Breeding Dairy Cattle for Female Fertility and Production in the Age of Genomics

Weller, J. I.; Gershoni, Moran; Ezra, E.

doi:10.3390/vetsci9080434

Cited by 5 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 27 publications

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“…Negative relationship between milk production and reproduction of dairy cows is well known (Lucy, 2019). In Israel annual means for conception status (the inverse of the number of inseminations to conception in percent) decreased from 55.6 for cows born in 1983 to 46.5 for cows born in 2018 (Weller et al, 2022). Genetic nature of antagonism between fertility and milk production was confirmed in the study of (Ma b et al, 2019).…”

Section: Descriptive Statisticsmentioning

confidence: 81%

Grounding the economic selection index for evaluation and selection of dairy cattle

Ruban,

Danshyn,

Matvieiev

et al. 2023

J. Indonesian Trop. Anim. Agric.

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The aim of the research was to develop a selection index for the evaluation and selection of dairy cattle for increasing milk production and reproductive traits. Materials of the research were data on milk production and reproduction of cows of the Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed in commercial farm in Kharkiv region. Studies showed that there was a certain antagonism between milk productivity and reproduction of the Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy cow. The coefficients of phenotypic correlation between milk yield, fat and protein yield and the days open ranged from +0.284 to +0.293. Selection indexes were built, which included protein, fat yield, and days open. The developed selection indexes were characterized by a high relationship with the protein yield (α<0.001), much lower – with the fat yield (α<0.05), while the relationship of the selection indexes with the days open was almost absent. The calculated estimates of correlation and regression coefficients made possible to predict correlated responses of milk production and reproduction traits on selection index. The results showed that the developed selection indexes allow increase the milk production of cows and at the same time to prevent decrease in the level of reproduction.

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Section: Descriptive Statisticsmentioning

confidence: 81%

Grounding the economic selection index for evaluation and selection of dairy cattle

Ruban,

Danshyn,

Matvieiev

et al. 2023

J. Indonesian Trop. Anim. Agric.

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“…In the current study, the prevalence of the B allele has more than doubled to around 40% in the entire population. This strong increase stems from the advantage of the B allele for protein content, which is the major objective in the Israeli breeding index [ 29 ]. In contrast, the prevalence of the E allele has decreased from about 6% to 2.6%.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimating the Effect of the Kappa Casein Genotype on Milk Coagulation Properties in Israeli Holstein Cows

Lavon,

Weller,

Zeron

et al. 2023

Animals

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In Israel, about 26% of produced milk is used to produce hard cheeses and 29% for soft cheeses. Milk with preferred coagulation properties requires a shorter coagulation time and yields a higher curd firmness than milk with inferior coagulation properties. Studies have shown that milk from cows with the B allele of kappa casein (κ-CN) produces more cheese than milk from those with A and E alleles. There is evidence that milk from AE or EE genotype cows is unsuitable for cheese production. In the early 1990s, the proportion of the B allele in Israeli Holstein cattle was about 17%, similar to its prevalence in the Holstein population worldwide. In recent years, however, its proportion has increased to about 40%. We analyzed milk coagulation properties as a function of the cow’s κ-CN genotype, including time in minutes until the beginning of coagulation and curd firmness after 60 min—measured in volts via an optigraph device and scored on a scale of 0–4 by a laboratory technician. Cow selection was based on their sire’s genotype, so that there would be sufficient genotypes that include the rare E allele. A total of 359 cows were sampled from 15 farms: 64 with genotype AA, 142 with AB, 41 with AE, 65 with BB, and 47 with BE. Data were analyzed via the general linear model procedure of SAS. We found the following: (a) There were significant differences between genotypes for optigraph-measured curd firmness. In a multi-comparison test, the BB genotype gave the highest curd firmness, and AB and BE showed a significant advantage compared to AA and AE (9.4, 8.6, 8.4, 6.9, 6.8 V, respectively). Assuming a frequency of about 55% for the A allele, about 30% of the milk delivered to dairy plants comes from AA cows. (b) There was a significant difference between the genotypes in technician-observed curd firmness, with BB scoring significantly higher than AA and AE. (c) The optigraph-measured curd firmness was significantly higher for milk from primiparous cows as compared to milk from second, third, or fourth lactation cows (8.9, 7.8, 7.9, 7.7 V, respectively). The technician-observed curd firmness was significantly higher for primiparous vs. multiparous cows. There was a clear advantage in curd firmness for genotypes that included the B allele compared to those with AA and AE genotypes. We can increase the proportion of the B allele in the population by insemination of cows using bulls with the genotypes AB and BB. This factor should therefore be included in the selection index.

