Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-22dnz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-26T02:19:16.425Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Genetic evaluation of birth and weaning weight of Gudali and two-breed synthetic Wakwa beef cattle populations under selection in Cameroon: genetic and phenotypic parameters

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

C. L. Tawah ,
D. A. Mbah ,
J. E. O. Rege  and
H. Oumate
C. L. Tawah
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal and Veterinary Research, Wakwa, PO Box 65, Ngaoundere, Adamawa, Cameroon
D. A. Mbah
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal and Veterinary Research, Wakwa, PO Box 65, Ngaoundere, Adamawa, Cameroon
J. E. O. Rege
Affiliation:
International Livestock Centre for Africa, PO Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
H. Oumate
Affiliation:
Institute of Animal and Veterinary Research, Wakwa, PO Box 65, Ngaoundere, Adamawa, Cameroon
Get access

Abstract

Genetic parameters for birth and 240-day weaning weights in Gudali and Wakwa cattle breeds in a tropical environment in Cameroon were estimated by derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood procedure using singletrait animal models with maternal effects. Performance data covered the period 1971 through 1985. Heritability estimates for direct effects of live weights at birth and weaning were 0·39 (s.e. 0·10) and 0·27 (s.e. 0·09) in Gudali cattle and 0·65 (s.e. 0·15) and 0·29 (s.e. 0·13) in Wakwa cattle, respectively. Corresponding heritability estimates for maternal effects were 0·06 (s.e. 0·06) and 0·20 (s.e. 0·09) in Gudali cattle and 0·22 (s.e. 0·08) and 0·27 (s.e. 0·12) in Wakwa cattle. Estimates of genetic correlations between direct and maternal effects were negative and substantial for birth weight in Gudali (0·86) and Wakwa (-0·93) and for weaning weight in Gudali (-0·68). The estimate for weaning weight in Wakwa (-0·39) was lower. It was evident from the results that selection on individual performance was likely to yield substantial genetic progress in these traits. Although heritability estimates for maternal effects were low, the negative direct-maternal genetic relationships indicated that selection for these traits should not ignore the maternal component.

Keywords

beef cattlebirth weightCameroongenetic environment interactionweaning weight
Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 57 , Issue 1 , August 1993 , pp. 73 - 79
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1993

