Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study

Genetic selection has been an effective strategy to improve calving traits including stillbirth in dairy cattle. The primary objectives of the present study were to characterize stillbirth data and determine the feasibility of implementing routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth in five non-Holste...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Anil Sigdel, Xiao-Lin Wu, Kristen L. Parker Gaddis, H. Duane Norman, José A. Carrillo, Javier Burchard, Francisco Peñagaricano, João Dürr
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Frontiers Media S.A. 2022-04-01
Series:Frontiers in Genetics
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.819678/full
_version_ 1811271750431801344
author Anil Sigdel
Anil Sigdel
Xiao-Lin Wu
Xiao-Lin Wu
Kristen L. Parker Gaddis
H. Duane Norman
José A. Carrillo
Javier Burchard
Francisco Peñagaricano
João Dürr
author_facet Anil Sigdel
Anil Sigdel
Xiao-Lin Wu
Xiao-Lin Wu
Kristen L. Parker Gaddis
H. Duane Norman
José A. Carrillo
Javier Burchard
Francisco Peñagaricano
João Dürr
author_sort Anil Sigdel
collection DOAJ
description Genetic selection has been an effective strategy to improve calving traits including stillbirth in dairy cattle. The primary objectives of the present study were to characterize stillbirth data and determine the feasibility of implementing routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth in five non-Holstein dairy breeds, namely Ayrshire, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn, Brown Swiss, and Jersey. An updated sire-maternal grandsire threshold model was used to estimate genetic parameters and genetic values for stillbirth. Stillbirth data with the birth years of dams from 1995 to 2018 were extracted from the United States national calving ease database maintained by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. The extracted stillbirth records varied drastically among the five dairy breeds. There were approximately 486K stillbirth records for Jersey and more than 80K stillbirth records for Brown Swiss. The direct and maternal heritability estimates of stillbirth were 6.0% (4.5–7.6%) and 4.7% (3.3–6.1%) in Jersey and 6.8% (3.2–10.5%) and 1.1% (0.6–2.9%) in Brown Swiss. The estimated genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects for stillbirth were −0.15 (−0.38 to −0.08) in Jersey and −0.35 (−0.47 to −0.12) in Brown Swiss. The estimated genetic parameters for stillbirth in these two breeds were within close ranges of previous studies. The reliabilities of predicted transmitting abilities in Jersey and Brown Swiss increased substantially, thanks to the substantial increase in available stillbirth data in the past 10 years. The stillbirth records for Ayrshire, Guernsey, and Milking Shorthorn, which ranged approximately between 3K and 12K, are insufficient to implement reliable routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth in these three dairy breeds. Estimated genetic (co)variances and genetic values deviated considerably from the reported ranges of previous studies, and the reliabilities of predicted transmitting abilities were low in these three breeds. In conclusion, routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth are feasible in Brown Swiss and Jersey. However, reliable genetic evaluations of stillbirth in Ayrshire, Guernsey, and Milking Shorthorn require further data collection on stillbirth.
first_indexed 2024-04-12T22:26:41Z
format Article
id doaj.art-db3664dcfcf24b5891ece1d600949627
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1664-8021
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-12T22:26:41Z
publishDate 2022-04-01
publisher Frontiers Media S.A.
record_format Article
series Frontiers in Genetics
spelling doaj.art-db3664dcfcf24b5891ece1d6009496272022-12-22T03:14:08ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Genetics1664-80212022-04-011310.3389/fgene.2022.819678819678Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility StudyAnil Sigdel0Anil Sigdel1Xiao-Lin Wu2Xiao-Lin Wu3Kristen L. Parker Gaddis4H. Duane Norman5José A. Carrillo6Javier Burchard7Francisco Peñagaricano8João Dürr9Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesDepartment of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesCouncil on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesDepartment of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesCouncil on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesCouncil on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesCouncil on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesCouncil on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesDepartment of Animal and Dairy Sciences, University of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, United StatesCouncil on Dairy Cattle Breeding, Bowie, MD, United StatesGenetic selection has been an effective strategy to improve calving traits including stillbirth in dairy cattle. The primary objectives of the present study were to characterize stillbirth data and determine the feasibility of implementing routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth in five non-Holstein dairy breeds, namely Ayrshire, Guernsey, Milking Shorthorn, Brown Swiss, and Jersey. An updated sire-maternal grandsire threshold model was used to estimate genetic parameters and genetic values for stillbirth. Stillbirth data with the birth years of dams from 1995 to 2018 were extracted from the United States national calving ease database maintained by the Council on Dairy Cattle Breeding. The extracted stillbirth records varied drastically among the five dairy breeds. There were approximately 486K stillbirth records for Jersey and more than 80K stillbirth records for Brown Swiss. The direct and maternal heritability estimates of stillbirth were 6.0% (4.5–7.6%) and 4.7% (3.3–6.1%) in Jersey and 6.8% (3.2–10.5%) and 1.1% (0.6–2.9%) in Brown Swiss. The estimated genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects for stillbirth were −0.15 (−0.38 to −0.08) in Jersey and −0.35 (−0.47 to −0.12) in Brown Swiss. The estimated genetic parameters for stillbirth in these two breeds were within close ranges of previous studies. The reliabilities of predicted transmitting abilities in Jersey and Brown Swiss increased substantially, thanks to the substantial increase in available stillbirth data in the past 10 years. The stillbirth records for Ayrshire, Guernsey, and Milking Shorthorn, which ranged approximately between 3K and 12K, are insufficient to implement reliable routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth in these three dairy breeds. Estimated genetic (co)variances and genetic values deviated considerably from the reported ranges of previous studies, and the reliabilities of predicted transmitting abilities were low in these three breeds. In conclusion, routine genetic evaluations of stillbirth are feasible in Brown Swiss and Jersey. However, reliable genetic evaluations of stillbirth in Ayrshire, Guernsey, and Milking Shorthorn require further data collection on stillbirth.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.819678/fulldairy cattlecalving easematernal effectspredicted transmitting abilityreliability
spellingShingle Anil Sigdel
Anil Sigdel
Xiao-Lin Wu
Xiao-Lin Wu
Kristen L. Parker Gaddis
H. Duane Norman
José A. Carrillo
Javier Burchard
Francisco Peñagaricano
João Dürr
Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study
Frontiers in Genetics
dairy cattle
calving ease
maternal effects
predicted transmitting ability
reliability
title Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study
title_full Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study
title_fullStr Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study
title_full_unstemmed Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study
title_short Genetic Evaluations of Stillbirth for Five United States Dairy Breeds: A Data-Resource Feasibility Study
title_sort genetic evaluations of stillbirth for five united states dairy breeds a data resource feasibility study
topic dairy cattle
calving ease
maternal effects
predicted transmitting ability
reliability
url https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fgene.2022.819678/full
work_keys_str_mv AT anilsigdel geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT anilsigdel geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT xiaolinwu geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT xiaolinwu geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT kristenlparkergaddis geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT hduanenorman geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT joseacarrillo geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT javierburchard geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT franciscopenagaricano geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy
AT joaodurr geneticevaluationsofstillbirthforfiveunitedstatesdairybreedsadataresourcefeasibilitystudy