Estimation of genotype × environment interactions for growth, fatness and reproductive traits in Australian Angus cattle
M. G. Jeyaruban A B , D. J. Johnston A and H.-U. Graser AA Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (a joint venture of NSW Department of Primary Industries and University of New England), University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B Corresponding author. Email: gjeyarub@une.edu.au
Animal Production Science 49(1) 1-8 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA08098
Submitted: 17 March 2008 Accepted: 11 July 2008 Published: 5 January 2009
Abstract
The magnitude of genotype × environment interactions (G × E) were estimated for growth, real time ultrasound scanned carcass and reproductive traits in Angus cattle. Traits measured in the states of Victoria and Queensland were assumed as different traits and the genetic correlations between them were estimated. Estimated heritabilities across states were similar for all traits. However, additive genetic variances of fat depth at the P8 (rump) site for bulls (BP8), intramuscular fat percent at the 12/13th rib for bulls (BIMF) and heifers (HIMF) were significantly different between states. Estimated genetic correlations across states for direct genetic effects were high for growth traits and ranged from 0.89 to 1.00. For the maternal genetic effects the correlations across states ranged from 0.66 to 0.87. The across state correlations for scanned traits were also high. The exception was for BIMF (0.65), where measurement procedures were observed to influence the result. The genetic correlation between the states increased to 0.94 when the records of bulls with low IMF value were removed. For reproductive traits, the estimated genetic correlations ranged from 0.97 to 1.00. These results indicated little evidence of G × E for growth, ultrasound scanned carcass and reproductive traits of Angus cattle from Victoria and Queensland. Combining performance data across states in a national genetic evaluation is appropriate and it is expected that the progeny of Angus cattle would rank similarly across states.
Acknowledgements
The authors thank Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) for their financial support and the Angus Breed Society and their members for providing data for this study. The authors also would like to acknowledge the contribution of Kim Bunter, Ron Crump and Andrew Swan for their comments on the manuscript.
Arthur PF,
Archer JA,
Johnston DJ,
Herd RM,
Richardson EC, Parnell PF
(2001) Genetic and phenotypic variance and covariance components for feed intake, feed efficiency and other postweaning traits in Angus cattle. Journal of Animal Science 79, 2805–2811.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Baker JF,
Vann RC, Neville WE
(2002) Evaluations of genotype × environment interactions of beef bulls performance-tested in feedlot or pasture. Journal of Animal Science 80, 1716–1724.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Bertrand JK,
Berger PJ, Willham RL
(1985) Sire × environment interactions in beef cattle weaning weight field data. Journal of Animal Science 60, 1396–1402.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Bradfield MJ,
Graser H-U, Johnston DJ
(1997) Investigation of genotype × production environment interaction for weaning weight in the Santa Gertrudis breed in Australia. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 1–5.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
De Mattos D,
Bertrand JK,
Herring WO, Benyshek LL
(1996) Sire and maternal grandsire by environment interactions for weaning weight in a Hereford beef cattle population in Uruguay. Journal of Animal Science [Abstr] 74(Suppl. 1), 106.
| PubMed |
De Mattos D,
Bertrand JK, Misztal I
(2000) Investigation of genotype × environment interactions for weaning weight for Herefords in three countries. Journal of Animal Science 78, 2121–2126.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Falconer DS
(1952) The program of environment and selection. American Naturalist 86, 293–298.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Graser H-U,
Johnston DJ, Tier B
(1999) Sire × herd interaction effect in BREEDPLAN. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics 13, 197–198.
Graser H-U,
Tier B,
Johnston DJ, Barwick SA
(2005) Genetic evaluation for the beef Industry in Australia. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45, 913–921.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hyde LR,
Bourdon RM,
Golden BL, Comstock CR
(1998) Genotype by environment interactions for growth and milk traits in an international population of Charolais cattle. Journal of Animal Science [Abstr] 76(Suppl.), 60.
Ibi T,
Hirooka H,
Kahi AK,
Sasae Y, Sasaki Y
(2005) Genotype × environmental interaction effects on carcass traits in Japanese Black cattle. Journal of Animal Science 83, 1503–1510.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Johnston DJ, Bunter KL
(1996) Days to calving in Angus Cattle: Genetic and environmental effects, and covariances with other traits. Livestock Production Science 45, 13–22.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Johnston DJ,
Chandler H, Graser H-U
(1996) Genetic parameters for cow weight and condition score in Angus, Hereford and Poll Hereford cattle. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 47, 1251–1260.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Kearney JF,
Schutz MM, Boettcher PJ
(2004) Genotype × environment interaction for grazing vs. confinement. II. Health and reproduction traits. Journal of Dairy Science 87, 510–516.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Lee DH, Bertrand JK
(2002) Investigation of genotype × country interactions for growth traits in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 80, 330–337.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Meyer K
(1995) Estimates of genetic parameters and breeding values for New Zealand and Australian Angus cattle. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 46, 1219–1229.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meyer K
(1997) Estimates of genetic parameters for weaning weight of beef cattle accounting for direct-maternal environmental covariances. Livestock Production Science 52, 187–199.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Meyer K
(2003) Estimates of variances due to sire × herd effects for weights of Hereford cattle. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics 15, 131–134.
Meyer K, Graser H-U
(1999) Estimates of parameters for scan records of Australian beef cattle treating records on males and females as different traits. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics 13, 385–388.
Morris CA,
Baker RL,
Hickey SM,
Johnson DL,
Cullen NG, Wilson JA
(1993) Evidence of genotype by environment interaction for reproductive and maternal traits in beef cattle. Animal Production 56, 69–83.
Notter DR,
Tier B, Meyer K
(1992) Sire × herd interactions for weaning weight in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 70, 2359–2365.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
Robertson A
(1959) The sampling variance of the genetic correlation coefficient. Biometrics 15, 469–485.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robinson DL
(1996) Estimation and interpretation of direct and maternal genetic parameters for weights of Australian Angus cattle. Livestock Production Science 45, 1–11.
| Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Robinson DL, Johnston DJ
(2003) Days to calving in artificially inseminated cattle. Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics 15, 55–58.
Vargas CA,
Elzo MA,
Chase CC,
Chenoweth PJ, Olson TA
(1998) Estimation of genetic parameters for scrotal circumference, age at puberty in heifers, and hip height in Brahman cattle. Journal of Animal Science 76, 2536–2540.
|
CAS |
PubMed |
