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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #78965
Title: HERITABILITIES OF AND GENETIC CORRELATIONS AMONG SEX-SPECIFIC TRAITS IN BEEF CATTLE

Author
item SPLAN, REBECCA - UNIV. OF NEBR.,-LINCOLN
item Van Vleck, Lloyd
item Cundiff, Larry

Submitted to: Journal of Animal Science Supplement
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/24/1997
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Data from 3,459 beef heifers and 4,080 of their steer paternal half-sibs were used to estimate genetic parameters of and among female growth and reproductive traits and male carcass traits. Estimates of heritability for adjusted 205-d weight, adjusted 365-d weight, age at puberty, calving rate and calving difficulty measured on females were .13, .37, .46, .07 and .12, ,respectively, with estimates for calving rate and calving difficulty expressed on a binomial scale. Estimates of heritability for hot carcass weight, retail product percentage, fat percentage, bone percentage, rib eye area, estimated kidney, pelvic and heart fat percentage, adjusted fat thickness, marbling score, Warner-Bratzler shear force, taste panel tender- ness, taste panel juiciness and taste panel flavor measured on steers were .37, .64, .53, .47, .57, .43, .43, .71, .24, .29, .00 and .04, respec- tively. Estimates of genetic correlations were positive for heifer weights swith hot carcass weight, estimated kidney, pelvic and heart fat percentage rib eye area, adjusted fat thickness and taste panel flavor of steers, and negative with retail product percentage. Warner-Bratzler shear force and taste panel tenderness were unfavorably correlated with heifer weaning weight, but showed no relationship with yearling weight. Age at puberty was correlated with taste panel tenderness and flavor but with no other carcass trait. Calving rate was positively correlated with traits involv- ing carcass fatness. Calving difficulty was unfavorably correlated with measures of carcass tenderness. Results imply selection for some traits expressed in one sex of beef cattle may yield undesirable responses in traits expressed in the opposite sex.