GENETIC-PARAMETERS FOR TRAITS OTHER THAN PRODUCTION IN PUREBRED AND CROSSBRED NEW-ZEALAND DAIRY-CATTLE

First lactation classification records for 17 non-production traits in New Zealand dairy cows, and survival from first to second and to thir d lactation were analyzed in order to estimate the correlations amongs t the 17 traits and with cow survival. Four of the traits were farmer- scored, 13 were scored by inspectors. The data were collected on heife rs calving between 1987 and 1991, to allow expression of survival thro ugh to 3rd lactation. Analyses were carried out by breed of sire (of c ow), for Holstein, Ayrshire and Jersey sires and combined, with breed and heterosis effects included. Approximately 20% of the cows were cro ssbred, mainly combinations of Jersey and Holstein. The 17 traits were scored on a 1 to 9 scale; a Snell transformation of the scores was us ed for the analyses using mixed model REML methods. The overall rate o f survival to 2nd lactation was 0.88 and to 3rd lactation was 0.74. Th e genetic correlations between the producer-scored traits and survival to 2nd and to 3rd lactations were mainly in the range 0.3 to 0.6 wher eas the genetic correlations between the inspector-scored, 'conformati on' traits were not different from zero. Heritabilities for the produc er-scored trails ranged from 0.1 to 0.37, for the inspector-scored tra its heritabilities ranged from 0.076 to 0.45.