scholarly journals Heritabilities and genetic correlations for birth weight, weaning weight, and yearling weight in polled Hereford cattle

Author(s):  
J.B. Glaze ◽  
R.R. Schalles
1980 ◽  
Vol 30 (2) ◽  
pp. 271-276 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. P. Mavrogenis ◽  
A. Louca ◽  
O. W. Robison

ABSTRACTData on 792 Chios lambs born during the 1972/73 and 1973/74 lambing seasons were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for birth weight, weaning weight, age at weaning, pre-weaning daily gain, body weight at 5, 10, 15 and 20 weeks of age, and postweaning daily gain. Body weight at 15 weeks of age had the highest heritability estimate (0·73 ± 0·17) and that of post-weaning daily gain was also high (0·56 ± 0·15). Selection for either weight at 15 weeks or post-weaning daily gain would be expected to yield a greater response than selection for pre-weaning daily gain or weaning weight. Genetic correlations among weights and/or gains were positive (approximately 0·20). Phenotypic correlations among weights and gains were generally higher than genetic correlations. However, the correlation between pre— and post-weaning daily gain was small (0·08). Likewise, post-weaning daily gain had low correlations with all weights before 10 weeks. Age at weaning had moderate negative associations with all weights but a very low positive correlation with post-weaning daily gain.


1980 ◽  
Vol 31 (2) ◽  
pp. 417 ◽  
Author(s):  
R Barlow ◽  
GH O'Neill

First-cross calves of Simmental (S), Friesian (F), and Brahman (B) sires were compared with straight-bred calves of Hereford (H) sires over 5 years at Grafton, N.S.W. There was a total of 775 calves sired by 205 bulls with complete records of performance from conception to weaning. Analyses were conducted to determine sire breed and sire breed x environment effects, and to provide paternal half-sib estimates of heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations. Various models were used to ascertain the sensitivity of genetic parameters to the removal of different sources of variation. Among females, S x H were heaviest at birth, while among males, B x H were heaviest. The regression coefficient of birth weight on gestation length was significantly greater for B x H calves than for other crosses. All crosses grew significantly faster to weaning and were significantly heavier at weaning than H x H calves. However, there were a number of significant interactions between sire breed and environmental variables for measures of pre-weaning growth. S x H and F x H calves appeared most sensitive to environmental variation, while B x H appeared least sensitive. The significance of this is discussed. Estimates of heritability for most traits were high. Values derived by using simple models were: gestation length, 0.68; birth weight, 0.56; average daily gain (ADG) to weaning, 0.47; weaning weight, 0.54; eyelid pigmentation, 0.50. Heritabilities of birth weight and ADG during the early pre-weaning period appeared most sensitive to the amount of environmental variation removed in the model. Gestation length was positively correlated with size at birth but negatively correlated with growth to weaning. There were large positive genetic correlations among various measures of size at birth, and among various measures of growth to weaning. When compared with ADG to weaning, weaning weight was more strongly correlated with birth weight, but less strongly correlated with gestation length. The results also indicated that selection for gain over a fixed time period, immediately prior to weaning, would be as efficient as direct selection for total ADG to weaning.


1964 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-178 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. E. Lawson ◽  
H. F. Peters

Birth and weaning data were collected from 1957 to 1960 on 219 calves of the Highland and Hereford breeds and their reciprocal crosses. Significant (P < 0.01) effects of breed of calf, age of dam, sex of calf, and date of birth on birth weight, and significant (P < 0.01) effects of breed of calf, year of birth, age of dam, sex of calf, and age of calf on weaning weight, demonstrated the importance of considering both genetic and environmental factors when undertaking comparative tests of breeds and crosses.Breed means and standard errors for birth weight were Hereford, 70.7 ± 0.9; Highland, 63.6 ± 1.0; Highland (sire) × Hereford (dam), 73.6 ± 0.9; and Hereford (sire) × Highland (dam), 70.1 ± 1.1 lb. Weaning weight means and standard errors were: Hereford, 360 ± 5.6; Highland, 339 ± 6.7; Highland × Hereford, 378 ± 6.0; and Hereford × Highland, 385 ± 7.0 lb.The average of the reciprocal crosses exceeded the average of the parental breeds by 7.0% in birth weight and 9.2% in weaning weight.Variability (sum of squares) in birth weight accounted for by breed of calf was about twice that accounted for by age of dam or sex of calf, and about 6 times that contributed by year of birth or date of birth within years. The influence of age of dam on the variability in weaning weight was about twice that accounted for by breed of calf, year of birth, or age of calf, and about 7 times that due to sex of calf.


