Heritability of performance test traits in Chianina, Marchigiana and Romagnola breeds

Abstract

Performance testing is the main method of selection used for Marchigiana, Chianina and Romagnola breed since 1985. The young bulls are tested in a common central station for 6 months period, starting from the age of about 6 months. The bull selection is carried out accounting for genetic indexes of average daily gain (ADG) measured till weaning (PAGD), ADG realized during the test (TADG) and fleshiness (FLESH) measured at the end of test. Data of 2422 young bulls (735 Marchigiana, 863 Chianina and 824 Romagnola) were used to update estimates of heritability for performance test traits of aforementioned Italian beef cattle breeds. For traits measured till weaning (PADG), heritability differed among breeds from very low values for Marchigiana (0.02) to moderate for Romagnola (0.20), while for TADG, h2 estimates were more similar among breeds, ranging from 0.28 to 0.34. Similarly, h2 values obtained for FLESH trait were higher than values obtained till to weaning, but more variable among breed than TADG, i.e. from 0.19 to 0.55

Genetic relationships among Italian and Croatian Podolian cattle breeds assessed by microsatellite markers

“…Also, all three breeds share a long history of intense selection aimed at increasing growth rate, body size, and muscularity (Guarcini, 2009). The three beef populations (CHI, MAC, and ROM) share the same central performance testing station, the same procedure to estimate breeding values, and very similar selection indexes (Andersen et al, 1981;Guarcini, 2009;Sbarra et al, 2009b). All of them, especially CHI, are characterized by high growth rates (Sbarra et al, 2009b); medium to high dressing percentages; good carcass muscularity (especially the MAC and ROM); and favorable meat quality traits (Preziuso and Russo, 2004;Vicenti et al, 2007).…”

“…The three beef populations (CHI, MAC, and ROM) share the same central performance testing station, the same procedure to estimate breeding values, and very similar selection indexes (Andersen et al, 1981;Guarcini, 2009;Sbarra et al, 2009b). All of them, especially CHI, are characterized by high growth rates (Sbarra et al, 2009b); medium to high dressing percentages; good carcass muscularity (especially the MAC and ROM); and favorable meat quality traits (Preziuso and Russo, 2004;Vicenti et al, 2007). Lastly, the beef from young bulls and heifers from these three breeds, reared in the Central Italy, is produced under the European Union Protected Geographical Indication label ''Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale'' (Mengoli, 2005).…”

The relevance of different near infrared technologies and sample treatments for predicting meat quality traits in commercial beef cuts

“…Chianina, Marchigiana, and Romagnola are three Italian beef breeds with a common origin (Bittante, 2011;Dalvit, De Marchi, Dal Zotto, et al, 2008;Dalvit, De Marchi, Targhetta, et al, 2008), selected mainly for growth rate and muscularity (Bech Andersen et al, 1981;Sbarra, Mantovani, & Bittante, 2009), and reared in Central Italy according to traditional systems. The meat from young bulls and heifers has obtained the Protected Geographical Indication (PGI) "Vitellone Bianco dell'Appennino Centrale".…”

Influence of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the myostatin and myogenic factor 5 muscle growth-related genes on the performance traits of Marchigiana beef cattle1

“…Biometric measurements are taken at the start and at the end of the 7 mo testing period. Weights are registered twice every 21 d (Sbarra et al, 2009). During the trial period all animals are genotyped at MSTN_1 SNP (ANABIC, 2013): the genotyping does not affect the final approval but rather gives the breeder more information on the animal that very often is bought at auction.…”