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

Abassa, P. K., Mbah, D. A., Zamba, P., Tawah, L. C, Messine, O. and a 1993. Factors which affect Gudali and Wakwa calf weights at birth and weaning on the Adamawa plateau, Cameroon. Tropical Animal Health and Production In press.Google Scholar
Baker, R. L. 1980. The role of maternal effects on the efficiency of selection in beef cattle — a review. Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production 40: 285–303.Google Scholar
Barlow, R. 1978. Biological ramifications of selection for preweaning growth in cattle. A review. Animal Breeding Abstracts 46: 469–486.Google Scholar
Batra, T. R., Lee, A. J. and McAllister, A. J. 1986. Relationships of reproduction traits, body weight and milk yield in dairy cattle. Canadian journal of Animal Science 66: 53–65.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Bertrand, J. K. and Benyshek, L. L. 1987. Variance and covariance estimates for maternally influenced beef cattle growth traits, journal of Animal Science 64: 728–734.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cantet, R. J. C, Kress, D. D., Anderson, D. C, Doornbos, D. E., Burfening, P. J. and Blackwell, W. L. 1988. Direct and maternal variances and covariances and maternal phenotypic effects on preweaning growth of beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 66: 648–660.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Drewry, K. J., Brown, C. J. and Honea, R. S. 1959. Relationship among factors associated with mothering ability in beef cattle, journal of Animal Science 18: 938–946.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Iloeje, M. U. 1986. Components of variance for growth traits among Zebu an d South Devon beef cattle in Southeastern Nigeria. Livestock Production Science 14: 231–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Koch, R. M. 1972. The role of maternal effects in animal breeding. VI. Maternal effects in beef cattle, journal of Animal Science 35: 1316–1323.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Lhoste, P. 1968. [Seasonal behaviour of Zebu cattle in Adamawa, Cameroon. II. Preweaning growth of indigenou s and half-breed Brahman calves]. Revue d'Elevage et de Medecine veterinaires des Pays tropicaux 21: 499–517.Google Scholar
Lhoste, P. 1969. [Cattle breeds of Adamawa (Cameroon)]. Colloque sur I'élevage, Fort-Larny, Tchad, pp. 519–533.Google Scholar
Lhoste, P. 1977. [Genetic improvement of the meat production of Zebu cattle in Adamawa (Cameroon)]. Premier colloque international: recherches snr I‘élevage bovin en zone tropicale humide, Bouaké, Côte d'lvoire, pp. 761–769.Google Scholar
Liu, M. F., Makarechian, M. and Berg, R. T. 1991. Comparison of genetic and phenotypic parameters in a purebred and a synthetic beef cattle population. Canadian journal of Animal Science 71: 279–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mackinnon, M. J., Meyer, K. and Hetzel, D. J. S. 1991. Genetic variation and covariation for growth, parasit e resistance and heat tolerance in tropical cattle. Livestock Production Science 27: 105–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mandon, A. 1957. [Zebu Brahman in Cameroon. Preliminary results of its introduction into Adamawa]. Revue d‘Elevage et de Médecine vétérinaires des Pays tropicaux 10:129–145.Google Scholar
Mbah, D. A., Mbanya, J. and Messine, O. 1987. Performance of Holsteins, Jerseys and the Zebu crosses in Cameroon. Preliminary results. Revue Science et Technique, séries sciences agronomiqites 3:115–126.Google Scholar
Meyer, K. 1991. DFREML: programs to estimat e variance components by restricted maximum likelihood using a derivative-free algorithm. User Notes. Version 2.0.Google Scholar
Meyer, K. 1993. Estimates of direct and materna l correlations among growth traits in Australian beef cattle. Livestock Production Science In press.Google Scholar
Oni, O. O., Buvanendran, V. and Dim, N. I. 1988a. Factors affecting birth weight and performance to weaning of Bunaji calves, journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 111: 407–410.Google Scholar
Oni, O. O., Buvanendran, V. and Dim, N. I. 1988b. The influence of some environmental factors on growth rate of two Nigerian cattle breeds an d the hybrid with the Charolais. Journal of Animal Production Research 8:121–131.Google Scholar
Piot, J. and Rippstein, G. 1975. [Major herbaceous species of some rangelands in Adamawa, Cameroon. Ecology and dynamics of different exploitation rates]. Revue d'Elevage et de Medecine veterinaires des Pays tropicaux 28: 427–434.Google Scholar
Plasse, D. 1979. Growth aspects of Bos indicus in the American tropics. II. World Animal Review 15: 21–48.Google Scholar
Rudder, T. H., Seifert, G. W. and Bean, K. G. 1975. Growth performance of Brahman and Charolai s × Brahman cattle in a tropical environment. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture and Animal Husbandry 15: 156–158.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Statistical Analysis Systems Institute. 1987. SAS/STAT guide for personal computers. Version 6 Edition. SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC.Google Scholar
Tawah, C. L. and Mbah, D. A. 1989. Cattle breed evaluation and improvement in Cameroon. A review of the situation. Institute of Animal Research, Wakwa, Cameroon.Google Scholar
Trus, D. and Wilton, J. W. 1988. Genetic parameters for maternal traits in beef cattle. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 68:119–128.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wheat, J. D. and Broadhurst, J. 1972. An analysis of data on Sokoto Gudali cattle at Bulassa and Dogondaji, North Western State, Nigeria. Samaru miscellaneous paper 39. Institute of Agricultural Research, Samaru, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria.Google Scholar
Willham, R. L. 1972. The role of maternal effects in animal breeding. III. Biometrical aspects of maternal effects in animals. Journal of Animal Science 35:1288–1293.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Woldehawariat, G., Talamantes, A. M., Petty, R. R., and Cartwright, T. C. 1977. A summary of genetic and environmental statistics for growth an d conformation characters of young beef cattle. 2nd ed. Texas Agricultural Experiment Station technical report no. 103.Google Scholar
Wright, D. W., Johnson, Z. B., Brown, C. J. and Wildeus, S. 1991. Variance and covariance estimates for weaning weight of Senepol cattle. Journal of Animal Science 69: 3945–3951.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed