scholarly journals BREED OF DAM, AGE OF DAM AND SEX OF CALF EFFECTS IN THE CANADIAN SIMMENTAL YOUNG SIRE PROVING PROGRAM

1984 ◽  
Vol 64 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
R. A. KEMP ◽  
L. R. SCHAEFFER ◽  
J. W. WILTON
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
Residual Effects ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Calving Ease ◽  
Sire Evaluation ◽  
Unbiased Estimates ◽  
Best Linear Unbiased

Canadian Simmental Association Young Sire Proving Program records (1978–1982) were used to estimate breed of dam by age of dam by sex of calf effects for several traits. Two models were used. Model 1 included fixed herd-years, breed of dam by age of dam by sex of calf (BAX) plus random sire and residual effects. Model 2 included fixed herd-year by sex of calf and breed of dam by age of dam (BA) plus random sire and residual effects. Both models included additive genetic relationships among sires and maternal grandsires. Traits used with Model 1 were gestation length (GL), calving ease (CE), birth weight (BW), gain on dam (GD) and 200-day weight (WW). Model 2 was used for gain on test (GT) and 365-day weight (YW). Mixed model techniques were used to obtain best linear unbiased estimates of BAX and BA from models 1 and 2, respectively. Hypothesis tests were conducted using two breed of dam groups ([Formula: see text] Simmental (S) and [Formula: see text] British breeds (B)) and four age of dam groups (2, 3, 4 and 5 + yr which correspond to < 31, 31–42, 43–54 and > 54 mo, respectively). Three-way subclasses (BAX) were significant (P < 0.01) for GL, CE, BW, GD and WW as were two-way subclasses (BA) for YW. Estimated differences for breed of dam by age of dam by six of calf subclasses (for GL, CE, BW, GD, WW) and breed of dam by age of dam subclasses (for YW) generally increased as age of dam increased. Accounting for breed of dam, age of dam, sex of calf and interaction effects are important in sire evaluation. Estimated differences of these effects, a by-product of sire evaluation, can be used to increase the accuracy of procedures for individual and dam evaluation. Key words: Breed of dam by age of dam by sex of calf effects, sire evaluation, mixed model techniques

Phenotypic and Genetic Relationships between Calving Ease, Gestation Length, Birth Weight and Preweaning Growth

1978 ◽  
Vol 47 (3) ◽  
pp. 595-600 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. J. Burfening ◽  
D. D. Kress ◽  
R. L. Friedrich ◽  
D. D. Vaniman
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Genetic Relationships ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Calving Ease

The effect of feeding salmon oil to sows throughout pregnancy on pre-weaning mortality of piglets

2001 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 489-500 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.A. Rooke ◽  
A.G. Sinclair ◽  
S.A. Edwards ◽  
R. Cordoba ◽  
S. Pkiyach ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fatty Acids ◽  
Birth Weight ◽  
Polyunsaturated Fatty Acids ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Nutritional Study ◽  
Pregnancy And Lactation ◽  
And Performance ◽  
Long Chain

AbstractSalmon oil (16·5 kg /t), a source of long-chain polyunsaturated n-3 fatty acids, was included in diets offered to multiparous sows during pregnancy and lactation to measure responses in pre-weaning mortality and performance of piglets in two studies. The first study, carried out under commercial conditions, included 196 sows which were offered salmon oil and control diets from immediately post service until weaning. The same diets were also offered to 10 sows per treatment from day 58 of pregnancy in a controlled nutritional study which measured the effects of salmon oil on piglet tissue fatty acid composition. Offering salmon oil to the sow significantly increased gestation length and decreased individual piglet birth weight but had no effect on litter size at birth. Overall, salmon oil reduced pre-weaning mortality from 11·7% to 10·2% mainly by reducing the incidence of deaths from crushing by the sow. More detailed analysis of mortality using a general linear mixed model and 2294 piglet records, demonstrated that the incidence of pre-weaning mortality was significantly decreased with increasing individual piglet birth weight and by inclusion of salmon oil in the diet; the incidence of mortality increased with average piglet birth weight in a litter. Salmon oil inclusion had no effect on weight of litter weaned, sow lactation food intake or subsequent reproductive performance. In both studies, dietary salmon oil increased the proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in colostrum to a similar extent. In the nutritional study, inclusion of salmon oil reduced the proportions of 20: 4 n-6 in piglet liver and brain at birth and increased the proportions of long-chain n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, despite reducing piglet birth weight, offering sows salmon oil reduced pre-weaning mortality of piglets. The nutritional study showed that the amount and type of marine oil used may not have been optimal.

