Comparison of several sire evaluation methods in dairy cattle breeding

Comparison of Three Methods of Sire Evaluation

Three methods of sire evaluation were compared empirically--herdmate comparison, least squares, and maximum likelihood. Michigan Dairy Herd Improvement Association Holstein data representing 10,620 first lactation records and 1,003 herd-year groups were analyzed. Forty individual bulls representing three artificial insemination units were evaluated. The rank correlations among herdmate comparis...

Breeding and Genetics: Dairy Cattle Breeding I

Humans obtain a number of products from animals. These include food, clothing, medical materials, companionship and research knowledge to name a few. A valued ethic contends that it is inappropriate for one to treat another as a means to an end. In short, it is wrong to treat another as simply a product. Historically, non-human beings have not been included as “others” and thus their treatment ...

Evaluation of Dairy Cattle Breeding Programs: Specialized Milk Production

Breeding and Genetics: Dairy Cattle

Protein-damaging stresses, including heat shock, cold, altered pH and oxygen deprivation induce the expression of a subgroup of molecular chaperones, called heat shock proteins (Hsp), which consist of several protein families designated by their molecular weight, such as the Hsp90, Hsp70, Hsp60, and the small Hsp (sHsp) families. Small heat shock proteins (sHsp) with a molecular mass of 15–30 k...

Consequences for Dairy Cattle Breeding

Advances in breeding and management resulted in a considerable increase of production traits in Austrian dairy cattle. Besides, low input systems were also established. Possible genotype by environment interactions (G x E) and genetic antagonisms dependent on production level might indicate the need for separate breeding programmes for dairy farms diff ering in management intensity. Th us, G x ...