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Heritability of Some Economic Characteristics in Record of Performance Bulls

United States Department of Agriculture^,4

Abstract

Data from 542 bull calves tested in record-of-performance tests at the U. S. Range Livestock Experiment Station, Miles City, Montana, from 1940–54 were analyzed. Estimates of heritability were obtained by paternal half-sib correlation for several economic characteristics. They include: gain in the feed lot, 0.46; final weight (13 months), 0.77; adjusted final weight, 0.55; and, efficiency of feed utilization, 0.32.

The total variance was greater for most traits than in the steers. Differences between years was the most important source of variance. Weaning weight, gain in the feed lot, efficiency of feed utilization, and final weight varied importantly between lines. Weight at 13 months appeared to be the most valuable criterion for selection.

¹ Swine Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, A.R.S., Regional Swine Breeding Laboratory, Ames, Iowa.

² Beef Cattle Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, A.R.S., Denver, Colorado.

³ Beef Cattle Research Branch, Animal Husbandry Research Division, A.R.S., U. S. Range Livestock Experiment Station, Miles City, Montana.

⁴ This study was conducted in cooperation with Western Regional Project W-1, The Improvement of Beef Cattle Through the Application of Breeding Methods.