Genetic Analysis of Locomotion and Associated Conformation Traits of Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cows Managed in Different Housing Systems

Onyiro, O.M.; Brotherstone, S.

doi:10.3168/jds.2007-0514

Cited by 38 publications

(29 citation statements)

References 21 publications

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“…Campos et al (2012) showed that selection for final score should not increase milk production because of the low correlations between these characteristics. Onyiro and Brotherstone (2008) found that the breeding system affected scores for linear type, which is in accordance with the present results, as differences were observed among environments for type traits and milk production.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Georeferenced evaluation of genetic breeding value patterns in Brazilian Holstein cattle

Costa¹,

Hermuche²,

Cobuci³

et al. 2014

Genet. Mol. Res.

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ABSTRACT. The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between environmental and genetic values for milk production and type traits in Holstein cattle in Brazil. The genetic value of 65,383 animals for milk production and 53,626 for type classification were available. Socioeconomic and environmental data were obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, and the National Institute of Meteorology. Five to six clusters were generated for each of the groups of type traits and production levels. The relationships between these traits were assessed using the STEPDISC, DISCRIM and CANDISC procedures in SAS ® . Traits within the clusters behaved differently, but, in general, animals with lower genetic values were found in environments that were more stressful for animal production. These differences were mainly associated with temperature, humidity, precipitation and the Normalized Difference Vegetative Index. Genetic values for milk 9807 ©FUNPEC-RP www.funpecrp.com.br Genetics and Molecular Research 13 (4): 9806-9816 (2014) Georeferenced genetic patterns for Holsteins in Brazil production showed best discrimination between different environments, while type traits showed poor discrimination, possibly because farmers mainly select for milk production. Environmental variations for genetic values in dairy cattle in Brazil should be further examined.

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 92%

Georeferenced evaluation of genetic breeding value patterns in Brazilian Holstein cattle

Costa¹,

Hermuche²,

Cobuci³

et al. 2014

Genet. Mol. Res.

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“…Buch et al (2011) reported moderate genetic correlations between mastitis with hoof diseases, sole ulcer and sole haemorrhage, in first-parity Swedish Red cows, which were 0.32 and 0.35, respectively, which were similar to estimates in this study (0.36 to 0.38). Other studies have found a relationship between locomotion with udder conformation traits, which are both type traits used as predictors of udder health and lameness (Boelling and Pollott 1998;Van Dorp et al, 2004;Onyiro and Brotherstone 2008). Results of Onyiro and Brotherstone (2008) implied that a well-fitted mammary system was associated with better locomotion, whereas cows with sagging or pendulous udders were more likely to suffer from lameness.…”

Section: Genetic Correlationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Other studies have found a relationship between locomotion with udder conformation traits, which are both type traits used as predictors of udder health and lameness (Boelling and Pollott 1998;Van Dorp et al, 2004;Onyiro and Brotherstone 2008). Results of Onyiro and Brotherstone (2008) implied that a well-fitted mammary system was associated with better locomotion, whereas cows with sagging or pendulous udders were more likely to suffer from lameness. In addition, with increasing age the udder depth increases caused by higher milk yields of maturer cows and by loosening of the main tendon (Fascia trunci) that holds the udder, thus likely to impede locomotion.…”

Section: Genetic Correlationsmentioning

confidence: 98%

Genetic parameters for production, health, fertility and longevity traits in dairy cows

