Genetic parameters for reproduction traits and correlation with pre weaning growth traits of Fogera cattle at Metekel ranch, north west Ethiopia

cg.authorship.typesCGIAR multi-centreen_US
cg.authorship.typesNot CGIAR international instituteen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationDeutsche Gesellschaft Für Internationale Zusammenarbeiten_US
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areasen_US
cg.contributor.affiliationInternational Livestock Research Instituteen_US
cg.contributor.crpLivestocken_US
cg.contributor.donorGlobal Affairs Canadaen_US
cg.coverage.countryEthiopiaen_US
cg.coverage.iso3166-alpha2ETen_US
cg.coverage.regionAfricaen_US
cg.coverage.regionEastern Africaen_US
cg.creator.identifierAynalem: 0000-0001-5914-0487en_US
cg.creator.identifierSolomon Gizaw: 0000-0002-0600-7188en_US
cg.howPublishedFormally Publisheden_US
cg.identifier.urlhttp://www.lrrd.org/lrrd29/8/beke29152.htmlen_US
cg.issn0121-3784en_US
cg.issue8en_US
cg.journalLivestock Research for Rural Developmenten_US
cg.reviewStatusPeer Reviewen_US
cg.species.breedFOGERAen_US
cg.subject.ilriANIMAL BREEDINGen_US
cg.subject.ilriCATTLEen_US
cg.subject.ilriLIVESTOCKen_US
cg.subject.ilriREPRODUCTIONen_US
cg.volume29en_US
dc.contributor.authorBekele, A.en_US
dc.contributor.authorWuletaw, Z.en_US
dc.contributor.authorHaile, Aynalemen_US
dc.contributor.authorGizaw, Solomonen_US
dc.contributor.authorMekuriaw, Getineten_US
dc.date.accessioned2018-01-14T14:40:10Zen_US
dc.date.available2018-01-14T14:40:10Zen_US
dc.identifier.urihttps://hdl.handle.net/10568/90147en_US
dc.titleGenetic parameters for reproduction traits and correlation with pre weaning growth traits of Fogera cattle at Metekel ranch, north west Ethiopiaen_US
dcterms.abstractThe objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters of reproduction traits of pure Fogera cattle at Metekel Ranch. Metekel cattle Breeding and Improvement Ranch has so far been engaged in maintenance of Fogera cattle population outside their adapted environment (ex-situ conservation). The breeding program has two components: selection and crossbreeding. The establishment of the pure breed unit is meant for the improvement of the Fogera breed and for providing heifers to cross- breed to exotic dairy sires (by Artificial insemination). In cross breeding program; crossbred animals are produced through artificial insemination of Fogera cows with Friesian semen. Around three to six months of pregnancy, the F1 cross heifers are sold to farmers for milk production (Melaku et al., 2011a, b). Very recently the ranch started to distribute non pregnant F1 cross heifers. WOMBAT software was used to estimate genetic parameters. The variance components and heritability were estimated using a Uni-variate animal model using four models which fitted direct additive, dam genetic and permanent environmental effect as a random effect and the fixed effects (year, season, sex and parity). Parameter of age at first calving (AFC) were estimated using Model 1 (Y= Xb + Z1a + e), Model2 (Y= Xb + Z1a + Z3c + e), Model3 (Y= Xb + Z1a + Z2m + e (cova, m = 0), and Model4 (Y= Xb + Z1a + Z2m + Z3c + e (cova, m = 0) whereas parameters of reproductive traits including gestation length (GL), calving interval (CI) and days open (DO) were estimated using model 2 and 4 which fit permanent environmental effect due to repeated records per cow. Correlations (genetic and phenotypic) among the different traits were estimated from bi--variate analysis by using model 1 for growth traits and AFC and model 2 to estimate the correlation between CI, GL and DO and birth weight (BWT) and GL. Correlation between birth weight and gestation length were estimated by treating gestation length as a trait of calf. Due to record limitation correlation between AFC with other reproductive traits were not estimated. Estimates of direct heritability of reproductive performance traits from the best model were 0.003 ± 0.05 for AFC, 0.00 ± 0.03 for GL and CI and 0.013 ± 0.03 for DO. The phenotypic correlations between reproductive traits were 0.003 ± 0.034 for CI and GL, 0.37 ± 0.041 for CI and DO and 0.167 ± 0.036 for DO and GL and the genetic correlation between reproductive traits ranged from -0.94 ± 0.2 for DO and GL to 0.83 ± 0.579 for CI and DO. Genetic correlation between growth and AFC ranged from 0.77 ± 0.24 for BWT and AFC to 0.87 ± 0.03 for pre-weaning average daily gain (PADG) and AFC. The phenotypic and genetic correlations between BWT and GL were 0.03 ± 0.05 and -0.84 ± 0.013 respectively. The results of genetic correlation between considered traits was ranged from moderate to high and it indicates that selection for one trait would have a significant effect on the other traits not considered however selection must be done with caution. The heritability estimates confirmed the presence of high environmental effect among the study population and it masks the individual animal genetic difference. Given the low heritability estimates obtained, effective improvement in reproduction performance of Fogera cattle could be achieved by improving the production conditions and through crossbreeding.en_US
dcterms.accessRightsOpen Accessen_US
dcterms.audienceScientistsen_US
dcterms.bibliographicCitationBekele, A., Wuletaw, Z., Haile, A., Gizaw, S. and Mekuriaw, G. 2017. Genetic parameters for reproduction traits and correlation with pre weaning growth traits of Fogera cattle at Metekel ranch, north west Ethiopia. Livestock Research for Rural Development 29(8):152en_US
dcterms.issued2017en_US
dcterms.languageenen_US
dcterms.licenseOtheren_US
dcterms.subjectlivestocken_US
dcterms.subjectreproductionen_US
dcterms.subjectcattleen_US
dcterms.subjectanimal breedingen_US
dcterms.typeJournal Articleen_US

Files

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.75 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: