Genetic Parameters of Health Disorders, and Relationships with 305-Day Milk Yield and Conformation Traits of Registered Holstein Cows

Dorp, T.E. Van; Dekkers, Jack C. M.; Martin, S W; Noordhuizen, J.P.T.M.

doi:10.3168/jds.s0022-0302(98)75806-0

Cited by 140 publications

(126 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…Most estimates of heritability were higher than 0.17 ( Figure 1) and resemble the results observed in the literature for Holstein herds in countries like Australia, USA and Canada (Thompson et al, 1983;Misztal et al, 1992;Van Dorp et al, 1998).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 74%

Genetic parameters for type traits in Holstein cows in Brazil

et al. 2012

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-Data from 26,558 Holstein cows in 802 herds were used to estimate genetic, residual and phenotypic parameters for 22 type traits. The model included the fixed effects of herd-year, period of classification, classifier, stage of lactation and age of cows at calving (covariate) and random genetic and residual effects. Heritability for type traits ranged from 0.10 to 0.39. The genetic variability in these traits suggested the possibility for moderate genetic gains through selection. The phenotypic correlations were moderated, mainly in the section conformation. Genetic correlations between type traits ranged from -0.44 to 0.85. High genetic correlations indicated that breeding programs could be successful without including all type traits. The selection for the final score at the expense of other traits must be performed with restraint, because in the long term, this may promote undesirable changes in some type traits.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 74%

Genetic parameters for type traits in Holstein cows in Brazil

et al. 2012

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“…Genetic correlations between these traits (not shown) were not statistically different from zero (P > 0.05). A positive genetic correlation between milk yield and lameness is reported in the literature (Van Dorp et al, 1998;Koenig et al, 2005;Buch et al, 2011). Our results suggest that phenotypic correlations in Figure 6 mainly illustrate an unfavourable environmental correlation; lame cows have lower feed intake and consequently, lower milk yield.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 71%

“…On the other hand, the quadratic relationships of rear leg side view, which is also an intermediate optimum trait, were not statistically significant from zero (P > 0.05); instead, the linear ones were, suggesting that straight rear legs are associated with improved locomotion and less lameness. Van Dorp et al (1998 and reached the same conclusion. Furthermore, it has been suggested that such conformation is also associated with a longer productive life (Holstein Association USA, 2012).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 61%

“…Early heritability estimates of specific foot diseases/lesions (Koenig et al, 2005;van der Waaij et al, 2005) ranged from 0.01 to 0.11; more recent ones range from 0.03 to 0.07 van der Linde et al, 2010;Buch et al, 2011). Reported genetic correlations with body condition score (Van Dorp et al, 2004; and reproductive performance (Buch et al, 2011;Zink et al, 2011) were unfavourable; on the other hand, they were favourable with milk yield and milk component traits (Van Dorp et al, 1998;Buch et al, 2011). None of these studies discriminate between before and after first calving or between different stages of lactation.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Profile and genetic parameters of dairy cattle locomotion score and lameness across lactation

Kougioumtzis

Valergakis

Oikonomou

et al. 2014

Animal

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This study investigated the profile of locomotion score and lameness before the first calving and throughout the first (n = 237) and second (n = 66) lactation of 303 Holstein cows raised on a commercial farm. Weekly heritability estimates of locomotion score and lameness, and their genetic and phenotypic correlations with milk yield, body condition score, BW and reproduction traits were derived. Daughter future locomotion score and lameness predictions from their sires' breeding values for conformation traits were also calculated. First-lactation cows were monitored weekly from 6 weeks before calving to the end of lactation. Second-lactation cows were monitored weekly throughout lactation. Cows were locomotion scored on a scale from one (sound) to five (severely lame); a score greater than or equal to two defined presence of lameness. Cows' weekly body condition score and BW was also recorded. These records were matched to corresponding milk yield records, where the latter were 7-day averages on the week of inspection. The total number of repeated records amounted to 12 221. Data were also matched to the farm's reproduction database, from which five traits were derived. Statistical analyses were based on uni-and bivariate random regression models. The profile analysis showed that locomotion and lameness problems in first lactation were fewer before and immediately after calving, and increased as lactation progressed. The profile of the two traits remained relatively constant across the second lactation. Highest heritability estimates were observed in the weeks before first calving (0.66 for locomotion score and 0.54 for lameness). Statistically significant genetic correlations were found for first lactation weekly locomotion score and lameness with body condition score, ranging from −0.31 to −0.65 and from −0.44 to −0.76, respectively, suggesting that cows genetically pre-disposed for high body condition score have fewer locomotion and lameness issues. Negative (favourable) phenotypic correlations between first lactation weekly locomotion score/lameness and milk yield averaged −0.27 and −0.17, respectively, and were attributed to management factors. Also a phenotypic correlation between lameness and conception rate of −0.19 indicated that lame cows were associated with lower success at conceiving. First-lactation daughter locomotion score and/or lameness predictions from sires' estimated breeding values for conformation traits revealed a significant linear effect of rear leg side view, rear leg rear view, overall conformation, body condition score and locomotion, and a quadratic effect of foot angle.

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“…In addition, Kadarmideen (2004) obtained an estimate of 0.13 for the genetic correlation between milk and SCS, which is close to this study (0.12). Genetic correlations between milk and lameness were also within the range reported by other studies (0.13 to 0.48; Pryce et al, 1997 and1998;Van Dorp et al, 1998). A high milk yield is predisposing to mastitis or lameness, although a case of either of these will decrease the yields for the remainder of the lactation (Hagnestam et al, 2007) and particularly mastitis will affect milk yields of subsequent lactations because of impaired or destroyed secretory tissues of the udder (Lucey and Rowlands, 1984).…”

Section: Genetic Correlationssupporting

confidence: 80%

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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Genetic Parameters of Health Disorders, and Relationships with 305-Day Milk Yield and Conformation Traits of Registered Holstein Cows

Cited by 140 publications

References 23 publications

Genetic parameters for type traits in Holstein cows in Brazil

Genetic parameters for type traits in Holstein cows in Brazil

Profile and genetic parameters of dairy cattle locomotion score and lameness across lactation

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

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