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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 November 2017
In order to evaluate genetic improvement in a selected population, variation resulted from environment and genetics should be dissociated. Because of the positive genetic correlation between milk fat yield and milk and protein yield, selection for milk production has often resulted in an increase in fat and protein yields however response for fat percentage is negative. However positive genetic trends between 0.73 to 0.95 kg per annum for milk fat yield in Holstein cattle have been reported in some studies that milk fat yield had less importance in selection index, also negative values are reported. Based on previous research, genetic improvement of milk fat yield up to 1 percent due to selection is possible and from a theoretical view, an improvement of about 2 percent is reported. With attention to selection in the herd and using progeny tested semen from foreign countries that have suitable genetic potential, this study was accomplished in order to estimate genetic parameters for milk fat and investigate genetic and environmental trends during 1990 to 2001.