Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle
Maternal performance is a major driver of profitability in cow-calf beef cattle enterprises. The aim of this research was to evaluate the inheritance of maternal performance traits and examine the intercorrelation among reproduction, live weight, hip height, body condition and maternal contribution...
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MDPI AG
2021-08-01
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| Series: | Animals |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2509 |
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| author | Franziska Weik Rebecca E. Hickson Stephen T. Morris Dorian J. Garrick Jason A. Archer |
| author_facet | Franziska Weik Rebecca E. Hickson Stephen T. Morris Dorian J. Garrick Jason A. Archer |
| author_sort | Franziska Weik |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Maternal performance is a major driver of profitability in cow-calf beef cattle enterprises. The aim of this research was to evaluate the inheritance of maternal performance traits and examine the intercorrelation among reproduction, live weight, hip height, body condition and maternal contribution to calf weaning weight in 15-month-old heifers, 2-year-old cows and mature cows in New Zealand beef herds. Data were collected on a total of 14,241 cows and their progeny on five commercial New Zealand hill country farms. Heritabilities were low for reproductive traits in heifers and mature cows (0–0.06) but were greater in 2-year-old cows (0.12–0.21). Body condition scores were lowly (0.15–0.26) and live weights (0.42–0.48) and hip heights (0.47–0.65) highly heritable in heifers, 2-year-old cows and mature cows. Results indicate that 2-year-old cows with higher genetic potential for rebreeding ability may have greater genetic merit for live weight, hip height and body condition as heifers (r<sub>g</sub> = 0.19–0.54) but are unlikely to be larger cows at maturity (r<sub>g</sub> = −0.27–−0.10). The maternal genetic effect on weaning weight had a heritability of 0.20 and was negatively genetically correlated with body condition score in lactating cows (r<sub>g</sub> = −0.55–−0.40) but positively genetically correlated with rebreeding performance (r<sub>g</sub> = 0.48). |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:57:47Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-1507990176af4958bc45917c027ea1dc |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2076-2615 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T07:57:47Z |
| publishDate | 2021-08-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Animals |
| spelling | doaj.art-1507990176af4958bc45917c027ea1dc2023-11-22T11:41:12ZengMDPI AGAnimals2076-26152021-08-01119250910.3390/ani11092509Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef CattleFranziska Weik0Rebecca E. Hickson1Stephen T. Morris2Dorian J. Garrick3Jason A. Archer4School of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New ZealandSchool of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New ZealandSchool of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New ZealandSchool of Agriculture and Environment, Massey University, Private Bag 11222, Palmerston North 4442, New ZealandAbacusBio Ltd., P.O. Box 5585, Dunedin 9058, New ZealandMaternal performance is a major driver of profitability in cow-calf beef cattle enterprises. The aim of this research was to evaluate the inheritance of maternal performance traits and examine the intercorrelation among reproduction, live weight, hip height, body condition and maternal contribution to calf weaning weight in 15-month-old heifers, 2-year-old cows and mature cows in New Zealand beef herds. Data were collected on a total of 14,241 cows and their progeny on five commercial New Zealand hill country farms. Heritabilities were low for reproductive traits in heifers and mature cows (0–0.06) but were greater in 2-year-old cows (0.12–0.21). Body condition scores were lowly (0.15–0.26) and live weights (0.42–0.48) and hip heights (0.47–0.65) highly heritable in heifers, 2-year-old cows and mature cows. Results indicate that 2-year-old cows with higher genetic potential for rebreeding ability may have greater genetic merit for live weight, hip height and body condition as heifers (r<sub>g</sub> = 0.19–0.54) but are unlikely to be larger cows at maturity (r<sub>g</sub> = −0.27–−0.10). The maternal genetic effect on weaning weight had a heritability of 0.20 and was negatively genetically correlated with body condition score in lactating cows (r<sub>g</sub> = −0.55–−0.40) but positively genetically correlated with rebreeding performance (r<sub>g</sub> = 0.48).https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2509beef cowsgenetic parameterscorrelationsreproductionrebreedinglive weight |
| spellingShingle | Franziska Weik Rebecca E. Hickson Stephen T. Morris Dorian J. Garrick Jason A. Archer Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle Animals beef cows genetic parameters correlations reproduction rebreeding live weight |
| title | Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle |
| title_full | Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle |
| title_fullStr | Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle |
| title_short | Genetic Parameters for Maternal Performance Traits in Commercially Farmed New Zealand Beef Cattle |
| title_sort | genetic parameters for maternal performance traits in commercially farmed new zealand beef cattle |
| topic | beef cows genetic parameters correlations reproduction rebreeding live weight |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/11/9/2509 |
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