Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Orenge, J. S. K.
• Ilatsia, E. D.
• Kosgey, I. S.
• Kahi, A. K.

Titel

Genetic and phenotypic parameters and annual trends for growth and fertility traits of Charolais and Hereford beef cattle breeds in Kenya

Ist Teil von

• Tropical animal health and production, 2009-06, Vol.41 (5), p.767-774

Ort / Verlag

Dordrecht: Springer Netherlands

Erscheinungsjahr

2009

Quelle

SpringerLink

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• This study estimated genetic and phenotypic parameters and annual trends for growth and fertility traits of Charolais and Hereford cattle in Kenya. Traits considered were birth weight (BW, kg), pre-weaning average daily gain (ADG, kg/day) and weaning weight (WW, kg); calving interval (CI, days) and age at first calving (AFC, days). Direct heritability estimates for growth traits were 0.36 and 0.21; 0.25 and 0.10; 0.23 and 0.13 for BW, ADG and WW in Charolais and Hereford, respectively. Maternal heritability estimates were 0.11 and 0.01; 0.18 and 0.00; 0.17 and 0.17 for BW, ADG and WW in Charolais and Hereford, respectively. Direct-maternal genetic correlations ranged between −0.46 and 1.00; −0.51 and −1.00; −0.47 and −0.39 for BW, ADG and WW in Charolais and Hereford, respectively. Genetic correlations ranged from −0.99 to unity and −1.00 to unity for growth and fertility traits respectively. Prospects for improvement of growth and fertility traits exist.