2001 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 51 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio A. Elzo ◽  
Germán Martínez

<p>Se utilizaron datos de crecimiento de terneros del rebaño multirracial Sanmartinero-Cebú localizado en el Centro de Investigaciones La Libertad, con el objeto de obtener la estimación de razones genéticas aditivas (heredabilidades), no aditivas (interactibi-lidades) y correlaciones genético aditivas, no aditivas, directas y maternas para peso al nacimiento, peso al destete (240 d),y ganancia de peso postdestete (240 a 480 d). Se obtuvieron también predicciones de valores genéticos aditivos y no aditivos de los tres caracteres de crecimiento para todos los toros usados en el rebaño enlre r97ty 1996. La metodología utilizada,tanto para el cálculo de la estimación de componentes de varianza y covarianza, como para las predicciones genéticas de toros, fue de tipo multirracial. La estimación de heredabilidades en las razas Sanmartinero y Cebú fue: 0.26 y 0.30 para peso al nacimiento directo, 0.10 y 0.08 para peso al destete directo, 0.44 y 0.37 para ganancia postdestete directa, 0.29 y 0.36 para peso al nacimiento materno, 0.11 y 0.10 para peso al destete materno y 0.46 y 0.38 para ganancia postdeste materno, respectivamente. Las estimaciones de correlaciones genéticas aditivas y no aditivas entre todos los caracteres y efectos genéticos fueron bajas; la mayoría de ellas (38 de 45) menores de 0.10. Las predicciones genéticas aditivas y totales directas indican que los toros Sanmartinero tuvieron, en general, terneros más pequeños al nacimiento, de menor peso al destete y de similar ganancia postdestete que en los terneros de toros Cebú. Las predicciones genéticas aditivas y totales maternas, por el contrario, sugieren que hijas de toros Sanmartinero tuvieron terneros más grandes al nacimiento, de mayor peso al destete y de mayor ganancia postdestete que terneros de hijas de toros Cebú. Las predicciones genéticas no aditivas directas fueron mayores que las no aditivas maternas para toros Sanmartinero y Cebú. Por su parte, las predicciones aditivas y no aditivas pre y postdestete maternas sugieren que terneros de madres de menor habilidad materna (e.g., menor producción de leche) crecieron más en el período postdestete. Estos resultados indican que animales Sanmartinero fueron competitivos con animales Cebú para caracteres de crecimiento y demostraron excelente habilidad combinatoria interracial bajo Ias condiciones de nutrición y manejo del Centro de Investigación La Libertad.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Variability  and additive, non additive and total genetic predictions in the multibreed, Sanmartinero-Cebu beef cattle herd in La Libertad Research Center</strong></p><p>Calf growth data from the Sanmartinero-Zebu multibreed herd located at the La Libertad Research Center were used to obtain estimations of additive genetic ratios (heritabilities), non additive genetic atios (interactibilities), and additive, non additive, direct and maternal genetic correlations for birth weight, weaning weight (240 d), and postweaning gain (240 to 480 d). Additive and non additive genetic values were predicted for the three growth traits, for all sires used in the herd from 1971 to 1996. Multibreed methodology was used to compute estimates of covariance components and to predict sire genetic values. Heritability estimates in the Sanmartinero and Zebu breeds were 0.26 and 0.30 for birth weight direct, 0.10 and 0.08 for weaning weight direct, 0.44 and 0.37 for postweaning weight direct, 0.29 and 0.36 for birth weight maternal, 0.11 and 0.10 for weaning weight maternal, and 0.46 and 0.38 for postweaning weight maternal. Estimates of additive and non additive genetic correlations among all traits and genetic effects were low; most of them (38 of 45) were smaller than 0.10. Additive and total direct genetic predictions indicate that calves sired by Sanmartinero bulls were, in general, smaller at birth and at weaning, but had similar postweaning gains to calves from Zebu bulls. Additive and total maternal predictions, on the other hand, suggest that daughters of Sanmartinero sires had larger calves at birth that were heavier at weaning, and had larger postvveaning gains than calves of daughters of Zebu sires. Non additive direct genetic predictions were larger than non additive maternal ones for both: Sanmartinero and Zebu sires. Additive and non additive maternal predictions for pre and postweaning gain, however, suggest that calves of dams of lower maternal ability (e.g., lower milk production) grew more postweaning than those of higher maternal ability. These results suggest that Sanmartinero cattle were competitive with Zebu cattle for growth traits, and demonstrated an excellent interbreed combining ability under the nutritional and management conditions of La Libertad.</p>


1996 ◽  
Vol 47 (8) ◽  
pp. 1235 ◽  
Author(s):  
Torshizi R Vaez ◽  
FW Nicolas ◽  
HW Raadsma

Variance components for direct additive genetic, maternal additive genetic, and maternal environmental effects, and the covariance between direct and maternal additive genetic effects, were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures, using an animal model, for body weight between birth and 22 months of age in Australian Merino sheep. Direct heritability was estimated to be 0.30 for birth weight, 0.28 for weaning weight, 0.24 for body weight at 10 months, 0.34 for body weight at 16 months, and 0.34 for body weight at 22 months. Maternal heritability estimates were 0.29, 0.41, 0.14, 0.07, and 0.07 for the same performances, respectively. Our results suggested that for birth weight and weaning weight, maternal additive genetic effects and the covariance between direct and maternal additive genetic effects were important. Following weaning, maternal additive genetic effects were the only significant maternal effects. Genetic correlations between direct and maternal additive effects were -0.43, -0.59, and -0.29 for birth weight, weaning weight, and body weight at 10 months, respectively. Direct and maternal additive genetic correlations between birth weight and body weight performances at later ages were positive and moderate, ranging from 0.17 to 0.52 and from 0.06 to 0.65, respectively, whereas they were positive and high between weaning weight and later weights, ranging from 0.59 to 0.77 and from 0.61 to 0.85, respectively. A carry-over of maternal influence after weaning was shown. Early (indirect) selection for body weight at weaning or 10 months will achieve a substantial proportion (between 53 and 81%) of direct response for performance at later ages (16 and 22 months).


