TITLE:
Estimation of Genetic Parameters for 305 Days Milk Yields and Calving Interval in Xinjiang Brown Cattle
AUTHORS:
Xuefeng Fu, Lili Lu, Xixia Huang, Yachun Wang, Kechuan Tian, Xinming Xu, Jiqing Fang, Liming Cheng, Zhiqin Guo, Yuezhen Tian
KEYWORDS:
Genetic Parameter, 305 Days MEM, Calving Interval, Xinjiang Brown Cattle
JOURNAL NAME:
Agricultural Sciences,
Vol.8 No.1,
January
11,
2017
ABSTRACT: This study was conducted to estimate variance components and genetic parameters for 305 days mature equivalent milk yields (MEM) and calving interval (CAI) of registered Xinjiang Brown cattle. The total records were 3940 including 2579 for 305-day MEM and 1970 for CAI, which were collected from Xinjiang Urumqi Cattle Breeding farm in China with calving records from 1990 to 2008. Genetic parameters were obtained by multiple trait derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood (MTDFREML) using animal model. The model included year, season, parity and calving interval of calving for 305 days MEM, and year, season and parity of birth for CAI as fixed effects. Heritability for 305 days MEM was moderate (0.39) and in the same range of parameters estimated in management systems with medium production levels. Heritability of calving interval was small (0.02) as fertility traits for Xinjiang Brown cattle. Estimates of genetic and environmental correlations between 305 days MEM and CAI were 0.47 and 0.37, respectively. Estimates of genetic variation and heritability indicated that selection would result in genetic improvement of production traits. Estimates of both heritability and genetic variation for CAI were small, which indicates that genetic improvement would be difficult.