ORIGINAL PAPER
Fertility measures in Polish Black-and-White cattle.
2. Genetic parameters of interval measures
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Agricultural University of Cracow, Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding,
Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
Publication date: 2005-08-04
Corresponding author
W. Jagusiak
Agricultural University of Cracow, Department of Genetics and Animal Breeding,
Mickiewicza 24/28, 30-059 Kraków, Poland
J. Anim. Feed Sci. 2005;14(3):435-444
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ABSTRACT
Genetic parameters of service period, calving interval, days open, days to first service and days
of pregnancy were estimated. Data were records of 42,283 cows. Heritabilities of all traits in first
parity were low and ranged from 0.044 for calving interval to 0.092 for service period. Heritabilities
of all intervals decreased in consecutive parities, and in the third parity were close to zero for days
open and days to first service. The highest genetic correlation was found between calving interval
and days open (0.99), days to first service and days open (0.74), and days to first service and calving
interval (0.72). Service period was highly correlated genetically with age at first service (0.72), age
at conception (0.90) and age at calving (0.90). The genetic correlation between days open and age
at first insemination was 0.44. Genetic correlations of fertility traits between parities were highest
when estimated for first and second parity, and ranged from 0.92 to 0.99.