Selection in Hereford cattle. I. Selection intensity, generation interval and indexes in retrospect

Selection intensity and generation interval were evaluated in a Hereford cattle herd made up of 14 inbred lines and 14 linecross groups corresponding to the lines of inbred sires at the Suan Juan Basin Research Center, Hesperus, Colorado. Selection indexes practiced were calculated in retrospect. Analyses of the records collected from 1946 through 1973 involved weaning weight (WW) and postweaning traits in males and females. Analyses by line were performed for the inbreds, while pooled analyses were done on the inbred and linecross populations. From records of 1,239 calves weaned, age of sire averaged 3.75 yr compared with 4.52 yr for age of dam, showing faster generation turnover for sires than for dams. Generation interval determined as actual age of midparent was 4.13 yr. Selection applied for WW, evaluated as annual selection differentials within inbred lines and then pooled over all lines, averaged .55 standard deviations (sigma)/generation for sires. For females, selection was much less intense. Midparent selection differential amounted to .33 sigma/generation. For sires, pooled standardized selection differentials per generation over all lines during the postweaning gain period were .49 sigma, .46 sigma, .40 sigma, -.20 sigma, -.10 sigma and .69 sigma, respectively, for initial weight, final weight, feed consumed, feed efficiency (FE, unadjusted and adjusted) and average daily gain (ADG). Selection of females for postweaning traits was not intense. Selection index actually practiced in retrospect for sires was: IS = .4461 (WW) - .0092 (FE) + .6126 (ADG). The indexes for dams included WW, 12-mo weight (12W), 18-mo weight (18W), mature spring weight (SPW) and mature fall weight (FAW) and were: for inbred dams, ID = .1824 (WW) - .0284 (12W) + .0736 (18W) - .1097 (SPW) - .1097 (FAW); for linecross dams, ID = .2693 (WW) - .2960 (12W) + .0147 (18W) + .1185 (SPW) - .0354 (FAW). The corresponding index selection differentials were .818, .203 and .209. Sire index selection differentials represent about 79% of the total selection differentials.