Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Clay Center, Nebraska » U.S. Meat Animal Research Center » Genetics and Animal Breeding » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #99695
Title: GENETIC PARAMETERS FOR LONGEVITY TRAITS FOR HOLSTEIN CATTLE IN MEXICO

Author
item VALENCIA-POSADAS, M. - FMVZ-UNAM, MEXICO
item RUIZ, F. - CENIFMA-INIFAP, MEXICO
item MONTALDO, H. - ICA-UGTO, MEXICO
item KEOWN, JEFFREY - UNIV. OF NEBRASKA-LINCOLN
item Van Vleck, Lloyd

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 3/1/1999
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: The Mexican Holstein Association (MHA) has not until now utilized records to estimate genetic parameters or EBV for longevity traits. Different variables and methods of analyses have been used to study longevity and to estimate genetic parameters in dairy cattle. The objective of this study was to estimate heritabilities (h2) and genetic correlations (rg) between lifetime and stayability traits and milk production of first lactation. Records of Holstein cattle were provided from MHA. Only mature equivalent 305d milk yields were considered. Most recent year of birth was 1988. Cows were assumed to have been culled or died after last recorded lactation. Total number of cows was 46,026. Lifetime traits were: number of lactations initiated (NLI), total milk production over all lactations (TMP) and length of productive life (LPL). Stayability traits were: stayability to 36, 48, 60 and 72 months of age (S36, S48, S60 and S72, respectively). Milk production for first lactation (MP1) was used to obtain rg with lifetime and stayability traits. Variance components were estimated utilizing REML for animal models. Averages for NLI, TMP, LPL and MP1 were 2.63, 18,530 kg, 1,812 days and 6913 kg, respectively. Percentage of live cows at 36, 48, 60 and 72 months of age were 95, 66, 42 and 25%, respectively. Heritability estimates for lifetime traits were 0.11 to 0.14, for MP1 was 0.30 and for stayability traits were 0.05 to 0.09. All rg between lifetime and S48, S60 and S72 were greater than 0.85. The NLI, TMP and LPL are essentially the same trait because estimates of rg between them were about 0.94. The MP1 and S48 can be used as early indicators of longevity (i.e., for TMP and LPL) because of high estimates of rg. The traits analyzed in this study could be used in selection programs for Holstein cattle in Mexico.