Selection for cow lifetime pregnancy rate using bull and heifer growth and reproductive traits in composite cattle

Mwansa, P. B.; Kemp, R. A.; Crews, D. H.; Kastelic, John P.; Bailey, D. R. C.; Coulter, G.H.

doi:10.4141/a99-135

Cited by 9 publications

(14 citation statements)

References 9 publications

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“…1999; lifetime pregnancy rate –Toelle and Robison 1985; Morris and Cullen 1994; Morris et al. 1999; Mwansa et al. 2000; lifetime calf production –Morris and Cullen 1994; and an estimated breeding value (EBV) for fertility –Bamualim et al.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Table 2 lists the male reproductive traits that have been reported to be associated with female fertility. Bovine pre-pubertal scrotal circumference and its association with pre-pubertal female progeny traits (age of puberty - Brinks et al 1978;King et al 1983;Vargas et al 1998;Martinez-Velazquez et al 2003; standardized age at first oestrus - Morris et al 1992Morris et al , 1993Morris et al , 1999; age at first calf - Smith et al 1989b;days to calving -Meyer et al 1991;Morris et al 1999;Meyer and Johnston 2001;yearling pregnancy rate -Morris and Cullen 1994;Eler et al 2004;heifer pregnancy rate -Evans et al 1999; lifetime pregnancy rate - Toelle and Robison 1985;Morris and Cullen 1994;Morris et al 1999;Mwansa et al 2000; lifetime calf production -Morris and Cullen 1994; and an estimated breeding value (EBV) for fertility - Bamualim et al 1984) make up the bulk of the data available in the literature, and it has been included for reference (Table 2). Other data for pre-pubertal male traits are sparse.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Thus, the measures of calf-getting ability or pregnancy rate for both male (Mackinnon et al 1990a;Meyer et al 1990Meyer et al , 1991 and female cattle (Toelle and Robison 1985;Mackinnon et al 1990a;Koots et al 1994;Morris and Cullen 1994;Evans et al 1999;Morris et al 1999;Mwansa et al 2000;O'Neill et al 2000;Eler et al 2004) have either a low heritability or are not heritable. In contrast, scrotal circumference (Coulter et al 1976;Toelle and Robison 1985;Smith et al 1989b;Meyer et al 1990Meyer et al , 1991Mackinnon et al 1991;Morris et al 1992Morris et al , 1999Brinks 1994;Koots et al 1994;Vargas et al 1998;Evans et al 1999;Mwansa et al 2000;Meyer and Johnston 2001;Martinez-Velazquez et al 2003;Eler et al 2004), tone of testes (Coulter et al 1976) and age of puberty (Splan et al 1998;Vargas et al 1998) are moderately heritable. Further, increased sperm production from genetically superior sperm donors has the potential for increasing the number of progeny from these sires derived by artificial insemination.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Male Reproductive Traits and Their Relationship to Reproductive Traits in Their Female Progeny: A Systematic Review

Burns

Gazzola²,

Holroyd³

et al. 2011

Reprod Domestic Animals

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The overall objective of one of the major research programs in the Co-operative Research Centre (CRC) for Beef Genetic Technologies is to 'Improve female reproductive performance' in tropical, northern Australian beef cattle herds. To address this overall objective, a quantitative genetics project focused on investigation of male reproductive traits was designed and linked to three female reproduction-focussed projects, (i) discovery of genes associated with post-partum re-conception and age at puberty; (ii) expression of genes associated with post-partum re-conception; and (iii) early predictors of lifetime female reproductive performance. During the initial planning of this male reproductive traits project, the CRC Scientific Review Committee recommended that the research team investigate and evaluate potentially new, early-life (i.e able to be measured before 2 years of age) predictors of both male and female reproductive performance. To address this recommendation, the following was carried out: (i) criteria for selection of traditional and candidate traits were established; (ii) methodology for tabulation of potential traits/phenotypes that define male and female reproductive function was developed; and (iii) a systematic scientific review of early-life predictors of male and female fertility was prepared. This review concluded that although factors that might be useful in predicting male reproductive performance have been studied for many years, there was relatively little useful information available to meet the objectives of this review. It was also concluded that the direction of future research should be guided not only by previous research which was scarce, but also by speculative hypotheses arising from an understanding of the physiological, endocrinological and genetic processes active in reproduction. A small number of new traits were recommended in addition to traditional sperm morphology, sexual behaviour, anatomical structure and growth traits. Potential additional traits include measurement of gonadotrophin-releasing hormone-stimulated luteinizing hormone (GnRH-stimulated LH); inhibin; several seminal plasma proteins (osteopontin, spermadhesin and seminal plasma proteins BSP30 and phospholipase A(2) could be used in an index); 11β-hydroxysteriod dehydrogenase; and leptin. In addition, the potential also exists to screen animals for a number of genetic markers associated with age of puberty, follicular recruitment and ovulation rate and genes associated with bovine seminal plasma protein and testosterone production. Insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) measurements are included because of their association with growth parameters, and an additional analysis demonstrated associations with male and female reproductive traits. Some of these factors have been previously evaluated in small numbers of animals of various species under intensive management conditions. Therefore, there is a need to evaluate these factors in much larger numbers of beef cattle grazing semi-extensive tropical production syste...

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

Male Reproductive Traits and Their Relationship to Reproductive Traits in Their Female Progeny: A Systematic Review

Burns

Gazzola²,

Holroyd³

et al. 2011

Reprod Domestic Animals

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show abstract

“…However, in the same study, the authors reported an unfavorable estimate of genetic correlation between SC and mean pregnancy rate (−0.12 ± 0.20) for cows mated at 3 yr of age or older. An unfavorable estimate of genetic correlation was also found between yearling SC and lifetime pregnancy rate (−0.25) in a composite beef herd (Mwansa et al, 2000). Near-zero estimates of additive genetic correlations were found between SC and CR1 and between SC and WR1 (Table 3).…”

Section: Estimates Of Genetic Correlationsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…Similarly, favorable genetic correlations for standardized age at first estrus with yearling pregnancy rate (−0.89 ± 0.17) and with pregnancy rate of 2-yr-old females (−0.29 ± 0.30) were published by Morris et al (2000). In another study, Mwansa et al (2000) reported a low estimate of genetic correlation between AP and lifetime pregnancy rate (−0.21) for a composite beef cattle population. Earlier, Laster et al (1979) reported correlations based on breed group means between AP and percentage pregnant (−0.42) and between AP and heifers calving at 2 yr of age during the first 25 d of the calving season (−0.75).…”

Section: Estimates Of Genetic Correlationsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Genetic relationships between scrotal circumference and female reproductive traits1

Martínez-Velázquez

Gregory

Bennett

et al. 2003

Journal of Animal Science

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ABSTRACT:Records for yearling scrotal circumference (SC; n = 7,580), age at puberty in heifers (AP; n = 5,292), age at first calving (AFC; n = 4,835), and pregnancy, calving, or weaning status following the first breeding season (PR1, CR1, or WR1, respectively; n = 7,003) from 12 Bos taurus breeds collected at the Meat Animal Research Center (USDA) between 1978 and 1991 were used to estimate genetic parameters. Age at puberty (AP) was defined as age in days at first detected ovulatory estrus. Pregnancy (calving or weaning) status was scored as one for females conceiving (calving or weaning) given exposure during the breeding season and as zero otherwise. The final model for SC included fixed effects of age of dam at breeding (AD), year of breeding (Y), and breed (B) and age in days at measurement as a covariate. Fixed effects in models for AP and AFC were AD, Y, B, and month of birth. Fixed effects in models for PR1, CR1, and WR1 included AD, Y, and B. For all traits, random effects in the model were direct genetic, maternal genetic, maternal permanent environmental, and residual. Analyses for a three-trait animal model were carried out with SC, AP, and a third

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Rewiring of gene expression in circulating white blood cells is associated with pregnancy outcome in heifers (Bos taurus)

Moorey

Walker

Elmore

et al. 2020

Sci Rep

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Infertility is a challenging phenomenon in cattle that reduces the sustainability of beef production worldwide. Here, we tested the hypothesis that gene expression profiles of protein-coding genes expressed in peripheral white blood cells (PWBCs), and circulating micro RNAs in plasma, are associated with female fertility, measured by pregnancy outcome. We drew blood samples from 17 heifers on the day of artificial insemination and analyzed transcript abundance for 10,496 genes in PWBCs and 290 circulating micro RNAs. The females were later classified as pregnant to artificial insemination, pregnant to natural breeding or not pregnant. We identified 1860 genes producing significant differential coexpression (eFDR < 0.002) based on pregnancy outcome. Additionally, 237 micro RNAs and 2274 genes in PWBCs presented differential coexpression based on pregnancy outcome. Furthermore, using a machine learning prediction algorithm we detected a subset of genes whose abundance could be used for blind categorization of pregnancy outcome. Our results provide strong evidence that transcript abundance in circulating white blood cells is associated with fertility in heifers.

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Selection for cow lifetime pregnancy rate using bull and heifer growth and reproductive traits in composite cattle

Cited by 9 publications

References 9 publications

Male Reproductive Traits and Their Relationship to Reproductive Traits in Their Female Progeny: A Systematic Review

Male Reproductive Traits and Their Relationship to Reproductive Traits in Their Female Progeny: A Systematic Review

Genetic relationships between scrotal circumference and female reproductive traits1

Rewiring of gene expression in circulating white blood cells is associated with pregnancy outcome in heifers (Bos taurus)

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