2014 ◽  
Vol 15 (4) ◽  
pp. 846-853 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cláudio Vieira de Araújo ◽  
Raysildo Barbosa Lôbo ◽  
Luis Gustavo Girardi Figueiredo ◽  
Cláudio Jonasson Mousquer ◽  
Monyka Marianna Massoloni Laureano ◽  
...  

Records of birth weight (BW) and weights standardized to 210 (W210); 365 (W365) and 550 (W550) of age in the Nellore breed were used to estimate variance components of genetic effects and predict genetic values of sires. The model included the fixed effects of contemporary group and cow age at calving as co-variable, and the additive and maternal genetic, permanent maternal environmental, and temporary environmental random effects. Estimates of means and standard deviations for BW, W210; W365 and W550 were 32.76 ± 3.74; 184.30 ± 29.02; 240.31 ± 41.85 and 322.12 ± 60.77, respectively. A significant additive genetic variability was detected for all weights. The permanent maternal environmental variance showed greater relevance on weaning weight, and it was practically inexistent after weaning. For the maternal genetic variance, the estimate for birth weight was more significant as compared with weaning weight. The estimated heritability values for BW, W210; W365 and W550 were 0.37 ± 0.02; 0.36 ± 0.03; 031 ± 0.01 and 0.38 ± 0.02, respectively. Genetic correlations between birth weight and other weights were of low magnitude, with high values of weights at other ages. The use of sires of higher genetic value for total maternal effect makes it possible to use sires that are more positive for weaning weight and also for year and yearling weight.


1993 ◽  
Vol 44 (7) ◽  
pp. 1501 ◽  
Author(s):  
K Meyer

Restricted maximum likelihood estimates of covariance components and the resulting genetic parameters were obtained for birth, weaning, yearling and final weights and postweaning gain of Australian Charolais cattle fitting an animal model including genetic or permanent environmental maternal effects. No 'carry-over' of maternal effects till weaning on postweaning weights was found. Direct heritability estimates were 34, 41 and 22% for yearling weight, final weight and postweaning gain respectively. Maternal genetic effects were not important for birth weight and were small for weaning weight. Permanent environmental maternal effects affected birth weight to a moderate extent, but were the main factor determining weaning weight, explaining 4% and 21% of the respective phenotypic variance while direct heritabilities were 21% (birth) and 12% (weaning). Direct genetic correlations between birth and the other weights were medium, ranging from 0.44 to 0.67, while estimates between weaning, yearling and final weight were close to unity.


1987 ◽  
Vol 44 (2) ◽  
pp. 201-208 ◽  
Author(s):  
Th. Arnason ◽  
H. Kassa-Mersha

ABSTRACTRecords on birth weight and pre-weaning growth of 3959 Boran calves, which were progeny of 51 sires and 979 dams, were analysed by least-squares analysis of variance. The variance components for sires, dams and maternal grandsires were estimated from the data. On the basis of assumed genetic correlations −0·44 and −0·55 between direct and maternal effects on birth weight and weaning weight, respectively, the maternal genetic component and the genetic covariance between direct and maternal effects were estimated. The heritabilities for direct effects on birth weight and weaning weight were 0·11 and 0·22, respectively, while the heritabilities of maternal effects were estimated as 0·02 and 0·11, respectively for the same traits. Selection indices for direct and maternal genetic components of weaning weight were constructed for practical use. These selection indices combined information on the individual, the parents and sibs.


1993 ◽  
Vol 57 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-45 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Meyer

AbstractEstimates of covariance components due to direct and maternal effects among birth, weaning, yearling and final weight for Australian Polled Herefords were obtained by restricted maximum likelihood fitting an animal model. Data were obtained from commercial herds participating in the National Beef Recording Scheme and an across-herd genetic evaluation service. Analyses were carried out considering nine subsets of data, each comprising at least 3000 weaning, 1000 yearling and 500 final weight records which yielded a total of 30 506,17 105 and 9486 records for the three weights, respectively. Estimates of variances and genetic parameters varied considerably between data sets. Both genetic and permanent environmental effects were found to affect all traits except final weights significantly, with maternal environmental effects explaining proportionately more than 0·20 of the total variation in weaning weight. Estimates of the direct-maternal genetic correlation were consistently negative and moderate to strong, ranging from -0·34 to -0·82 for weaning weight. Maternal correlations between weaning and yearling weights were close to unity. Estimates of the direct genetic correlations among the three later weights were 0·8 or larger. Problems with this kind of analysis are discussed.


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