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Title
Genetic and phenotypic associations of feed efficiency with growth and carcass traits in Australian Angus cattle
Publication Date
2018-11
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2008
Abstract
Genetic and phenotypic parameters for feed efficiency, growth, and carcass traits for Australian Angus beef cattle were estimated. Growth traits included birth weight (BWT), 200-d weight (200dWT), 400-d weight (400dWT), and 600-d weight (600dWT). Traits associated with feed efficiency were average daily weight gain (ADG), metabolic midweight, average of daily feed intake (FI), feed conversion ratio (FCR), residual feed intake (RFI), and residual gain (RG). Carcass traits involved were carcass eye muscle area (CEMA), carcass intramuscular fat (IMF), subcutaneous fat depths at the 12th/13th rib (CRIB), rump P8 fat depth (P8FAT), and carcass weight (CWT). For growth traits, heritability estimates ranged from 0.14 +/- 0.03 for 200dWT to 0.48 +/- 0.06 for 600dWT. For feed efficiency traits, direct heritability estimates for FI, FCR, RFI, and RG were 0.55 +/- 0.08, 0.20 +/- 0.06, 0.40 +/- 0.07, and 0.19 +/- 0.06, respectively. High heritability estimates were observed for CEMA, IMF, P8FAT, and CWT of 0.52 +/- 0.09, 0.61 +/- 0.09, 0.55 +/- 0.09, and 0.66 +/- 0.09, respectively. Strong positive genetic correlations were found for FI with 200dWT, 400dWT, and 600dWT of 0.68 +/- 0.09, 0.42 +/- 0.11, and 0.61 +/- 0.07, respectively. Weak genetic correlations were observed between RFI and growth traits. For carcass traits, genetic correlations between RFI and CEMA, IMF, CRIB, P8FAT, CWT were -0.19 +/- 0.14, 0.31 +/- 0.14, 0.18 +/- 0.16, 0.24 +/- 0.13, and 0.40 +/- 0.12, respectively. There was a tendency for low to moderate unfavorable genetic associations between feed efficiency traits, evaluated as RFI and RG, with growth and carcass traits. This implies that selection for RFI would have slight negative impacts on growth and reduce carcass quality. To avoid this, it would be necessary to build selection indices to select feed efficient animals without compromising growth and meat quality.
Publication Type
Journal Article
Source of Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 96(11), p. 4521-4531
Publisher
American Society of Animal Science
Place of Publication
United States of America
ISSN
1525-3163
0021-8812
Fields of Research (FoR) 2020
Socio-Economic Objective (SEO) 2020
Peer Reviewed
Yes
HERDC Category Description
Peer Reviewed
Yes
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