Genetic correlations between temperament and breeding traits in Limousin heifers

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the potential consequences of selection for less aggressive or active animals during handling by estimating genetic correlations between different criteria of temperament and Limousin heifer breeding traits. Data consisted of the records collected from 1992 to 2004 at the progeny test station of Limousin AI sires. Six traits recorded during the same behavioural test – the so-called docility test – were considered to describe the heifer's temperament: aggressiveness against the handler, running time and number of escapes per minute of test period in presence or absence of the handler and a synthetic docility score accounting for the five previous components. Eight breeding traits were also considered simultaneously in the joint analysis with the five elementary temperament components: weights at 12 months and after calving (for measuring heifer growth), age at first observed oestrus (for measuring puberty) and fertility (for measuring heifer reproductive performance), calving ease score and pelvic opening (for measuring calving performance), maternal behaviour at calf's birth and milk yield (for measuring the suckling ability of the primiparous cow). REML (co)variance estimates were derived using linear multitrait sire models. Estimates of heritability were in the range of values given in the literature. Estimates of genetic correlation between temperament traits indicated that, genetically, aggressive animals also attempt to escape a lot. Consequently, their elimination will reduce both working risk and handling time for the breeder. Genetic correlations between temperament traits and breeding traits ranged from zero to favourable estimates and confirmed the very few results of the literature indicating a slight trend of less fearful heifers also being more productive, mainly because of a higher reproduction and calving performance, and, to a lesser extent, because of higher maternal abilities such as behaviour at calf's birth and milk yield.

Genetic parameters and environmental effects on temperament score and reproductive traits of Nellore cattle

“…In cattle, the majority of research on temperament explored the responses to a novel testing arena, a novel object or to the human presence or handling (Phocas et al, 2006). According to Burrow (1997), the definition of temperament in cattle breeding and genetics has been restricted to the behavioral response of the animal handling by humans.…”

“…This score refers to the time taken (s) for an animal to cover 1.7 m after leaving a weighting crush. The aggressiveness score (AG) used by Phocas et al (2006) indicates whether the animal threatened the handler in order to measure temperament in heifers. They also defined a docility score (DO) combining several ways of measuring the -E-mail: saquei@fcav.unesp.br behavioral response of the animal to the handler in a linear equation to analyze temperament.…”

Genetics of behavioural adaptation of livestock to farming conditions

“…In hens, Xu et al (2010) found three QTL involved in egg incubation behaviour, which was put at a disadvantage by selective breeding; among these QTL one was linked to the DRD1 gene, which encodes a dopamine receptor. Phocas et al (2006) found, in beef cattle, that the more maternal cows showed a slightly higher milking ability, but Hoppe et al (2008) found no association of maternal reaction to progeny removal with progeny growth. Higher maternal ability is genetically correlated with lower progeny mortality in pigs (Grandinson et al, 2003;Hellbrü gge et al, 2008), whereas Hoppe et al (2008) found no genetic association in cattle.…”

“…Dé sauté s et al (2002) found different QTL in pigs to be associated with locomotion on SSC1, or with exploration on SSC8. In beef cattle, locomotion in open field shows moderate heritability and is correlated unfavourably with growth and milk production (Phocas et al, 2006). In dairy cattle, QTL associated with vocalization and locomotion when isolated from the herd are located mainly on BTA16 and BTA19 (Gutierrez-Gil et al, 2008).…”

“…The intensity of stress is increased with human handling or with disruption of contact with the progeny. Several indications of maternal care after birth have been scored in cows (Grignard, 2001;Phocas et al, 2006) and sows (Vangen et al, 2005), in order to evaluate the behavioural response to acute and chronic social stressors (e.g. birth v. maternal ability during lactation).…”