scholarly journals Selection for Female Fertility Using Censored Fertility Traits and Investigation of the Relationship with Milk Production

2006 ◽  
Vol 89 (11) ◽  
pp. 4438-4444 ◽  
Author(s):  
O. González-Recio ◽  
R. Alenda ◽  
Y.M. Chang ◽  
K.A. Weigel ◽  
D. Gianola
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Fertility Traits

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

2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 108-114 ◽  
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.  

scholarly journals Selection for bull fertility: a review

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (1) ◽  
pp. 423-441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Madison L Butler ◽  
Jennifer M Bormann ◽  
Robert L Weaber ◽  
David M Grieger ◽  
Megan M Rolf
Keyword(s):  
Male Fertility ◽  
Assisted Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Average Daily Gain ◽  
Reproductive Technologies ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Cattle Production ◽  
Conception Rates ◽  
Beef Bull ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Fertility Traits

Abstract Fertility is a critically important factor in cattle production because it directly relates to the ability to produce the offspring necessary to offset costs in production systems. Female fertility has received much attention and has been enhanced through assisted reproductive technologies, as well as genetic selection; however, improving bull fertility has been largely ignored. Improvements in bull reproductive performance are necessary to optimize the efficiency of cattle production. Selection and management to improve bull fertility not only have the potential to increase conception rates but also have the capacity to improve other economically relevant production traits. Bull fertility has reportedly been genetically correlated with traits such as average daily gain, heifer pregnancy, and calving interval. Published studies show that bull fertility traits are low to moderately heritable, indicating that improvements in bull fertility can be realized through selection. Although female fertility has continued to progress according to increasing conception rates, the reported correlation between male and female fertility is low, indicating that male fertility cannot be improved by selection for female fertility. Correlations between several bull fertility traits, such as concentration, number of spermatozoa, motility, and number of spermatozoa abnormalities, vary among studies. Using male fertility traits in selection indices would provide producers with more advanced selection tools. The objective of this review was to discuss current beef bull fertility measurements and to discuss the future of genetic evaluation of beef bull fertility and potential genetic improvement strategies.

scholarly journals Genome-wide association for milk production and female fertility traits in Canadian dairy Holstein cattle

BMC Genetics ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Shadi Nayeri ◽  
Mehdi Sargolzaei ◽  
Mohammed K. Abo-Ismail ◽  
Natalie May ◽  
Stephen P. Miller ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Genome Wide Association ◽  
Holstein Cattle ◽  
Genome Wide ◽  
Fertility Traits

scholarly journals Genetic relationship of functional longevity with female fertility and milk production traits in Czech Holsteins 

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (No. 12) ◽  
pp. 554-565 ◽  
Author(s):  
L. Zavadilová ◽  
V. Zink
Keyword(s):  
Milk Production ◽  
Milk Yield ◽  
Fixed Effects ◽  
Genetic Correlations ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Protein Yield ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Days Open ◽  
Heritability Estimates ◽  
Fertility Traits

The objectives of this study were to estimate heritabilities of and genetic correlations among longevity, milk production, and female fertility traits of Holstein cows. Fertility traits were days open, interval from parturition to first service, and days between the first and last insemination in the first and second lactation, respectively. Production traits were first lactation milk, fat, and protein yield. Functional longevity was defined as the number of days between the first calving and culling, i.e. the length of the productive life. The linear animal model included fixed effects of month-year of first calving, regression on age at first calving, regression on milk yield (only for longevity), and random effects of herd-year, animal, and residual. Heritability estimates for fertility traits ranged from 0.02 ± 0.009 to 0.06 ± 0.004. Heritability of longevity was 0.09. Heritability estimates for production traits ranged from 0.29 ± 0.009 (fat and protein yield) to 0.34 ± 0.009 (milk yield). Genetic correlations of longevity with fertility were moderate and favourable, ranging from –0.37 ± 0.068 to –0.44 ± 0.055, except the days between the first and last insemination in the second lactation. Genetic correlations of fertility with production traits were moderate to high and unfavourable, ranging from 0.48 ± 0.042 to 0.65 ± 0.034. Substantial herd-year correlations were found between fertility traits. Residual correlations were small except for those between production traits (> 0.85) and between days open and days between the first and last insemination (0.87). Month-year of first calving effects for longevity declined between 1994 and 2002, while those for production traits and for fertility increased slightly or remained stable during this period. Between 1991 and 2003, genetic trend for longevity declined and increased for production. Estimated genetic changes for fertility were unfavourable.

scholarly journals Evaluation of female fertility in dairy cattle enterprises – A review

2021 ◽  
Vol 50 (6) ◽  
Author(s):  
R.D. Kgari ◽  
C.J.C. Muller ◽  
K. Dzama ◽  
M.L. Makgahlela
Keyword(s):  
Dairy Cattle ◽  
Milk Production ◽  
Focal Point ◽  
Complex Trait ◽  
Female Fertility ◽  
Production Traits ◽  
Body Conformation ◽  
Low Degree ◽  
Genetic Evaluations ◽  
Fertility Traits

The aim of this article was to review the state of fertility of female dairy cattle in South Africa and to compare it with international efforts at improving fertility. Fertility in dairy cows is defined as the ability to conceive from first insemination soon after calving and to carry the calf full term to calving. It is one of the main profit drivers in the dairy industry and is a complex trait that is influenced by the environment, genetics, and their interaction. Generally, there has been a decline in dairy cow fertility across breeds worldwide because of intense selection for milk yield, milk components, and body conformation traits. In addition, most fertility traits are negatively correlated to milk production traits. Milk production has been the focal point of selection programmes as it is linked directly to the profitability of the dairy enterprise. The low heritability of fertility traits is one of the factors that discouraged efforts to include fertility in genetic evaluations. However, owing to its economic importance, female fertility was later included in the breeding objectives for dairy cattle in several countries. Although most fertility traits are heritable to a low degree, some additive genetic variability can be exploited.

The relationship between facial whorl direction and sidedness in ridden horses

2006 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 247-250
Author(s):  
H. Randle ◽  
E. Elworthy
Keyword(s):  
Natural Selection ◽  
Artificial Selection ◽  
Competitive Ability ◽  
Close Association ◽  
Human Behaviour ◽  
Physical Ability ◽  
Facial Hair ◽  
Selection For ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
The Brain

The influence of Natural Selection on the evolution of the horse (Equus callabus) is minimal due to its close association with humans. Instead Artificial Selection is commonly imposed through selection for features such as a ‘breed standard’ or competitive ability. It has long been considered to be useful if indicators of characteristics such as physical ability could be identified. Kidd (1902) suggested that the hair coverings of animals were closely related to their lifestyle, whether they were active or passive. In 1973 Smith and Gong concluded that hair whorl (trichloglyph) pattern and human behaviour is linked since hair patterning is determined at the same time as the brain develops in the foetus. More recently Grandin et al. (1995), Randle (1998) and Lanier et al. (2001) linked features of facial hair whorls to behaviour and production in cattle. Hair whorl features have also been related to temperament in equines (Randle et al., 2003).

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document