PHENOTYPIC AND GENETIC PARAMETER ESTIMATES FOR GESTATION LENGTH, CALVING EASE AND BIRTH WEIGHT IN SIMMENTAL CATTLE

1988 ◽  
Vol 68 (1) ◽  
pp. 291-294 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. A. KEMP ◽  
J. W. WILTON ◽  
L. R. SCHAEFFER
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Random Mating ◽  
Genetic Parameter ◽  
Parameter Estimates ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Calving Ease ◽  
Phenotypic Correlations ◽  
Large Numbers ◽  
Genetic And Phenotypic Correlations ◽  
Variance And Covariance Components

Variance components, heritabilities and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated using progeny records of 73 sires on the Young Sire Proving Program (YSPP) of the Canadian Simmental Association. The YSPP was based on random mating of 58 test and 15 reference sires to cows in cooperating herds. Data were collected on several traits but the ones of interest in this study were gestation length (GL), calving ease (CE) and birth weight (BW). Variance and covariance components were estimated using Henderson's method 3. Heritability estimates were 0.24, 0.06 and 0.19 for GL, CE and BW, respectively. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were negative between GL and CE and CE and BW. Correlations between GL and BW were moderate and positive. Selection programs, utilizing large numbers of progeny per sire, would be effective but should incorporate the correlations between these traits. Key words: Heritabilities, genetic and phenotypic correlations, selection

scholarly journals Maternal factors and the prediction of dystocia in beef heifers

1993 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 431-435 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. D. King ◽  
R. D. H. Cohen ◽  
S. McCormac ◽  
C. L. Guenther
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Caesarian Section ◽  
Stepwise Discriminant Analysis ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Maternal Factors ◽  
Beef Heifers ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Pelvic Area

Stepwise discriminant analysis was used to determine maternal factors associated with dystocia in 564 2-yr-old heifers bred to bulls with below breed average birth weights. Calf birth weight (n = 556) was consistently the most significant (P < 0.001) factor correlated (R2 = 0.31) with dystocia. Other significant (P < 0.001) factors were weight at breeding (n = 376) and calving (n = 559; R2 = 0.11 for both traits). Other factors considered were age at breeding (n = 446), pelvic area at breeding (n = 112) and pregnancy evaluation (n = 297), heifer birth weight (n = 564), gestation length (n = 467) and age at calving (n = 559) but none were significant (P > 0.05). Heifers requiring caesarian section were heaviest (P < 0.05) at breeding and their calves were heaviest (P < 0.05) at birth. Unassisted heifers were heavier at calving (P < 0.05) than assisted heifers. It was concluded that none of the factors examined in this study was a reliable predictor of dystocia in beef heifers but that heifers should be bred at 75–80% of their expected calving weight to reduce the risk of dystocia. Key words: Dystocia, heifer, discriminant analysis

CALVING EASE AND CALF MORTALITY IN FIRST-CROSS AND BACKCROSS COWS

1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 45-54
Author(s):  
R. M. McKAY ◽  
G. W. RAHNEFELD ◽  
G. M. WEISS ◽  
H. T. FREDEEN ◽  
J. A. NEWMAN ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Beef Cattle ◽  
Key Words ◽  
Range Management ◽  
Intensive Management ◽  
Calving Ease ◽  
Extensive Range ◽  
Calf Mortality

