Genetic Parameters for the Piglet Mortality Traits Crushing,Stillbirth and Total Mortality,and their Relation to Birth Weight

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for the three mortality traits crushing, stillbirth and total mortality in piglets, and their respective correlations with birth weight. Records were available from 11 016 Yorkshire piglets from 1046 first parity litters in a Swedish experimental herd. Each mortality trait was analysed jointly with birth weight, using bivariate models. Both mixed linear models and threshold models were used. The threshold models took environmental and maternal genetic effects into account, whereas the linear models also included a direct genetic effect of the piglet on its birth weight. The estimated heritabilities were low for all mortality traits (0.01-0.15), with the lowest estimate for crushing and the highest for stillbirth. The estimated environmental correlations between the different mortality traits and birth weight were negative. The estimated genetic correlations between crushing and birth weight (both direct and maternal effect) were also negative in both models, indicating that sows with low-weight piglets are more likely to crush piglets. However, the genetic correlations between stillbirth and birth weight (both direct and maternal effect) were positive. These results suggest that stillbirth and crushing are traits with different genetic backgrounds, and that genetically increasing the birth weight of the piglets may result in more stillborn piglets.     

Genetic associations between accumulated productivity, and reproductive and growth traits in Nelore cattle

The total meat yield in a beef cattle production cycle is economically very important and depends on the number of calves born per year or birth season, being directly related to reproductive potential. Accumulated Productivity (ACP) is an index that expresses a cow's capacity to give birth regularly at a young age and to wean animals of greater body weight. Using data from cattle participating in the “Program for Genetic Improvement of the Nelore Breed” (PMGRN — Nelore Brasil), bi-trait analyses were performed using the Restricted Maximum Likelihood method based on an ACP animal model and the following traits: age at first calving (AFC), female body weight adjusted for 365 (BW365) and 450 (BW450) days of age, and male scrotal circumference adjusted for 365 (SC365), 450 (SC450), 550 (SC550) and 730 (SC730) days of age. Median estimated ACP heritability was 0.19 and the genetic correlations with AFC, BW365, BW450, SC365, SC450, SC550 and SC730 were 0.33, 0.70, 0.65, 0.08, 0.07, 0.12 and 0.16, respectively. ACP increased and AFC decreased over time, revealing that the selection criteria genetically improved these traits. Selection based on ACP appears to favor the heaviest females at 365 and 450 days of age who showed better reproductive performance as regards AFC. Scrotal circumference was not genetically associated with ACP.     

青海省格尔木牦牛的母系遗传多样性及支系组成

[目的]从分子水平上探究青海省格尔木牦牛的母系遗传多样性、群体遗传结构及其遗传背景。[方法]对49头格尔木牦牛mtDNA D-loop区部分序列进行了测定,后使用DnaSP 5.10.01、Arlequin 3.11和MEGA 5.05等生物信息学软件确定其多态位点和单倍型数目,计算核苷酸多样度和单倍型多样度大小,并进行系统发育分析。[结果]在截取的618 bp格尔木牦牛D-loop区分析序列中,排除1处插入(缺失)后共检测到45处多态位点,包括10处单一多态位点和35处简约信息位点;根据序列间核苷酸变异共确定了18种单倍型,其中单倍型H4为优势单倍型,核苷酸多样度为0.015±0.008,单倍型多样度为0.911±0.022。与野牦牛及大通、天祝、金川等其他家牦牛品种相比,格尔木牦牛群体单倍型多样度和核苷酸多样度值均较高,表明该群体具有丰富的母系遗传多样性。以美洲野牛为外群,邻接法(即NJ法)构建的系统发育树结果显示：格尔木牦牛群体18种单倍型分布在A、B、C、D和G 5种单倍型组中,且聚为3个大的分支,提示格尔木牦牛由3个母系支系组成,拥有3个母系起源。[结论]格尔木牦牛群体具有丰...     

Genetic correlations between dressage,show jumping and studbook‐entry inspection traits in a process of specialization in Dutch Warmblood horses

Sport performance in dressage and show jumping are two important traits in the breeding goals of many studbooks. To determine the optimum selection scheme for jumping and dressage, knowledge is needed on the genetic correlation between both disciplines and between traits measured early in life and performance in competition in each discipline. This study aimed to estimate genetic parameters to support decision‐making on specialization of breeding horses for dressage and show jumping in Dutch warmblood horses. Genetic correlations between performance of horses in dressage and show jumping were estimated as well as the genetic correlation between traits recorded during studbook‐entry inspections and performance in dressage and show jumping competitions. The information on competition comprised the performance of 82 694 horses in dressage and 62 072 horses in show jumping, recorded in the period 1993–2012. For 26 056 horses, information was available for both disciplines. The information on traits recorded at studbook‐entry inspections comprised 62 628 horses, recorded in the period 1992–2013. Genetic parameters were estimated from the whole dataset and from a subset without horses recorded in both disciplines. Additionally, the genetic parameters were estimated in three different time periods defined by horses' birth year. The genetic correlation between dressage and show jumping in the whole dataset was ?0.23, and it was ?0.03 when it was estimated from horses recorded in only one discipline. The genetic correlation between dressage and show jumping was more negative in the most recent time period in all the cases. The more negative correlation between disciplines in more recent time periods was not reflected in changes in the correlations between competitions traits and the traits recorded in the studbook‐first inspection. These results suggest that a breeding programme under specialization might be most effective defining two separate aggregate breeding goals for each of the disciplines.