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

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Nephawe, K. A. Articles by Van Vleck, L. D. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Nephawe, K. A. Articles by Van Vleck, L. D.

Genetic relationships between sex-specific traits in beef cattle: Mature weight, weight adjusted for body condition score, height and body condition score of cows, and carcass traits of their steer relatives¹

K. A. Nephawe^*,2, L. V. Cundiff, M. E. Dikeman, J. D. Crouse^,3 and L. D. Van Vleck^¶,,4

^* Department of Animal Science, University of Nebraska, Lincoln 68583-0908; USDA, ARS, Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, and Clay Center, NE 68933 and and ^¶ Lincoln, NE 68583-0908; and Department of Animal Science and Industry, Kansas State University, Manhattan 66506-0201; and and National Swine Research Information Center, USDA-ARS, Ames, IA 50011

⁴ Correspondence: A218 Animal Sciences (phone: 402-472-6010; fax: 402-472-6362; e-mail: lvanvleck{at}unlnotes.unl.edu).

Abstract

Data from the first four cycles of the Germplasm Evaluation Program at the U.S. Meat Animal Research Center (USMARC) were used to investigate genetic relationships between mature weight (MW, n = 37,710), mature weight adjusted for body condition score (AMW, n = 37,676), mature height (HT, n = 37,123), and BCS (n = 37,676) from 4- to 8-yr old cows (n = 1,800) and carcass traits (n = 4,027) measured on their crossbred paternal half-sib steers. Covariance components among traits were estimated using REML. Carcass traits were adjusted for age at slaughter. Estimates of heritability for hot carcass weight (HCWT); percentage of retail product; percentage of fat; percentage of bone; longissimus muscle area; fat thickness adjusted visually; estimated kidney, pelvic, and heart fat percentage; marbling score; Warner-Bratzler shear force; and taste panel tenderness measured on steers were moderate to high (0.26 to 0.65), suggesting that selection for carcass and meat traits could be effective. Estimates of heritability for taste panel flavor and taste panel juiciness were low and negligible (0.05 and 0.01, respectively). Estimates of heritability from cow data over all ages and seasons were high for MW, AMW, and HT (0.52, 0.57, 0.71; respectively) and relatively low for BCS (0.16). Pairwise analyses for each female mature trait with each carcass trait were done with bivariate animal models. Estimates of genetic correlations between cow mature size and carcass composition or meat quality traits, with the exception of HCWT, were relatively low. Selection for cow mature size (weight and/or height) could be effective and would not be expected to result in much, if any, correlated changes in carcass and meat composition traits. However, genetic correlations of cow traits, with the possible exception of BCS, with HCWT may be too large to ignore. Selection for steers with greater HCWT would lead to larger cows.

Key Words: Genetic Correlation • Growth • Heritability • Meat Composition

This article has been cited by other articles:

				T. Roughsedge, P. R. Amer, R. Thompson, and G. Simm Genetic parameters for a maternal breeding goal in beef production J Anim Sci, October 1, 2005; 83(10): 2319 - 2329. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. E. Dikeman, E. J. Pollak, Z. Zhang, D. W. Moser, C. A. Gill, and E. A. Dressler Phenotypic ranges and relationships among carcass and meat palatability traits for fourteen cattle breeds, and heritabilities and expected progeny differences for Warner-Bratzler shear force in three beef cattle breeds J Anim Sci, October 1, 2005; 83(10): 2461 - 2467. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]