Pritchard

Coffey

Mrode

et al. 2013

Animal

139

108

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Milk production, fertility, longevity and health records, were extracted from databases of two milk recording organisations in the United Kingdom for the first three lactations of the Holstein-Friesian breed. These included data related to health events (mastitis and lameness), voluntarily recorded on a proportion of farms. The data were analysed to calculate disease incidence levels and to estimate genetic parameters for health traits and their relationships with production and other functional traits. The resulting dataset consisted of 124 793 lactations from 75 137 animals of 1586 sires, recorded in 2434 herds. Incidence of health events increased with parity. The overall incidence of mastitis (MAS) and lameness (LAM), defined as binary traits, were 17% and 16%, respectively. Heritability estimates for MAS and LAM were 0.04 and 0.02, respectively, obtained from repeatability linear sire models. Heritability estimates of mastitis and lameness as count traits were slightly higher, 0.05 and 0.03, respectively. Genetic correlations were obtained by bivariate analyses of all pair-wise combinations between milk 305-day yield (MY), protein 305-day yield (PY), fat 305-day yield (FY), lactation average log e transformed lactation average somatic cell count (SCS), calving interval (CI), days to first service (DFS), non-return at 56 days (NR56), number of inseminations (NINS), mastitis (MAS), number of mastitis episodes (NMAS), lameness (LAM), number of lameness episodes (NLAM) and lifespan score (LS). As expected, MAS was correlated most strongly with SCS (0.69), which supports the use of SCS as an indicator trait for mastitis. Genetic correlations between MAS and yield and fertility traits were of similar magnitude ranging from 0.27 to 0.33. Genetic correlations between MAS with LAM and LS were 0.38 and 20.59, respectively. Not all genetic correlations between LAM and other traits were significant because of fewer numbers of lameness records. LAM had significant genetic correlations with MY (0.38), PY (0.28), CI (0.35), NINS (0.38) and LS (20.53). The heritability estimates of mastitis and lameness were low; therefore, genetic gain through direct selection alone would be slow, yet still positive and cumulative. Direct selection against mastitis and lameness as additional traits should reduce incidence of both diseases, and simultaneously improve fertility and longevity. However, both health traits had antagonistic relationships with production traits, thus genetic gain in production would be slower.

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“…Firstly, cows in XE were housed all year round. In general, cows kept on pasture are likely to suffer fewer locomotion problems than those housed indoors (Gitau et al, 1996;Somers et al, 2003;Onyiro and Figure 3 Milk production curves for lame v. non-lame cows. Cows lame before 60 DIM ('), cows lame after 60 DIM (m) and cows never lame (E).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Cows lame before 60 DIM ('), cows lame after 60 DIM (m) and cows never lame (E). Brotherstone, 2008). Secondly, this group was fed higher levels of concentrate to support their higher milk yield.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Risk factors and milk yield losses associated with lameness in Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle

Onyiro

Offer²,

Brotherstone

2008

Animal

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Weekly locomotion scores on a scale of 1 to 5 were used to investigate the relationship between cattle lameness, management systems and the impact of lameness on milk production. The data were 14 026 locomotion scores from 248 Holstein-Friesian cows. Cows were managed in two groups, XE (high-concentrate feed and housed indoors all year) and XM (low-concentrate feed and outdoors in summer). Analysis was performed using residual maximum likelihood. Results indicated that the most significant variables affecting locomotion were time of year when the animal was locomotion scored and management group. Cows scored during February and August had increased locomotion problems. Cows in the more intensively managed group had significantly poorer locomotion compared with those in the more extensive group. Older animals were more susceptible to lameness than heifers. Body weight, body condition score and days in milk (DIM) also accounted for significant variation in locomotion score. Poor locomotion was associated with a significant reduction in the milk yield of later lactation cows. There was a significant difference in the shape of the lactation curve depending on whether or not the cow was lame during lactation. Average persistency was greater for the group of cows never lame throughout lactation compared with those lame before 60 DIM.

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Genetic Analysis of Locomotion and Associated Conformation Traits of Holstein-Friesian Dairy Cows Managed in Different Housing Systems

Cited by 38 publications

References 21 publications

Georeferenced evaluation of genetic breeding value patterns in Brazilian Holstein cattle

Georeferenced evaluation of genetic breeding value patterns in Brazilian Holstein cattle

Genetic parameters for production, health, fertility and longevity traits in dairy cows

Risk factors and milk yield losses associated with lameness in Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle

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