scholarly journals EFFECTS OF INITIAL AGE AND WEIGHT ON TEST DAILY GAINS OF STATION-TESTED BULLS

1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 671-678 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. W. TONG

Average daily gain (ADG) of 8620 bulls of the Angus, Charolais, Hereford, Limousin, Simmental and Shorthorn breeds, tested during 1969–1980 from 15 performance test stations across Canada was used to assess the effects of initial age and weight on test ADG and to estimate the environmental correlations between pretest and on-test ADG. From a linear model which included effects of station-years, breeds and the within-breed linear covariates of initial age and weight, the linear partial regressions for initial age were only significant for Angus (P < 0.05) and Limousin (P < 0.01), suggesting initial age has little effect on on-test ADG within the age range covered by these data. The linear partial regression values of on-test ADG on initial weight, ranging from 0.30 (for Charolais) to 0.86 (for Angus) g/kg were significant for all breeds, except for Simmental, indicating bulls with the highest initial weight for a given age would be expected to make the greatest gain on test. The phenotypic correlations between pretest and on-test ADG were low with values ranging from 0.02 to −0.15. Highly significant (P < 0.01) environmental correlations were found, ranging from −0.27 for Angus to −0.62 for Limousin when the same set of genetic parameters was assumed for all breeds, ranging from −0.22 for Shorthorn to −0.52 for Charolais when breed-specific genetic parameters were used. These environmental correlations suggest that differential degrees of compensatory growth likely occurred during the test period and bulls from a poor pretest environment tended to gain more than bulls from a better pretest environment. Results of this study support frequently expressed concern about the existence of pretest farms effects. Key words: Station test, gain on test, age, weight, environmental correlation

1996 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1275 ◽  
Author(s):  
E Tholen ◽  
KL Bunter ◽  
S Hermesch ◽  
HU Graser

Data sets from 2 large Australian piggeries were used to estimate genetic parameters for the traits weaning to conception interval (WCIi-l,i) and farrowing interval (FIi-l,i), number born alive (NBAI), average piglet birthweight (BWi), 21-day litter weight (W21i), and sow stayability (STAYli) recorded for each ith parity, as well as sow average daily gain (ADG) and backfat (BF) recorded at the end of performance test. Over parities and herds, heritabilities for each trait were in the ranges: WCI/FI, 0.0-0.10; NBA, 0.09-0.16; BW, 0.11-0.35; W21, 0.12-0.23; STAYli, 0.02-0.09; ADG, 0.35-0.37; BF, 0.36-0.45. Genetic correlations between NBAl and NBA from later parities were significantly different from 1. In addition, in 1 herd negative genetic correlations (rg = -0.04 to -0.25) were found between sow stayability traits and NBA1, but not NBA recorded in later parities. Stayability was Unfavourably correlated with ADG and BF, and favourably correlated with WCI12. However, WCI12 was unfavourably correlated genetically with BF (rg = -0.24) but uncorrelated with ADG. Antagonistic relationships also existed between NBA and BW, NBA and W21, and BW and STAY. In addition to the traditional traits currently included in pig-breeding programs (e.g. ADG, BF, and NBA), traits such as WCI, BW, and STAY should also be considered as selection criteria to minimise the detrimental effects of antagonistic genetic relationships between traits.


1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 925-935 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. W. TONG ◽  
J. A. NEWMAN ◽  
G. W. RAHNEFELD

