Rr. Van Der Westhuizen et al., Heritability estimates derived from threshold analyses for reproduction and stayability traits in a beef cattle herd, S AFR J AN, 31(1), 2001, pp. 25-32
Citations number
29
Categorie Soggetti
Animal Sciences
Journal title
SOUTH AFRICAN JOURNAL OF ANIMAL SCIENCE-SUID-AFRIKAANSE TYDSKRIF VIR VEEKUNDE
The object of this study was to estimate heritabilities and sire breeding v
alues for stayability and reproductive traits in a composite multibreed bee
f cattle herd using a threshold model. A GFCAT set of programmes was used t
o analyse reproductive data. Heritabilities and product-moment correlations
between predicted breeding values for stayability at 36, 48, 60, 72 and 84
months of age, calving success and longevity were estimated. The estimated
heritabilities on the underlying scale for these traits were 0.06, 0.10, 0
.06, 0.03, 0.11, 0.03 and 0.08 respectively. Product-moment correlations be
tween breeding values for stayability traits were low. The highest correlat
ion of 0.22 was obtained between the ages of 36 and 48 months. Heritability
estimates and correlations between traits appear to be of such a low magni
tude that selection for these characteristics would result in limited genet
ic improvement, and also indicate that sires had little influence on the st
ayability, longevity or calving success of their daughters.