scholarly journals Covariance components by a repeatability model in Slovenian dairy sheep using test-day records

2009 ◽  
Vol 54 (No. 9) ◽  
pp. 426-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Komprej ◽  
G. Gorjanc ◽  
D. Kon ◽  
M. Kovač

The estimation of covariance components for daily milk yield, fat and protein content was performed in three Slovenian dairy sheep breeds (Bovec, Improved Bovec, and Istrian Pramenka). In the period 1994–2002, 38 983 test-day records of 3 068 ewes were collected according to ICAR regulations (method A4). All the available relationships between animals were considered. For that reason, information on 3 534 animals was included. Test-day records were analysed by a multiple-trait repeatability animal model. In its fixed part, the model contained breed and season of lambing as classes. Days after lambing, parity, and litter size were treated as covariates. Days after lambing were modelled with modified Ali-Schaeffer’s lactation curve, parity with quadratic, and litter size with linear regression. The random part of the model consisted of flock-test month effect, additive genetic effect, permanent environment effect over lactations, and permanent environment effect within lactation. Covariance components were estimated using the restricted maximum likelihood method (REML). The estimated heritabilities were 0.11 for daily milk yield, 0.08 for fat content, and 0.10 for protein content. A relatively high variance ratio for all milk traits was explained by the flock-test month effect (from 0.27 for daily milk yield to 0.57 for protein content), while ratios explained by both permanent environment effects were lower (up to 0.13). Additive genetic correlations between daily milk yield and fat content, and daily milk yield and protein content were negative and similar (–0.36 and –0.37). A high and positive (0.67) additive genetic correlation between fat and protein content was found. Correlations for environmental effects showed a pattern similar to additive genetic correlations. Genetic parameters estimated in Slovenian dairy sheep showed that genetic progress in milk traits could be achieved using test-day milk records.

2013 ◽  
Vol 58 (No. 3) ◽  
pp. 125-135 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Komprej ◽  
Š. Malovrh ◽  
G. Gorjanc ◽  
D. Kon ◽  
M. Kovač

(Co)variance components for daily milk yield, fat, and protein content in Slovenian dairy sheep were estimated with random regression model. Test-day records were collected by the ICAR A4 method. Analysis was done for 38 983 test-day records of 3068 ewes in 36 flocks. Common flock environment, additive genetic effect, permanent environment effect over lactations, and permanent environment effect within lactation were included into the random part of the model and modelled with Legendre polynomials on the standardized time scale of days in lactation. Estimation of (co)variance components was done with REML. The eigenvalues of covariance functions for random regression coefficients were calculated to quantify the sufficient order of Legendre polynomial for the (co)variance component estimation of milk traits. The existing 13 to 24% of additive genetic variability for the individual lactation curve indicated that the use of random regression model is justified for selection on the level and shape of lactation curve in dairy sheep. Four eigenvalues sufficiently explained variability during lactation in all three milk traits. Heritability estimate for daily milk yield was the highest in mid lactation (0.17) and lower in the early (0.11) and late (0.08) lactation. In fat content, the heritability was increasing throughout lactation (0.08–0.13). Values in protein content varied from the beginning toward mid lactation (0.15–0.19), while they rapidly increased at the end of lactation (0.28). Common flock environment explained the highest percentage of phenotypic variability: 27–41% in daily milk yield, 31–41% in fat content, and 41–49% in protein content. Variance ratios for the two permanent environment effects were the highest in daily milk yield (0.10–0.27), and lower in fat (0.04–0.08) and protein (0.01–0.10) contents. Additive genetic correlations during the selected test-days were high between the adjacent ones and they tended to decrease at the extremes of the lactation trajectory.


2012 ◽  
Vol 57 (No. 5) ◽  
pp. 231-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Komprej ◽  
G. Gorjanc ◽  
D. Kon ◽  
M. Kovač

