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 Roughsedge, T. Articles by Simm, G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Roughsedge, T. Articles by Simm, G.

Genetic parameters for a maternal breeding goal in beef production¹

T. Roughsedge^*,2, P. R. Amer, R. Thompson and G. Simm^*

^* Scottish Agricultural College, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, United Kingdom; and Abacus Biotech Limited, Dunedin, New Zealand; and and Rothamsted Experimental Station, Institute of Arable Crop Research, Harpenden, Hertfordshire AL5 2JQ and Roslin Institute (Edinburgh), Roslin, Midlothian EH25 9PS, United Kingdom

² Correspondence: West Mains Road (phone: 44-0131-535-3225; fax: 44-0131-535-3121; e-mail: tim.roughsedge{at}sac.ac.uk).

New maternal breeding values have been developed for use in UK beef evaluations. To undertake multitrait BLUP evaluations, it is necessary to have a full covariance matrix. This study outlines the approach taken to construct the full covariance matrices for the four beef breeds that most widely contribute to suckler beef cows in the United Kingdom. The maternal traits investigated were age at first calving, calving interval, lifespan, mature cow weight, 200-d weight, and calving difficulty. Three terminal sire traits (weight at 400 d, ultrasonic fat depth, and muscle score) were included to estimate covariances between the new and existing traits. A sire-maternal-grandsire model was used for the estimation procedure in a series of bivariate and multivariate models. A weighted bending procedure was employed to construct positive definite covariance matrices. Parameter estimates broadly agreed with literature values, although for some traits, literature information was very scarce. Some differences between parameters for different breeds were evident.

Key Words: Genetic Parameter • Maternal Trait • Weighted Bending

This article has been cited by other articles:

				J. P. Gutierrez, F. Goyache, I. Fernandez, I. Alvarez, and L. J. Royo Genetic relationships among calving ease, calving interval, birth weight, and weaning weight in the Asturiana de los Valles beef cattle breed J Anim Sci, January 1, 2007; 85(1): 69 - 75. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]