermentation were observed in cow fed with 100% PMUP. The use of PMUP from 25–75% replacement of SBM had no significant effects on the feed intake, nutrient utilisation, rumen fermentation and milk production. Therefore, the level of PMUP replacement of SBM in concentrate for lactating dairy cow should not exceed 75%. Implications PMUP could be used as a protein replacement for SBM in concentrate for lactating dairy cows. These findings should be applied further in practical farm condition in order to increase livestock production efficiency.


1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 4-4
Author(s):  
J D Sutton ◽  
A L Abdalla ◽  
R H Phipps ◽  
S B Cammell ◽  
D J Humphries

Whole crop wheat (WCW) appears to offer an attractive alternative forage to grass silage for dairy cows, particularly in those areas where maize silage cannot be grown. However in previous feeding trials the inclusion of WCW with grass silage has increased food intake but has not led to a corresponding increase in milk yield (Phipps et al,1993). As part of a programme to try to overcome the low efficiency of diets containing WCW, the present experiment was designed to examine the effects on feed intake and digestibility and milk production of the step-wise replacement of GS by urea-treated WCW.Winter wheat (cv Hussar), harvested at 620g DM/kg fresh weight and preserved with 20 or 40 g urea/kg DM (WCW-2, WCW-4) was compared with first-cut perennial ryegrass silage (GS). Six multiparous Holstein-Friesian cows in mid-lactation were offered six diets over three 4-week periods in an incomplete change-over design. Diets were 6kg DM concentrates daily with forages ad lib. Treatments (DM basis) were GS alone, 2:1 GS:WCW-2 or WCW-4, 1:2 GS: WCW-2 or WCW-4, and WCW-4 alone. Feed intake and milk production were measured in weeks 3 and 4 and digestibility in week 4.


2007 ◽  
Vol 2007 ◽  
pp. 98-98
Author(s):  
O. M. Onyiro ◽  
S. Brotherstone

As a major health problem facing dairy farmers worldwide with substantial economic, production and welfare consequences, lameness has attracted much attention over the last two to three decades (Boelling, 1999). Lameness as a linear type trait is measured by locomotion scoring as there is a high genetic correlation between lameness and locomotion score. Studies have included locomotion (as a predictor of lameness) and have associated lameness with no effect, an increase and sometimes a decrease in milk production of cows. Several reasons have been given for these differences and the need still arises for estimates of the effect of lameness on milk yield in herds with current dairy management. The objective of this study was to quantify the effect of lameness on the daily milk yield (DMY) of dairy cows.


2003 ◽  
Vol 2003 ◽  
pp. 57-57 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Dillon ◽  
J. Kennedy ◽  
P. Faverdin ◽  
L. Delaby ◽  
F. Buckley ◽  
...  

Pre-1990 published responses to supplementation at pasture ranged from 0.4 to 0.6kg milk/kg concentrate fed. However since 1990 higher responses to concentrate supplementation at pasture have been published (Delaby 2001). The objective of this study was to determine if milk production responses of Holstein-Friesian dairy cows to concentrate supplementation at pasture are influenced by genetic merit (milk yield potential) in a spring calving grass based system of milk production.


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