Genetic Relationships of Body Measurements at Registration to a Couple of Reproductive Traits in Japanese Black Cows

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  • 黒毛和種雌牛の登録時体測定値と繁殖性の遺伝相関
  • Genetic Relationships of Body Measureme

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Abstract

A study was made on the genetic relationships of body measurements at registration to a couple of reproductive traits in Japanese Black females. Genetic parameters were calculated using a REML procedure under multiple-trait animal model. The field records on six body measurements and three reproductive traits of 14, 881 Japanese Black females were analyzed. Body measurements included withers height, chest girth, chest depth, rump length, thurl width and body weight, and reproductive traits included age at first calving, first calving interval and gestation length. Heritability estimates for body measurements were moderate (0.33 for chestgirth, 0.35 for chest depth, 0.39 for rump length, 0.34 for thurl width and 0.39 for body weight) to high (0.45 for withers height), while those for reproductive traits were low (0.04 for age at first calving to 0.17 for gestation length). High and positive genetic correlation coefficients of 0.50 to 0.87 were obtained among body measurements. Most body measurements had negative genetic relationships with reproductive traits. Thurl width had a closest genetic correlation (-0.38) with age at first calving, while rump length had a closest correlation (-0.34) with calving interval. Withers height, which was thought to be an important indicator for growth performance and first insemination, had only low and negative genetic correlation with age at first calving (-0.19), though it had a negative and closest correlation with gestation length (-0.48). Body weight had no close genetic correlation with any reproductive traits (-0.12 to -0.16). Concerning reproductive traits, it may be said that all of the body measurements at registration are not always good indicators for feasible reproductive performance, and that a more efficient method for body measurement should be developed in the near future in order to predict breeding values of reproductive traits such as age at first calving and calving interval, and longevity of replacement heifers and cows.

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