Genes, Vol. 12, Pages 708: Genetic and Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Yearling Weight Gain in Israel Holstein Dairy Calves

Genes, Vol. 12, Pages 708: Genetic and Genome-Wide Association Analysis of Yearling Weight Gain in Israel Holstein Dairy Calves Genes doi: 10.3390/genes12050708 Authors: Moran Gershoni Joel Ira Weller Ephraim Ezra Yearling weight gain in male and female Israeli Holstein calves, defined as 365 × ((weight − 35)/age at weight) + 35, was analyzed from 814,729 records on 368,255 animals from 740 herds recorded between 1994 and 2021. The variance components were calculated based on valid records from 2008 through 2017 for each sex separately and both sexes jointly by a single-trait individual animal model analysis, which accounted for repeat records on animals. The analysis model also included the square root, linear, and quadratic effects of age at weight. Heritability and repeatability were 0.35 and 0.71 in the analysis of both sexes and similar in the single sex analyses. The regression of yearling weight gain on birth date in the complete data set was −0.96 kg/year. The complete data set was also analyzed by the same model as the variance component analysis, including both sexes and accounting for differing variance components for each sex. The genetic trend for yearling weight gain, including both sexes, was 1.02 kg/year. Genetic evaluations for yearling weight gain was positively correlated with genetic evaluations for milk, fat, protein production, and cow survival but negatively correlated with female fertility. Yearling weight gain was also correlated with...
Source: Genes - Category: Genetics & Stem Cells Authors: Tags: Article Source Type: research