Effects of herd of origin and the relationships between pretest and station test environments were examined from pre- and postweaning performance records of 1675 crossbred male and female calves of Hereford, Angus and Shorthorn dams, sired by 20 Charolais, 12 Simmental and 15 Limousin sires. The calves were born during 1969–1972 and raised to weaning in 45 herds from Manitoba, Saskatchewan and Alberta, and were then transported to the Brandon or the Lacombe Research Station for a 140-d postweaning performance test. Fixed effects and variance and covariance components were estimated from a mixed model which included fixed effects of herd-year, sex of calf and breed of sire and random sire effects. Herd-year effects were significant (P < 0.01) for all performance traits studied. Herd-year mean squares expressed as a percentage of the corrected total sum of squares accounted for 25.81% in the pretest period to a maximum of 54.26% in the warm-up period and then decreased to 6.78% in the 140-d period. Herd-year differences were relatively small in the later part of the test. Correlations of herd-year solutions ranged from −0.10 to 0.05 and of environments ranged from −0.09 to 0.02 between pretest average daily gain (ADG) and ADG at various test intervals. The low environmental correlations suggest that the performance of calves centrally tested at the Brandon and Lacombe Research Stations were not affected by the pre-test herd environment. Key words: Beef cattle, station test, pretest herd effects, environmental correlation


2011 ◽  
Vol 50 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 96-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Wolf ◽  
E. Žáková ◽  
E. Groeneveld

The covariance structure was estimated by REML for a joint genetic evaluation of production and reproduction traits for Czech Landrace (58 258 records) and Czech Large White (167 161 records) pigs using four-trait animal models. The following traits were analysed: lean mean percentage at the end of the performance test in the field, estimated from ultrasonic measurements unadjusted for live weight (LM), average daily gain in field test (in g/day) calculated as weight at the end of the test divided by age at the end of the test (ADG), number of piglets born alive in parity 1 (NBA1) and number of piglets born alive in parity 2 and subsequent parities (NBA2+). The heritabilities were in the range from 0.30 to 0.37 for LM, from 0.13 to 0.18 for ADG, from 0.09 to 0.13 for NBA1 and from 0.10 to 0.14 for NBA2+, depending on the breed and on the model (herd-year-season random or fixed). Genetic correlations between production and reproduction traits were estimated to be non-zero. Correlations between traits caused by the herd-year-season effect were mostly positive. As a general conclusion, the joint genetic evaluation of production and reproduction traits is recommended. The herd-year-season effect should be preferably considered as random. &nbsp;


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (3) ◽  
pp. 665-670 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. C. JEFFRIES ◽  
R. G. PETERSON

Genetic parameters were estimated for 2403 purebred Yorkshire pigs over a 2-yr period, representing 21 sires. The traits studied included average daily gain, age adjusted to 90 kg, ultrasonic measurements of backfat at the mid-back and loin positions, total and adjusted total ultrasonic backfat and corresponding carcass backfat measurements. Least squares analyses were used to estimate and adjust for the effects of sex, year-season and sex by year-season interaction. Heritabilities and genetic correlations were calculated for all traits using both half- and full-sib estimates. Adjusted age and adjusted total ultrasonic backfat measurements were found to have the highest heritabilities of the live traits in this study. Estimates of heritability for adjusted age and adjusted total ultrasonic backfat were 0.24 ± 0.10 and 0.26 ± 0.10 based on half-sib and 0.56 ± 0.07 and 0.41 ± 0.06 from full-sib analyses. The genetic correlation between these two traits was −0.07 ± 0.28 based on the half-sib method. The total phenotypic correlation was −0.01 ± 0.02. Key words: Swine, ultrasonic backfat, heritabilities, genetic correlations


2016 ◽  
Vol 38 (2) ◽  
pp. 155 ◽  
Author(s):  
Solano Felipe Just de Andrade ◽  
Ângela Maria Vieira Batista ◽  
Francisco Fernando Ramos de Carvalho ◽  
Rodrigo Barros de Lucena ◽  
Rafael De Paula Xavier de Andrade ◽  
...  

