| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
|
|
|
|||||||
|
|||||||||
US Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933 , South Dakota State University, Brookings 57007 and and University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Clay Center 68933
Abstract
Data from a comprehensive germ plasm evaluation program were used to estimate genetic correlations of reproductive and maternal traits of beef females with growth and carcass traits of their steer paternal half-sibs. The data set consisted of 187 sires with approximately four female and five male progeny each. Heritability estimates for age at puberty, weight at puberty, conceptions/service, gestation length, calving difficulty, progeny birth weight, progeny preweaning daily gain and mature weight measured on females were .613 ± .177, .700 + .114, .026 ± .126, .298 ± .175, .217 ± .175, .374 + .174, .094 ± .161 and .540 ± .150, respectively. Postweaning daily gain, carcass weight, fat trim weight and retail product weight measured on male half-sibs had estimated heritabilities of .363 ± .090, .441 ± .093, .502 ± .093 and .451 ± .093, respectively. The estimated genetic correlations suggest that selection for postweaning daily gain would result in increased age and weight at puberty, increased mature weight, improved fertility, reduced maternal gestation length, reduced maternal calving difficulty, increased maternal birth weight and reduced maternal preweaning gain. Predicted correlated responses to selection for reduced fat trim at a constant age were increased age and weight at puberty, increased mature weight, reduced maternal fertility, reduced maternal preweaning gain and increased maternal gestation length, birth weight and calving difficulty. Consequences of selection for increased age constant retail product weight or carcass weight appear to be increased age and weight at puberty, increased mature weight, improved fertility, increased maternal gestation length and maternal birth weight but reduced maternal difficulty and reduced maternal preweaning gain.
1 Published in cooperation with and a contribution from Regional Project NC-1, Improvement of Beef Cattle Through Breeding Methods. Published with the approval of the Director of the South Dakota Agr. Exp. Sta. as Publication No. 1936 of the Journal Series and as Paper No. 7238 Journal Series, Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta., Lincoln. Appreciation is expressed to Jeannie Pittam and Kathy Leising for secretarial assistance.
2 Univ. of Nebraska, Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933.
3 Dept. of Anim. Sci., P.O. Box 2170, South Dakota State Univ., Brookings 57007.
4 Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Agr. Res. Service, Clay Center, NE 68933.
This article has been cited by other articles:
|
|
 |
|
  M. D. MacNeil, T. W. Geary, G. A. Perry, A. J. Roberts, and L. J. Alexander Genetic partitioning of variation in ovulatory follicle size and probability of pregnancy in beef cattle J Anim Sci, July 1, 2006; 84(7): 1646 - 1650. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
R. K. Splan, L. V. Cundiff, M. E. Dikeman, and L. D. Van Vleck Estimates of parameters between direct and maternal genetic effects for weaning weight and direct genetic effects for carcass traits in crossbred cattle J Anim Sci, December 1, 2002; 80(12): 3107 - 3111. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
|
|
|
|
J. A. Arango, L. V. Cundiff, and L. D. Van Vleck Genetic parameters for weight, weight adjusted for body condition score, height, and body condition score in beef cows J Anim Sci, December 1, 2002; 80(12): 3112 - 3122. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]
|
|
| HOME | HELP | FEEDBACK | SUBSCRIPTIONS | ARCHIVE | SEARCH | TABLE OF CONTENTS |
