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Genetic correlations among body condition score, body weight, and fertility in dairy cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  20 November 2017

D. P. Berry*
Affiliation:
Dairy Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland. Faculty of Agriculture, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
F. Buckley
Affiliation:
Dairy Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.
P. Dillon
Affiliation:
Dairy Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.
R. D. Evans
Affiliation:
Dairy Production Department, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, Ireland.
M. Rath
Affiliation:
Faculty of Agriculture, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.
R. F. Veerkamp
Affiliation:
ID-Lelystad, P.O. Box 65, 8200 AB Lelystad, The Netherlands.
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Extract

Interest is accruing in indicator traits as predictors of fertility which: 1) can be more easily recorded; 2) can be measured early in life; and, 3) possess a co-heritability that is larger than the heritability of the fertility traits. Potentially interesting indicator traits include body condition score (BCS) and body weight (BW). The objective of this study was to estimate genetic (co) variances between BCS, BCS change, BW, BW change, and fertility traits in dairy cattle.

Type
ISAE/BSAS
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2003

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References

Berry, D.P., Buckley, F., Dillon, P., Evans, R.D., Rath, M. and Veerkamp, R.F. 2002. Genetic parameters for level and change of body condition score and body weight in dairy cows. Journal of Dairy Science 85: 20302039.Google Scholar
Evans, R.D., Buckley, F., Dillon, P. and Veerkamp, R.F. 2002. Genetic parameters for production and fertility in spring-calving Irish dairy cattle. Irish Journal of Agriculture and Food Research 41: 4354.Google Scholar
Gilmour, A.R., Cullis, B.R., Welham, S.J. and Thompson, R. 2002. ASREML Reference Manual. New South Wales Agriculture, Orange Agricultural Institute, Orange, NSW, Australia.Google Scholar