TY - JOUR
T1 - Genetic relationships of feed efficiency and growth traits with carcass traits in Japanese Shorthorn cattle
AU - Shinoda, Chiharu
AU - Yasuda, Jumpei
AU - Yamagata, Kousuke
AU - Suzuki, Keiichi
AU - Satoh, Masahiro
AU - Roh, Sanggun
AU - Uemoto, Yoshinobu
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors thank staff at the Iwate Prefecture Livestock Research Center, who were involved in long‐term data collection and supplied pedigree and phenotype data. This study was partially supported financially by the Livestock Promotional Subsidy of the Japan Racing Association (JRA).
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Japanese Society of Animal Science.
PY - 2022/1/1
Y1 - 2022/1/1
N2 - In this study, we examined genetic parameters for feed efficiency, growth, and carcass traits in Japanese Shorthorn cattle, based on 714 performance tests and 15,790 field carcass records. Feed efficiency traits, including residual feed intake (RFI) and residual body weight gain (RG), were calculated. Single-trait and two-trait animal models were used to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. Heritability estimates for feed efficiency traits were found to be low to moderate (ranging from 0.03 to 0.36); notably, heritability was moderate for RG and low for RFI. Estimates for genetic correlations between feed efficiency traits and average daily gain (DG) were favorably moderate to high (absolute values of 0.43–0.85), and those with daily feed intake were low (absolute values of 0.00–0.32). We also estimated a high genetic correlation between RG and DG. The backfat thickness (BF) of bull calves showed favorable or no genetic correlation estimates with feed efficiency and growth traits, whereas RG and BF showed favorable or no genetic correlation estimates with carcass traits. Our findings indicate that genetic improvements in both feed utilization ability and carcass traits could be achieved by utilizing RG and BF in Japanese Shorthorn cattle.
AB - In this study, we examined genetic parameters for feed efficiency, growth, and carcass traits in Japanese Shorthorn cattle, based on 714 performance tests and 15,790 field carcass records. Feed efficiency traits, including residual feed intake (RFI) and residual body weight gain (RG), were calculated. Single-trait and two-trait animal models were used to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. Heritability estimates for feed efficiency traits were found to be low to moderate (ranging from 0.03 to 0.36); notably, heritability was moderate for RG and low for RFI. Estimates for genetic correlations between feed efficiency traits and average daily gain (DG) were favorably moderate to high (absolute values of 0.43–0.85), and those with daily feed intake were low (absolute values of 0.00–0.32). We also estimated a high genetic correlation between RG and DG. The backfat thickness (BF) of bull calves showed favorable or no genetic correlation estimates with feed efficiency and growth traits, whereas RG and BF showed favorable or no genetic correlation estimates with carcass traits. Our findings indicate that genetic improvements in both feed utilization ability and carcass traits could be achieved by utilizing RG and BF in Japanese Shorthorn cattle.
KW - correlated response
KW - genetic parameter
KW - performance test
KW - residual body weight gain
KW - residual feed intake
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U2 - 10.1111/asj.13691
DO - 10.1111/asj.13691
M3 - Article
C2 - 35137482
AN - SCOPUS:85124300603
SN - 1344-3941
VL - 93
JO - Animal Science Journal
JF - Animal Science Journal
IS - 1
M1 - e13691
ER -