The objective was to evaluate the effect of partial or total replacement of Tifton 85 hay with fresh or dehydrated spineless cactus on performance and body weight components of sheep. Thirty hair lambs, with 19 kg ± 0.35 kg initial weight, were randomly divided into five treatments, namely: Tifton 85 Hay (HA); Tifton 85 Hay + fresh spineless cactus (HAFC); Tifton 85 Hay + dehydrated spineless cactus (HADC); fresh spineless cactus (FC); dehydrated spineless cactus (DC). In addition to the spineless cactus and hay, the complete mixture contained soybean meal, mineral salt and limestone in all treatments. Animals were confined for 75 days and then slaughtered. The weight of body components was recorded. Dry matter intake, total digestible nutrients intake and voluntary water intake were higher (p < 0.05) for the DC and HADC treatments. The average daily gain was 118 g day-1 and body weight at slaughter of 25.8 kg were not influenced (p > 0.05) by treatments. The cold carcass weight, rib eye area, weight and yield of the skin, liver, kidney and large intestine were higher (p < 0.05) for the DC and HADC treatments. Partial or total replacement of Tifton 85 hay with fresh or dehydrated spineless cactus, in complete diets for sheep, increases the weight of the cold carcass and non-carcass components. 


2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 655-665
Author(s):  
Samuel J Hawe ◽  
Nigel Scollan ◽  
Alan Gordon ◽  
Elizabeth Magowan

Abstract Improved genetics in commercial pig production have resulted in larger litter sizes. However this has increased the prevalence of compromised pigs exhibiting inferior birthweights, weaning weights, and lifetime performance. This study aimed to determine the effects of increased sow lactation feed intake on growth of low and average birthweight piglets until 10 wk of age. Low (Low BW; &lt;1 kg) and average (Av BW; 1.3–1.7 kg) birthweight animals were reared in uniformly weighted litters comprising 14 piglets on a foster mother offered either a low (Low FA; max 7.5 kg/d) or high (High FA; max 11 kg/d) feed allowance over a 28- ± 1-d lactation. Piglet performance was monitored from birth until 10 wk of age. Sows offered a High FA consumed 42.4 kg more feed on average than those offered Low FA, resulting in a greater derived milk yield (P &lt; 0.05). Animals of Av BW remained heavier than Low BW pigs throughout the trial (P &lt; 0.05). Piglets reared by High FA sows were heavier at weeks 3, 4, 5, and 7 (P &lt; 0.05) but not week 10 (P &gt; 0.05). Growth rate of piglets relative to their birthweight was significantly greater for Low BW piglets than those of Av BW during lactation (P &lt; 0.001). Piglets reared by sows offered a High FA expressed greater relative growth preweaning (P &lt; 0.05); however, postweaning relative growth for piglets reared on sows offered a Low FA was greater (P &lt; 0.05) suggesting compensatory growth. Neither birthweight nor sow feed allowance significantly affected preweaning mortality (P &gt; 0.05). However, Low BW animals on sows with a High FA recorded half the preweaning mortality of Low BW pigs on sows with a Low FA. During week 1 of lactation, Av BW litters recorded a greater total suckling duration compared to Low BW litters (P &lt; 0.05) but there was no difference in suckling frequency (P &gt; 0.05). During week 3 of lactation, High FA litters displayed a significantly lower suckling frequency (P &lt; 0.05) yet a greater total suckling duration (P &lt; 0.001). Average daily gain was greater for Av BW pigs during weeks 4–7 (P &lt; 0.001) but no difference was recorded between weeks 7 and 10 (P &gt; 0.05). Average daily feed intake was greater for Av BW pigs throughout the nursery period (P &lt; 0.05) but feed–conversion ratio did not differ compared to Low BW pens (P&gt;0.05). In conclusion, offering sows a High FA increased weaning weight of all animals; however, birthweight was the major determinant of postweaning performance.


2012 ◽  
Vol 52 (11) ◽  
pp. 1046 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hasan Baneh ◽  
Mojtaba Najafi ◽  
Ghodrat Rahimi