Lactation curves for daily milk yield, fat, and protein content in three dairy sheep breeds were estimated by the repeatability animal model using test-day records. A total of 38 983 records from 3068 ewes of Bovec, Improved Bovec, and Istrian Pramenka breeds, collected between the years 1994 and 2002, were analysed. The three-trait repeatability animal model included breed and lambing season as fixed. The stage of lactation within each breed was modelled by the modified Ali-Schaeffer’s lactation curve. Parity and litter size were used as covariates in quadratic and linear regression, respectively. Common flock environment, additive genetic effect, permanent environment over lactations as well as within lactation were treated as random. The average daily milk yield was 1090 g in Bovec, 1010 g in Improved Bovec, and 731 g in Istrian Pramenka breeds. Overall means for fat and protein content were 6.59 and 5.53% for Bovec, 6.22 and 5.33% for Improved Bovec, and 7.20 and 5.63% for Istrian Pramenka. Breed, lambing season, stage of lactation, parity, and litter size significantly (P < 0.001) affected all three observed milk traits, with the only exception of parity in fat and litter size in protein content. The shape of lactation curves for daily milk yield in Bovec and Improved Bovec breeds fitted well to the general lactation curve in dairy sheep. Daily milk yield was increasing in the first month of lactation and decreasing thereafter. In Istrian Pramenka, the shape of lactation curve was more or less atypical, with daily milk yield decreasing almost throughout the entire lactation. Lactation curves for fat and protein content were opposite to the lactation curves for daily milk yield in all three breeds.  


Author(s):  
L. Gautam H.A. Waiz ◽  
R. K. Nagda

Data on 3244 Sirohi kidding during 2004 to 2016 in farmer’s flocks under All India Co-ordinated Research Project on Goat Improvement (AICRP) project, Vallabhnagar, Udaipur were utilized to estimate the average daily milk (ADM) at different lactation months and subjected to least square analysis to study the effect of various non-genetic factors like cluster, periods of kidding, season of kidding, parity, type of birth and regression of dam’s weight. The overall least-squares means for ADM1, ADM2, ADM3, ADM4, ADM5 and overall ADM were 564.07±18.34, 671.92±15.17, 633.41±10.75, 508.93±8.01, 329.72±7.93 and 540.79±10.78 ml, respectively. Cluster and period wise variation were highly significant on all stages of average daily milk yields. The parity had statistically highly significant effect on average daily milk yields, in which seemed that milk yields increase as parity increase, thereafter declined slowly. The effect of type of kidding was non-significant on all stages of average daily milk yield under this study. The regression of dam’s weight at kidding was positive and highly significant (P£ 0.01) on all average daily milk yield. The heritability estimates for these traits ranged from 0.03 ± 0.01 (ADM4) to 0.19 ± 0.02 0.06 ± 002 (ADM1). The high estimates of genetic correlations of average milk yield of different periods with overall average daily milk yield. The phenotypic correlations were positive and low between ADM1 and ADM4­, ADM5 and medium between ADM1 and ADM4, ADM5. In order to augment goat milk production, goat keepers need to be focused on nutritional and others environmental conditions as it affect their flock.


2014 ◽  
Vol 54 (10) ◽  
pp. 1641 ◽  
Author(s):  
Octavio A. Castelan Ortega ◽  
Manuel González Ronquillo

The crossbreeding of local sheep breeds with dairy breeds is an option to improve dairy production parameters in organic sheep dairy systems. Weekly milk yield (WMY) was recorded and individual samples of milk for chemical analysis were taken during 17 weeks from 45 dairy ewes of the following three genotypes: 15 East Friesian (EF), 15 EF × Suffolk (EF × SF) and 15 EF × Pelibuey (EF × PL) under organic management. For analysis of the lactation curve the Wood gamma model was used. The effect of genotype on the WMY was analysed using repeated-measures. The comparison of the least square means among genotypes for total milk yield (TMY), daily milk yield, protein content, protein yield, fat content, fat yield, non-fat solids concentration, non-fat solids yield, total solids yield and acidity was analysed using a general linear model. The genetic group influenced only in the ascent phase of the lactation curve, with values of the Parameter b of model Wood higher in EF (P = 0.01). There were no differences (P > 0.05) between genotypes in relation to the WMY, TMY, protein content and acidity; however, the effects of week of lactation trial and the interaction of genotype and week of lactation trial on WMY were significant (P < 0.05). The values of daily milk yield, fat yield, protein yield and total solids yield were higher (P < 0.005) in EF and EF × SF than EF × PL. Fat content was higher in EF × PL. EF × SF had similar values of TMY than EF and better chemical composition, which places this genotype as an option of crossbreeding in dairy sheep systems under organic management with similar agro climatic characteristics to the present study.


