Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-gbm5v Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-24T00:08:33.205Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Genetic parameters for stayability in Murrah buffaloes

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  12 April 2010

Priscilla M Galeazzi
Affiliation:
São Paulo State University – Animal Science Department – Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
Maria EZ Mercadante
Affiliation:
Animal Science Experimental Station of Sertãozinho-SP, Brazil
Josineudson AIIV Silva
Affiliation:
São Paulo State University – Animal Breeding and Nutrition Department – Botucatu-SP, Brazil
Rúsbel R Aspilcueta-Borquis
Affiliation:
São Paulo State University – Animal Science Department – Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
Gregório MF de Camargo
Affiliation:
São Paulo State University – Animal Science Department – Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
Humberto Tonhati*
Affiliation:
São Paulo State University – Animal Science Department – Jaboticabal-SP, Brazil
*
*For correspondence; e-mail: [email protected]

Abstract

In order to contribute to the breeding programmes of Asian water buffalo, the aim of this study was to analyse the influence of genetic effects in the stayability of Murrah dairy buffaloes. The stayability trait (ST) was defined as the female's ability to stay in the herd for one (ST1), two (ST2), three (ST3), four (ST4), five (ST5) or six years (ST6) after the first calving. The same trait was also considered as continuous and was designated stayability in days up to one (STD1), two (STD2), three (STD3), four (STD4), five (STD5) or six years (STD6) after the first calving. Data from 1016 females reared in nine herds located in the State of São Paulo, Brazil, were analysed. Statistical models included the additive genetic effect of the animal and the fixed effects of the buffalo breeding herd, birth year and birth season. Additive effects for ST were estimated by approximate restricted maximum likelihood using a threshold model, while for STD, the additive effects were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood. Heritability estimates were lower for ST, except for ST1, (0·11±0·07, 0·17±0·06, 0·23±0·06, 0·16±0·08, 0·14±0·09 and 0·16±0·10 for ST1, ST2, ST3, ST4, ST5 and ST6, respectively) when compared with STD (0·05±0·06, 0·18±0·08, 0·40±0·10, 0·49±0·11, 0·41±0·11 and 0·30±0·13, for STD1, STD2, STD3, STD4, STD5 and STD6, respectively). Considering the values of heritability and owing to the serial nature of STD to a specific age, selection for STD3 should have a favourable influence on STD to other ages.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Gilmour, AR, Cullis, BR, Welham, SJ & Thompson, R 1999 ASREML Reference Manual NSW Agriculture Biometric Bulletin3 Orange, NSW Australia: NSW AgricultureGoogle Scholar
Hudson, GFS & Van Vleck, LD 1981 Relations between production and stayability in Holstein cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 64 22462250CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Madgwick, PA & Goddard, ME 1989 Genetic and phenotypic parameters of longevity in Australian dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 72 26242632CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martinez, GE, Koch, RM, Cundiff, LV, Gregory, KE & Van Vleck, LD 2004 Genetic parameters for six measures of length of productive life and three measures of lifetime production by 6 years after first calving for Hereford cows. Journal of Animal Science 82 19121918CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Martinez, GE, Koch, RM, Cundiff, LV, Gregory, KE & Van Vleck, LD 2005 Genetic parameters for stayability, stayability at calving, and stayability at weaning to specified ages for Hereford cows. Journal of Animal Science 83 20332042CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Pander, BL, Dhaka, SS & Singh, S 2002 Genetic Improvement of lifetime performance and longevity of Indian Buffaloes. In: World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production 7 Montpellier CD-ROMGoogle Scholar
Peeva, T & Ilieva, Y 2007 Longevity of buffalo cows and reasons for their culling. Italian Journal of Animal Science 6 378380CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Queiroz, SA, Figueiredo, G, Silva, JAIIV, Espasandin, AC, Meirelles, SL & Oliveira, JA 2007 [Estimates of genetic parameters of stayability to ages 48, 60 and 72 months in Caracu cows]. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia 36 13161323CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Silva, JAIIV, Eler, JP, Ferraz, JBS & Oliveira, HN 2003 [Genetic analysis of stayability Nelore cows]. Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia 32 598604CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Short, TH & Lawlor, TJ 1992 Genetic parameters of conformation traits, milk yield, and herd life in Holsteins. Journal of Dairy Science 75 19871998CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Snelling, WM, Golden, BL & Bourdon, RM 1995 Within herd genetic analyses of stayability of beef females. Journal of Animal Science 73 993–1001CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Tonhati, H, Ceron Muñoz, MF, Oliveira, JA, Lima, ALF, Albuquerque, LG & Faro, L 2008 Test-day milk yield as a selection criterion for dairy buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis Artiodactyla, Bovidae). Genetics and Molecular Biology 31 674679CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vanraden, PM & Klaaskate, EJH 1993 Genetic evaluation of length of productive life including predicted longevity of live cows. Journal of Dairy Science 76 27582764CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vollema, AR & Groen, AF 1996 Genetic parameters of longevity traits of an upgrading population of dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 79 22612267CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Vukasinovic, N, Moll, J & Kunzi, N 1997 Analysis of production life in Swiss Brown cattle. Journal of Dairy Science 80 23722579CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed