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Estimation of genetic differences between Mashona bulls from different production systems using an animal

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

C. T. Khombe ,
J. F. Hayes ,
H. P. R. Tawonezvi  and
M. Khombe
C. T. Khombe
Affiliation:
Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Quebec, H9X 3 V9, Canada Makolwli Research Station, Department of Research and Specialist Services, Box 8108, Causeway, Zimbabwe
J. F. Hayes
Affiliation:
Macdonald Campus, McGill University, Quebec, H9X 3 V9, Canada
H. P. R. Tawonezvi
Affiliation:
Makolwli Research Station, Department of Research and Specialist Services, Box 8108, Causeway, Zimbabwe
M. Khombe
Affiliation:
Makolwli Research Station, Department of Research and Specialist Services, Box 8108, Causeway, Zimbabwe
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Summary

This paper reports genetic differences between 20 Mashona bulls from smallholder farms, 14 from Makoholi Research Station, three from commercial farms and two reference sires, in Zimbabwe. An animal model, fitted through the derivative free Restricted Maximum Likelihood program (DFREML), was used to analyse 707 birth weight and 623 weaning weight records. Both the mean breeding values of the reference sires and the ranch bulls were significantly (P < 0·05) higher than the mean breeding values of smallholder bulls for birth weight (by 1·6 and 1·7 kg, respectively) and weaning weight (by 10·4 and 11·0 kg, respectively). However, seven of the 20 bulls from smallholder farms were among the top 45% of bulls with high breeding values for both birth and weaning weight. The mean breeding value of bulls from Makoholi was not different from any of the other groups, for all traits studied. It was proposed that future efforts to form nucleus herds to improve the weaning weights of indigenous cattle should include the genetic pool in smallholder farms.

Type
Animals
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 122 , Issue 3 , June 1994 , pp. 459 - 463
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1994

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