Genetic association between longevity and linear type traits of Holstein cows

• Autor(a) principal: Kern, Elisandra Lurdes
• Data de Publicação: 2015
• Outros Autores: Cobuci, Jaime Araújo, Costa, Claudio Napolis, Pimentel, Concepta Margaret McManus, Braccini Neto, José
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFRGS
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10183/172583
• topic: Produção animal; Genética animal; Gado holandes; Genetic correlation; Mammary system; Productive life; Rear teat placement

Longevity is a desirable trait in the dairy industry because of its relationship to profitability. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for longevity measurements related to productive life, or life in the herd, and linear type traits of Brazilian Holstein cows born between the years 1990 and 2008. The (co) variance components were estimated by the restricted maximum likelihood method. The heritability for measurements of longevity and linear type traits ranged from 0.05 to 0.07 and 0.08 to 0.39, respectively. The genetic correlations between measurements of longevity and linear type traits ranged from -0.39 to 0.31. Direct selection for longevity does not necessarily lead to long-lived cows, due to low heritability. Indirect genetic selection for udder depth, bone quality, udder height, rear teat placement and conformation traits showed the highest genetic correlations with measurements of time between birth and last milk record and time from first calving to last milk record.