The present study was carried out to estimate variance components for growth traits in Naeini goats. Bodyweight records were collected for two flocks under supervision of the Agriculture Organisation of the Esfahan province between 2000 and 2007. Investigated traits were birthweight (BW; n = 2483), weaning weight (WW; n = 1211) and average daily gain from birth to weaning (ADG; n = 1211). Environmental effects were investigated using fixed-effect models, while (co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated with single- and three-trait analyses using REML methods and WOMBAT software. Six different animal models were fitted to the traits, with the best model for each trait determined by log-likelihood ratio tests (LRT). All traits were significantly influenced by herd, birth year, sex of the kid, birth type and dam age (P < 0.01). On the basis of LRT, maternal permanent environmental effects (c2) were significant for WW and ADG, while BW was affected only by direct genetic effects. Direct heritability estimates for BW, WW and ADG were 0.25 ± 0.05, 0.07 ± 0.06 and 0.21 ± 0.11, respectively. The estimate of c2 was 0.16 ± 0.06 for both WW and ADG. Estimates of genetic correlation for BW–ADG, BW–WW and ADG–WW were 0.49, 0.61 and 0.94, respectively. The estimated phenotypic correlations were positive and were between 0.03 (BW–ADG) and 0.95 (ADG–WW). These results indicate that selection can be used to improve growth traits in this goat breed.


2013 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 191-199 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. Nagy ◽  
P. Gyovai ◽  
I. Radnai ◽  
H. Nagyné Kiszlinger ◽  
J. Farkas ◽  
...  

Abstract. Genetic parameters, inbreeding depression and genetic trends were estimated for average daily gain between the ages of 5-10 weeks and thigh muscle volume (measured in vivo with computerized tomography) in a group of 22 098 Pannon terminal line rabbits born between 2006 and 2011 and reared in 3 396 litters. The data sets were analysed with bi-variate animal models taking pedigree completeness (complete generation equivalent) into account. By 2011, all rabbits were inbred and the average inbreeding coefficient and complete generation equivalent of the population were 7.69 % and 11.89 %, respectively. Estimated heritability was moderate both for average daily gain (0.23±0.02) and thigh muscle volume (0.25±0.03). Litter effects were low for both traits (0.16±0.00 and 0.09±0.01 respectively). The genetic correlation coefficient estimate between average daily gain and thigh muscle volume was also low (0.02±0.08). Significant inbreeding depression (per 10 % inbreeding) was only detected for average daily gain (0.57 g/d). The estimated annual selection response was substantial both for average daily gain and thigh muscle volume (1.49 g/d and 5.84 cm3, respectively), proving the efficiency of the breeding programme.


2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-604 ◽  
Author(s):  
Magdalena Szyndler-Nędza ◽  
Robert Eckert ◽  
Mirosław Tyra ◽  
Grzegorz Żak ◽  
Karolina Szulc ◽  
...  

AbstractThe aim of the study was to determine genetic parameters of live performance traits in pigs of three native breeds maintained in Poland. As part of the conservation programmes, the Puławska (Puł), Złotnicka White (ZW) and Złotnicka Spotted (ZS) breeds are monitored for productivity based on performance test results of these breeds. The study included 6042 gilts and 2406 boars of the Puławska breed, 866 Złotnicka White gilts, and 903 Złotnicka Spotted gilts. The genetic parameters were estimated separately for each breed, and also separately for sexes in the case of the Puławska breed. The components (co)variance and genetic parameters were estimated using the REML method for the animal model taking into account different combination of fixed and random effects. Convergence of the iterative process was achieved by the selection of AIREML algorithm. The coefficients of genetic and phenotypic correlations between measurements of slaughter traits and daily gain were low for all breed groups. In turn, the relationships between backfat thickness measurements and carcass meat percentage were estimated as high. Only the correlations of slaughter traits with loin eye height were not uniform for the analysed breed groups. The coefficients of heritability (h2) were high and intermediate for all breeds and sexes. The highest heritability coefficients were obtained for daily gain (0.58 in ZW to 0.80 in Puł gilts), followed by backfat thickness (0.37 in Puł gilts to 0.64 in ZW) and carcass meat percentage (0.40 in ZS to 0.56 in ZW). The lowest coefficients were obtained for loin eye height (0.24 in Puł boars to 0.40 in ZW). The estimated genetic parameters could be used to verify selection indices of the breeds included in the genetic resources conservation programmes.


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.


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