Dd. Kress et al., GENETIC COMPONENTS FOR MILK-PRODUCTION OF TARENTAISE, HEREFORD, AND TARENTAISE X HEREFORD COWS, Journal of animal science, 74(10), 1996, pp. 2344-2348
The objective of this study was to estimate genetic components for mil
k production of Hereford (HH), Tarentaise (TT), and Hereford x Tarenta
ise or Tarentaise x Hereford(HT) cows under range conditions at the No
rthern Agricultural Research Center, Havre, MT. Milk production of 494
cow-calf pairs was estimated by the weigh-suckle-weigh procedure from
1989 to 1994. Milk production and cow and calf weights were measured
at 40 d (early) and 120 d (late) of lactation. The mating scheme was a
3 x 3 design in which HH, HT, and TT cows were mated with HH, HT, and
TT sires, producing calves that were varying percentages of Hereford
and Tarentaise. Data were analyzed by least squares procedures accordi
ng to a model that included year, age of cow, sex of calf, linear regr
ession on calf age, and linear regressions on coefficients that coded
for various genetic components. These genetic components were breed in
dividual, breed maternal, breed grand maternal, individual heterosis (
calf heterosis), and maternal heterosis (cow heterosis). Coefficients
for genetic components were such that breed effects estimated TT - HH
and regressions on heterosis values estimated the full effect of heter
osis. The breed individual genetic component was significant only for
calf early and late weights; Tarentaise calves were lighter. Breed mat
ernal was significant for most traits, and these effects were positive
for milk production (2.16 and 3.77 kg/d for early and late, respectiv
ely) and calf weights but negative for cow weights. Individual heteros
is was not significant for early milk production but was significant f
or late milk production (1.05 kg/d) and calf weights (2.3 and 8.1 kg f
or early and late, respectively). Maternal heterosis was significant f
or most traits and increased early milk production (1.25 kg/d), calf w
eights (4.5 and 5.8 kg for early and late, respectively), and cow weig
hts (18.1 and 6.0 kg for early and late, respectively).