Evaluation of efficiency of sire model and animal model in Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle considering first lactation production and fertility traits

Research (Published online: 09-11-2014)

6. Evaluation of efficiency of sire model and animal model in Holstein Friesian crossbred cattle considering first lactation production and fertility traits - Shakti Kant Dash, Ashok Kumar Gupta, Avtar Singh, Atish Kumar Chakravarty, Manoj Madhusoodanan, Jamuna Valsalan, Pushp Raj Shivahre and Altaf Hussain

Veterinary World, 7(10): 933-937

   doi: 10.14202/vetworld.2014.933-937

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Abstract

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Aim: The present investigation was conducted for evaluating the efficacy of estimating breeding values (BVs) using univariate animal model in comparison to sire model. The various parameters considered for evaluating the efficiency of both linear models were coefficient of determination (R2), coefficient of variation (CV), within sire variance or error variance and spearman’s rank correlation estimates.

Materials and Methods: Data for the present investigation were spread over a period of 34 years from 1978 to 2012 and consisted of a total of 1988 lactation records of Holstein Friesian crossbred cows sired by 186 crossbred bulls.

Results: The percentage of sires having BV (estimated by animal model) more than the average BV for the traits viz. age at first calving (AFC), first service period (FSP), first lactation length (FLL), first calving interval (FCI), first lactation 305 day milk yield (F305MY), first lactation total milk yield (FTMY), milk yield per day of first lactation length (MY/FLL) and milk yield per day of first calving interval (MY/FCI) were 48.05, 49.39, 55.07, 49.21, 50.00, 51.39, 48.67, 50.39%, respectively. The animal model had higher R2, lower CV and error variance for most of the fertility and production traits. The spearman’s rank correlation estimates indicated similarity of rankings by both the linear models as the animal model is an improvement of sire model.

Conclusion: Animal model had a wider range of BVs indicating the greater differentiating ability of the model. Based on R2, CV and error variance animal model was found to be superior in comparison to sire model.

Keywords: animal model, breeding value, efficiency, sire model.