Determination of optimum Holstein inheritance in crossbred dairy cattle based on combined productive and reproductive traits

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Associate Professors, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

2 Former M. Sc. Student, Faculty of Animal Sciences, Gorgan University of Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources, Gorgan, Iran

3 M. Sc., Animal Breeding Center, Karaj Iran

Abstract

In dairy cattle breeding, in addition to milk yield, consideration of other productive and
reproductive traits is necessary. In order to determine optimum Holstein inheritance in Iranian
crossbred dairy cattle, first lactation records of 4917 crossbred dairy cattle collected by Animal
Breeding Center between 1991 to 2007 were utilized. Crossbred cows were consisted of different
Holstein inheritance including 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50, 62.5, 75 and 87.5 percent. Phenotypic and genetic
(co) variance components for milk yield, fat yield, lactation length and age at first calving were
estimated by restricted maximum likelihood using single and multiple traits animal models. Then, a
selection index was constructed to combine these traits. Optimum Holstein inheritance based on this
index was determined by least squares mean comparisons of the index for different Holstein
inheritance and simple linear regression. Results indicated that 87.5 percent Holstein inheritance was
the optimum level.

Keywords

References

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