Journal of Animal Science, Vol 75, Issue 5 1203-1212, Copyright © 1997 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Estimation of direct and maternal breed effects for prediction of expected progeny differences for birth and weaning weights in three multibreed populations

F. A. Rodriguez-Almeida, L. D. Van Vleck and K. E. Gregory
Facultad de Zootecnia, Universidad Autonoma de Chihuahua, Mexico.

Direct and maternal breed effects on birth and 200-d weights were estimated for nine parental breeds (Hereford [H], Angus [A], Braunvieh [B], Limousin [L], Charolais [C], Simmental [S], Gelbvieh [G], Red Poll [R], and Pinzgauer [P]) that contributed to three composite populations (MARC I = 1/4B, 1/4C, 1/4L, 1/8H, 1/8A; MARC II = 1/4G, 1/4S, 1/4H, 1/4A; and MARC III = 1/4R, 1/4P, 1/4H, 1/4A). Records from each population, the composite plus pure breeds and crosses used to create each composite, were analyzed separately. The animal model included fixed effects of contemporary group (birth year-sex-dam age), proportions of individual and maternal heterosis and breed inheritance as covariates, and random effects of additive direct genetic (a) and additive maternal genetic (m) with covariance (a,m), permanent environment, and residual. Sampling correlations among estimates of genetic fixed effects were large, especially between direct and maternal heterosis and between direct and maternal breed genetic effects for the same breed, which were close to -1. This resulted in some large estimates with opposite sign and large standard errors for direct and maternal breed genetic effects. Data from a diallel experiment with H, A, B, and R breeds, from grading up and from a top cross experiment were required to separate breed effects satisfactorily into direct and maternal genetic effects. Results indicate that estimation of direct and maternal breed effects needed to predict hybrid EPD for multibreed populations from field data may not be possible. Information from designed crossbreeding experiments will need to be incorporated in some way.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				E. L. Oxford, A. H. Brown Jr., Z. B. Johnson, G. T. Tabler, and B. R. Kutz Preweaning Performance, Heterosis, and Direct and Maternal Breed Effects in Angus, Hereford, Red Poll, Santa Gertrudis, and Reciprocal-Cross Calves Professional Animal Scientist, October 1, 2009; 25(5): 529 - 535. [Abstract] [PDF]

				B. L. Golden, D. J. Garrick, and L. L. Benyshek Milestones in beef cattle genetic evaluation J Anim Sci, April 1, 2009; 87(14_suppl): E3 - E10. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				O. D. Vergara, M. F. Ceron-Munoz, E. M. Arboleda, Y. Orozco, and G. A. Ossa Direct genetic, maternal genetic, and heterozygosity effects on weaning weight in a Colombian multibreed beef cattle population J Anim Sci, February 1, 2009; 87(2): 516 - 521. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. Carvalheiro, E. C. G. Pimentel, V. Cardoso, S. A. Queiroz, and L. A. Fries Genetic effects on preweaning weight gain of Nelore-Hereford calves according to different models and estimation methods J Anim Sci, November 1, 2006; 84(11): 2925 - 2933. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. M. Roso, F. S. Schenkel, S. P. Miller, and J. W. Wilton Additive, dominance, and epistatic loss effects on preweaning weight gain of crossbred beef cattle from different Bos taurus breeds J Anim Sci, August 1, 2005; 83(8): 1780 - 1787. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. M. Roso, F. S. Schenkel, S. P. Miller, and L. R. Schaeffer Estimation of genetic effects in the presence of multicollinearity in multibreed beef cattle evaluation J Anim Sci, August 1, 2005; 83(8): 1788 - 1800. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Newman, A. Reverter, and D. J. Johnston Purebred-crossbred performance and genetic evaluation of postweaning growth and carcass traits in Bos indicusxBos taurus crosses in Australia J Anim Sci, July 1, 2002; 80(7): 1801 - 1808. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]