Comparison of several methods of sires evaluation for total milk yield in a herd of Holstein cows in Yemen
Journal Title: Open Veterinary Journal - Year 2015, Vol 5, Issue 1
Abstract
A total of 956 lactation records of Holstein cows kept at Kaa Albon station, Imuran Governorate, Yemen during the period from 1991 to 2003 were used to investigate the effect of some genetic and non-genetic factors (Sire, parity, season of calving, year of calving and age at first calving as covariate) on the Total Milk Yield (TMY), Lactation Length (LL), and Dry Period (DP). Components of variance for the random effects (mixed model) were estimated by Restricted Maximum Likelihood (REML) methodology. Sires were evaluated for the TMY by three methods, Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) using Harvey program, Transmitting Ability (TA) according to the Least Square Means of sire progeny (TALSM) and according to Means (TAM). Results showed that TMY and DP were affected significantly (P < 0.01) by all factors except season of calving and age at first calving, while LL was affected significantly (P< 0.01) only by year of calving and parity. The averages of the TMY, LL, and DP were 3919.66 kg, 298.28 days, and 114.13 days respectively. The corresponding estimates of heritability (h²) were 0.35, 0.06, and 0.14 respectively. The highest and lowest BLUP values of sires for the TMY were – 542.44 kg and 402.14 kg, while the corresponding estimates for TALSM and TAM were – 470.38, 380.88 kg and – 370.12, 388.50 kg respectively. The Spearman rank correlation coefficients among BLUP, TALSM and TAM ranged from 0.81 to 0.67. These results provide evidence that the selection of sires will improve the TMY in this herd because of the wide differences in genetic poetical among sires, and a moderate estimation of heritability.
Authors and Affiliations
F. R. Al-Samarai| Department of Veterinary Public Health/College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq, Y. K. Abdulrahman| Department of Veterinary Public Health/College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Baghdad, Iraq, F. A. Mohammed| Department of Animal Resources, Directorate of Baghdad Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq, F. H. Al-Zaidi| Department of Animal Resources, Directorate of Baghdad Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq, N. N. Al-Anbari| Department of Animal Resources, College of Agriculture, University of Baghdad, Iraq
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP9324
- DOI -
- Views 450
- Downloads 27
Lymph node hemangioma in one-humped camel
Hemangioma is a benign tumor of blood and lymphatic vessels. It is common in skin, mucosa and soft tissues, and its occurrence in lymph nodes is extremely rare. A 10 year-old she-camel was slaughtered at Nyala slaughter...
Tsetse fly saliva: Could it be useful in fly infection when feeding in chronically aparasitemic mammalian hosts
Sleeping sickness and nagana are two important diseases cuased by African trypanosomes in humans and animals respectively, in tropical african countries. A number of trypanosome species are implicated in these diseases,...
Automated tru-cut imaging-guided core needle biopsy of canine orbital neoplasia. A prospective feasibility study
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic value of imaging-guided core needle biopsy for canine orbital mass diagnosis. A second excisional biopsy obtained during surgery or necropsy was used as the refer...
Uterine involution and progesterone level during the postpartum period in Barbary ewes in north Libya
The objectives of the present study were to determine the time of uterine involution and ovarian activity using ultrasound examination and progesterone assay. Weekly progesterone levels were measured starting one week...
A comparison of surgical outcomes of perineal urethrostomy plus penile resection and perineal urethrostomy in twelve calves with perineal or prescrotal urethral dilatation
The clinical diagnosis, ultrasonographic findings, surgical management, outcome, and survival rate of perineal or prescrotal urethral dilatation in 12 male calves are described. All calves were crossbred and intact male...