2012 ◽  
Vol 79 (3) ◽  
pp. 352-360 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fernando Hernandez ◽  
Laura Elvira ◽  
Juan-Vicente Gonzalez-Martin ◽  
Susana Astiz

Intensive management is almost the only way to ensure dairy farm profitability. The dry period length (DPL) is a key factor in the productivity and health of dairy cows, but whether the same is true of dairy sheep is unclear. This study investigated the effects of DPL on the performance of Lacaune sheep under intensive management. We recorded 8136 lactations from 4220 ewes on one farm for the period 2005–2010, and data from a total of 6762 complete lactations 1–4 were included in the study. The length of the dry period following the current lactation was studied. The larger the total milk yield (MY) and daily milk yield (DMY), the shorter was the DPL before the next lactation. DPL correlated with MY (r=−0·384), DMY (r=−0·277) and the lambing-to-conception interval (LC; r=0·201, P<0·0001) in the global analysis of all lactations (lactations 1–4). The influence of previous-DPL (P-DPL), or the length of the period prior to the start of the next lactation, was studied for 4318 lactations. P-DPL was classified into five intervals: very short (P-DPL-XS), 1–30 d; short (P-DPL-S), 31–60 d; medium (P-DPL-M), 61–90 d; long (P-DPL-L), 91–120 d; and very long (P-DPL-XL), >120 d. P-DPL positively correlated with lambing-to-next conception interval (LNC; r=0·095, P<0·0001) for lactations 1–4. LNC was significantly shorter for P-DPLs that were very short, short, or long (P-PDL-XS, 144·2±67·8 d; P-PDL-S, 149·1±57·2 d; P-PDL-L, 152·0±53·7 d) than for groups with very long or medium P-PDLs (P-DPL-XL, 161·5±62·9 d; P-DPL-M, 169·0±74·8 d; P<0·0001). Moreover, P-DPLs that were very short, long, or very long were associated with the lowest milk yields (P-PDL-XS, 377±215 l; P-PDL-l, 370±168 l; P-PDL-XL, 396±196 l). These yields were significantly lower than the yields for short and medium P-DPLs (P-DPL-S, 432±187 l; P-DPL-M, 436±191 l; P<0·0001) when averages of lactations 1–4 were analysed. These results indicate that lactations with larger MY are followed by a shorter dry period, and that a dry period of 30–90 d leads to larger yields in the next lactation. The best LNC was associated with the shortest Previous-DPL. Hence, 30–60 d should be the optimal dry period length for Lacaune sheep under intensive conditions.


2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 371-384 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kostas A. Triantaphyllopoulos ◽  
Panagiota Koutsouli ◽  
Athanassios Kandris ◽  
Dimitris Papachristou ◽  
Kalliopi E. Markopoulou ◽  
...  

Abstract The animal selection with favourable phenotypes of the past has been, currently, replaced by the genotype selection on quantitative traits, assisted by the expanding molecular techniques in the context of livestock improvement. In this study, the c.112T>C polymorphism in exon II of β-lactoglobulin (β-LG) gene was investigated in Karagouniko and Chios sheep breeds by using polymerase chain reaction - restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP), and possible associations with milk traits were examined. In total, 125 blood DNA samples were isolated for PCR-RFLP analysis and the respective 217 milk samples′ composition profile was obtained. The goodness of fit test to Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE) for β-LG genotypes was estimated and associations found between β-LG genotypes and raw milk composition. Two alleles and three genotypes were observed (AA, AB and BB) in both breeds, and Chios breed significantly deviated (P≤0.05) from Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Conclusively, linear mixed model analysis on samples, from both breeds collectively, showed significant effects of β-LG genotype on lactose percentage and somatic cell count (SCC), lactation stage on daily milk yield and protein, while the breed effect was significant only on daily milk yield.


2019 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 58-64
Author(s):  
A. G. Kolchev