Calving ease and calf mortality were evaluated for calves out of first-cross and backcross cows maintained under two contrasting environments. All calves were sired by Limousin bulls. The dam crosses at Brandon were HA, SN, CN, ACA, CCA, ASA, SSA, HCH, CCH, HSH, SSH, NCN, CCN, SSN, and NSN with H = Hereford, A = Angus, N = Shorthorn, C = Charolais, S = Simmental and a SSA cross was 3/4 Simmental-1/4 Angus. At Manyberries the dam crosses were HA, SN, ASA, SSA, HSH, SSH, NSN, and SSN. The calves were born between 1982 and 1986, inclusive, at Brandon, Manitoba (semi-intensive management) and Manyberries, Alberta (extensive range management). At Brandon, when calf birth weight was not a covariate, the significant dam cross contrasts for calving ease included less difficulty for SN cows than either the SSN or NSN cows, and for 3/4 A-1/4 European continental (E) cows than 1/4A–3/4E cows. When adjusted to a common calf birth weight the significant contrasts were HA cows had more difficulty than SN cows and the combination of SN and CN cows, SN cows had less difficulty than NSN cows, and 3/4A–1/4E cows had less difficulty than 1/4A–3/4E cows. At Manyberries, regardless of whether calf birth weight was excluded or included as a covariate, the SN cows had less difficulty than the SSN and the SSN cows had less difficulty than NSN cows. No significant dam cross comparisons were observed for calf mortality scores. Adjusting the calving ease scores to a constant calf birth weight did not significantly alter the magnitude of the contrasts but it did shift their probability levels. Location and sex of calf effects were not significant except for calving ease at Brandon where more difficulty was associated with male calves than female calves. Key words: Beef cattle, crossbreeding, backcrosses, calving, mortality

131 CHARACTERISTICS OF PREGNANCIES AND OFFSPRING FOLLOWING TRANSFER OF BOVINE IN VIVO EMBRYOS ASSESSED BY NANORESPIROMETRY

2008 ◽  
Vol 20 (1) ◽  
pp. 146
Author(s):  
A. S. Lopes ◽  
S. E. Madsen ◽  
T. Greve ◽  
H. Callesen
Keyword(s):  
Birth Weight ◽  
Mixed Model ◽  
Linear Mixed Model ◽  
Gestation Length ◽  
Newborn Animal ◽  
Respiration Rates ◽  
Stage Of Development ◽  
Newborn Calves ◽  
Chi Square Analysis

It has been speculated whether the metabolism of the pre-implantation embryo may be reflected on the pregnancy and characteristics of the newborn animal. The present study investigated whether respiration rates of individual embryos were correlated with gestation length, type of parturition, birth weight, sex, and viability of the offspring. In-vivo embryos (n = 47) were recovered on day 7 from 11 superovulated and inseminated Holstein-Friesian cows and embryonic respiration rates were measured individually by nanorespirometry. The embryos were classified according to morphological quality (I, II, III), stage of development, and diameter and were subsequently transferred individually (n = 43) to synchronized recipients. Gestation length of the recipients (n = 22) was calculated and the type of parturition (no assistance, light traction, heavy traction, or caesarean section) recorded. Sex, weight, and condition of the calves at birth (weak, normal, or very active) were also assessed. Results were evaluated by chi-square analysis and using a linear mixed model. The pregnancy rate was 60% (26/43), and the respiration rates of individual embryos influenced gestation length as well as the interaction of weight at birth and type of parturition (P < 0.05). Embryos with higher respiration rates tended to be associated with a slightly more difficult type of parturition, which was not affected by sex. When embryos were divided into two even-sized categories according to their respiration rates (high v. low), low embryonic respiration rates were associated with low birth weight in 73% of the newborn calves (Table 1). Neither sex nor condition of the calves was directly affected by the embryonic respiration rates. The diameter and morphology of the embryo affected birth weight (P < 0.05), with quality I embryos associated with heavier calves when compared to quality III embryos. Furthermore, light traction was more frequently used to retrieve heavier animals (P < 0.05), and male calves were 3.2 kg heavier than females (P < 0.05). These results suggest that the metabolism of the embryo might affect the weight of the newborn animal and consequently the type of parturition. However, birth weight is highly influenced by the recipients and season, and thus a more accurate correlation is likely to be established when the weight of the postpubertal offspring is considered. Table 1. Birth weight of newborn calves according to respiratory category of bovine in-vivo embryos

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