HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Koch, R. M. Articles by Clark, R. T. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Koch, R. M. Articles by Clark, R. T.

Genetic and Environmental Relationships among Economic Characters in Beef Cattle. I. Correlation among Paternal and Maternal Half-Sibs^{1, 2}

U. S. Department of Agriculture

Abstract

Data from 4553 calves raised at the U. S. Range Livestock Experiment Station, Miles City, Montana, were analyzed. Estimates of heritability, repeatability, genetic and environmental correlations were calculated for several economic characteristics. The heritability and repeatability (measured as a permanent characteristic of the cow) estimates were, giving heritability first and repeatability second, .35 and .26 for birth weight, .24 and .34 for weaning weight, .21 and .34 for gain from birth to weaning, .18 and .22 for weaning score, .47 and .20 for yearling weight, .39 and .09 for gain from weaning to yearling age, and .27 and .02 for yearling score. The analyses indicate that maternal environment is quite important for birth weight, gain from birth to weaning and weaning score. Maternal environment appeared to be of little importance for yearling gain and score or is even negatively related to the genes directly influencing these traits. The genetic correlations among the traits were discussed.

¹ Contribution from the Western Regional Project W-1, "The Improvement of Beef Cattle Through Breeding Methods."

² Acknowledgement is made to Superintendent J. R. Quesenberry, U. S. Range Livestock Experiment Station, Miles City, Montana, under whose supervision the data for this study were collected in cooperation with the Montana Agricultural Experiment Station; to the Nebraska Agricultural Experiment Station for providing staff time, and to E. E. Foster, Organization and Methods Examiner, U. S. Air Force Finance Center, Denver, for professional assistance in compilation of data.

³ Department of Animal Husbandry, University of Nebraska, Lincoln.