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“…Notably, the low level of heritability of reproduction indicators, including the service period, and the presence of an unfavourable genetic relationship between them and the milk productivity of cows does not mean that their genetic improvement by breeding methods is impossible. Weller et al (2022) analysed phenotypic and genetic changes in milk productivity (milk yield, fat, and protein) and reproduction (fertilisation status, which is the inverse of the number of inseminations per fertilisation, expressed as a percentage) in the Holstein livestock population of Israel for the period from 1980 to 2018. The authors identified that in parallel with the increase in milk productivity, there was a decrease in the status of fertilisation from 55.6% in 1983 to 46.5% in 2018, but the average assessment of the breeding value of animals by fertilisation status increased from -1.9 to -0.1.…”

Section: Table 5 Estimates Of the Breeding Value Of Breeding Bulls By...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessment of the genetic parameters and breeding value of bulls-producers of the Ukrainian black speckled milky breed by the main characteristics

Ruban¹,

Danshyn²

2022

Animal Science and Food Technology

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Evaluation and selection of breeding bulls based on economically important characteristics is the main tool in modern systems of genetic improvement of dairy cattle. The purpose of the study was to analyse the influence of environmental and genetic factors on the traits of milk productivity, reproduction, productive longevity, and the difficulty of calving, to assess the genetic parameters and breeding value of breeding bulls based on these traits. The research material was data on the indicators of productivity, reproduction, and productive longevity of cows of the Ukrainian black speckled milky breed of the agricultural cooperative “Vostok” of the Kharkiv region. A multidimensional linear-threshold model was used to calculate genetic parameters (heritability coefficients and genetic correlations) and breeding values of breeding bulls. A probable phenotypic negative association was identified between calving difficulty and milk yield for 305 days (r= -0.2244±0.0266, P>0.999); an increase in calving difficulty by 1 point leads to a decrease in milk yield for 305 days of lactation by 1281.0 kg. Calculated estimates of genetic correlation indicate the presence of a fairly high relationship between milk yield for 305 days of lactation and the service period (over +0.5), a negative relationship between the service period and productive longevity (about -0.37), and a positive relationship between the service period and calving difficulty (about +0.26). This data indicates the presence of genetic antagonism between milk productivity and the level of reproduction of dairy cows, the negative impact of the extended service period on the length of stay of cows in the dairy herd, and the impact of calving difficulty on the deterioration of cow fertility. Estimates of the breeding value of breeding bulls by milk yield, service period, productive longevity, and calving difficulty were calculated. The results obtained indicate the expediency of including traits of reproduction, productive longevity, and difficulty of calving cows in the breeding index, which is used to evaluate and select bulls-producers of the Ukrainian black speckled milky breed

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Breeding Dairy Cattle for Female Fertility and Production in the Age of Genomics

Cited by 5 publications

References 27 publications

Grounding the economic selection index for evaluation and selection of dairy cattle

Grounding the economic selection index for evaluation and selection of dairy cattle

Estimating the Effect of the Kappa Casein Genotype on Milk Coagulation Properties in Israeli Holstein Cows

Assessment of the genetic parameters and breeding value of bulls-producers of the Ukrainian black speckled milky breed by the main characteristics

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