The results of the study of milk productivity and lactation rates of fi rst-calf cows are presented. The research into fi rst-calf cows of black-andwhite Holstein breed, belonging to sire lines of Wis Ideal 1013415 and Refl ection Sovereign 198998 was conducted in 2018 in Novosibirsk region. The number of cows under study was 64, the period of the study covered 305 days of lactation. Monitoring of milk production, milk fl ow intensity, fat and protein content was carried out monthly. The research materials were analyzed for groups of cows depending on their sire line and productivity for single and daily milk yield, fat and protein content, and dynamics of milk ejection for the fi rst 3 minutes of milking. The highest daily milk yield in both lines was observed in the second month of lactation. In the fourth and fi fth months of lactation, the average daily milk yield of Refl ection Sovereign cows was signifi cantly higher (р < 0.001) than that of their peers of the Vis Ideal line, by 1.3 kg. During the lactation period, the productivity of the Vis Ideal and Refl ection Sovereign cows was almost the same: milk yield – 8296 and 8220 kg, fat content – 4.02 and 4.06%, protein – 3.36 and 3.35% and milk fl ow intensity – 2.70 and 2.78 kg/min, respectively. In the second and third months of lactation, cows of both lines had a decrease in the content of fat, protein and intensity of milk fl ow with a gradual increase in these indices in the fourth and fi fth months of lactation. First-calf cows of the black-and-white breed of Canadian selection of different sire lines showed a high level of milk productivity and proved to be suitable for further breeding work.


2009 ◽  
Vol 49 (1) ◽  
pp. 24 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. Afolayan ◽  
N. M. Fogarty ◽  
J. E. Morgan ◽  
G. M. Gaunt ◽  
L. J. Cummins ◽  
...  

Milk production and milk composition were measured in 1056 crossbred ewes managed under pasture grazing in a lamb production system. Most ewes were milked on three occasions at ~3, 4 and 12 weeks of lactation. The ewes were the progeny of mainly Merino dams and 91 sires from several maternal crossing breeds including Border Leicester, East Friesian, Finnsheep and Coopworth. The ewes were born over 3 years and run at three sites where they were joined naturally to meat rams. Most of the ewes were first parity (autumn-joined at 7 months of age and spring-joined at 14–17 months of age), with the remainder second or third parity. The cohorts of ewes and sites were linked genetically by three common maternal sires. The 4-h oxytocin-induced milking procedure was used to estimate daily milk production and milk samples were analysed for composition (fat%, protein% and lactose%). Daily milk yield and milk composition traits were analysed using restricted maximum likelihood mixed models procedures. The sire breed of crossbred ewes was significant for milk yield (P < 0.01), fat% (P < 0.01) and lactose% (P < 0.05). There was a significant (P < 0.01) interaction of sire breed × days of lactation, mainly due to the relatively higher milk yield of the East Friesian and White Suffolk cross ewes compared with the other crosses, at the end of the lactation. The East Friesian cross ewes had lower milk fat% than the other cross ewes. Ewes suckling multiple lambs had 29% higher peak milk yield than those bearing and suckling single lambs (P < 0.001). There was an increase in peak milk yield of the ewes from first to second parity, and third parity ewes had a greater decline to the end of lactation causing a significant interaction (P < 0.001). The overall decline in milk yield from peak to late lactation was –21.2 ± 0.7 g/day. Separate analysis showed a significant increase in milk yield with ewe pre-joining weight (regression 6.1 ± 1.8 g/day.kg). The estimate of heritability for daily milk yield was 0.24 ± 0.04 at 90 days of lactation and 0.10 ± 0.02 at 21 days of lactation. The estimates of heritability for the milk composition traits were generally moderate. Estimates of genetic correlations between measurements early and late in the lactation for milk yield and most composition traits were high. The within ewe by stage variance component estimates of repeatability were moderate to high for milk yield, fat% and protein%, with lactose% being low.


2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 8-17
Author(s):  
MA Jalil ◽  
S Akther ◽  
MP Choudhury ◽  
MA Habib

The study was undertaken to evaluate the genetic progress of Black Bengal Goat (BBG) by estimating genetic parameters viz. heritability and breeding values for economically important productive and reproductive traits (birth weight, weight at 3, 6, 9 & 12 months, daily milk yield, lactation length, total milk yield and litter size of BBG goat population). Variance and co-variance components were analyzed applying Residual Maximum Likelihood (REML) approach by VCE 4.2.5 computer package. The heritability (h2) of birth weight was estimated as 0.2, which was low. The heritability estimates for 3-month weight (0.40), 6-month weight (0.50), 9-month weight (0.37) and 12-month weight (0.36) were found medium. Estimated h2 of daily milk yield, total milk yield and lactation length in this study were from 0.55 to 0.82.  h2 of litter size was 0.09. The maximum estimated breeding value (EBV) was found for 6 month body weight (12.94 kg), however, for daily milk yield, the value was 1.513 kg. The results found in this study revealed that genetic improvement of BBG for most of the traits is possible by selection and breeding. Bangladesh J. of Livestock Res. 20(1-2): 8-17, Jan-Dec 2013


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