Effects of genetic and non-genetic factors on growth traits of high yielding dairy seed calves and genetic parameter estimates
Keywords:
Genetic, Growth Traits, Heritability, Non-genetic, Seed CalvesAbstract
The study was conducted to know the effects of
several genetic and non-genetic factors like season,
sex, year of birth, genotype of calves and milk yield
of dam associated with growth performance of
crossbred calves. Data were collected from registered
farmers during the period of May, 2011 to April, 2013.
Birth weight, three-month weight, six-month weight,
weaning weight and heritability estimates of those
growth performances were performed using a total of
82 registered calves which had pedigree information
having the genotypes of 25% Local - 75% Friesian and
37.5% Local - 62.5% Friesian. The average birth, three-
month, six-month and weaning weight of calves were
29.33, 64.32, 99.06 and 151.77 kg, respectively. The
effects of non-genetic factors like sex, season of birth
and genotype were non-significant (P>0.05) for the
traits birth weight, three-month, six-month, weaning
weight and average daily gain of calves. However,
year of birth was found significant on birth (P<0.01),
three-month and six-month (P<0.05) weight; but non-
significant (P>0.05) on weaning weight and average
daily gain of calves. The heritability estimates were
0.40±0.09, 0.46±0.08, 0.39±0.12 and 0.50±0.12 for the
traits birth weight, three-month weight, six-month
weight and weaning weight, respectively. Estimated
heritabilities of live weights suggest that individual
own performance basis selection would be more
effective for increasing growth and therefore, should
be paid more emphasis in cattle improvement
program.
http://dx.doi.org/10.5455/javar.2015.b116
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