Title
Multiple-trait random regression models for the estimation of genetic parameters for milk, fat, and protein yield in buffaloes
Date Issued
01 September 2013
Access level
open access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
Borquis R.
Neto F.
Baldi F.
Hurtado-Lugo N.
de Camargo G.
Tonhati H.
Abstract
In this study, genetic parameters for test-day milk, fat, and protein yield were estimated for the first lactation. The data analyzed consisted of 1,433 first lactations of Murrah buffaloes, daughters of 113 sires from 12 herds in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, with calvings from 1985 to 2007. Ten-month classes of lactation days were considered for the test-day yields. The (co)variance components for the 3 traits were estimated using the regression analyses by Bayesian inference applying an animal model by Gibbs sampling. The contemporary groups were defined as herd-year-month of the test day. In the model, the random effects were additive genetic, permanent environment, and residual. The fixed effects were contemporary group and number of milkings (1 or 2), the linear and quadratic effects of the covariable age of the buffalo at calving, as well as the mean lactation curve of the population, which was modeled by orthogonal Legendre polynomials of fourth order. The random effects for the traits studied were modeled by Legendre polynomials of third and fourth order for additive genetic and permanent environment, respectively, the residual variances were modeled considering 4 residual classes. The heritability estimates for the traits were moderate (from 0.21-0.38), with higher estimates in the intermediate lactation phase. The genetic correlation estimates within and among the traits varied from 0.05 to 0.99. The results indicate that the selection for any trait test day will result in an indirect genetic gain for milk, fat, and protein yield in all periods of the lactation curve. The accuracy associated with estimated breeding values obtained using multi-trait random regression was slightly higher (around 8%) compared with single-trait random regression. This difference may be because to the greater amount of information available per animal. © 2013 American Dairy Science Association.
Start page
5923
End page
5932
Volume
96
Issue
9
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Ciencia animal, Ciencia de productos lácteos
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84882861664
PubMed ID
Source
Journal of Dairy Science
ISSN of the container
15253198
Sponsor(s)
This study was supported by the State of São Paulo Research Foundation (Fapesp, São Paulo, SP, Brazil) and the National Council of Technological and Scientific Development (CNPq, Brasilia, DF, Brazil).
Sources of information: Directorio de Producción Científica Scopus