Extended Cow Liveweight Modelling for Beef Cattle Breeding Objectives

2015

Walmsley, Bradley J

Wolcott, Matthew L

Pitchford, W S

Johnston, David

Barwick, Stephen

Editor(s): Kim Bunter, Tim Byrne, Hans Daetwyler, Susanne Hermesch, Kathryn Kemper, James Kijas, David Nation, Wayne Pitchford, Suzanne Rowe, Matt Shaffer, Alison van Eenennaam

Conference Publication

en

Publication

Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics (AAABG)

Armidale, Australia

une:19207

An extended procedure is described for modelling cow liveweight change over the production year for valuing cow liveweight in breeding objectives. The pattern of change, before and after trait change, is able to be approximated from breeder-described variables for any production system. Examination of seven datasets showed cow liveweight changes systematically over age in many herds and breeds. Analyses showed liveweight loss from pre-calving to mating and cow liveweight at mating both change in proportion to the liveweight of the cow pre-calving. Differences in cow liveweight pre-calving are thus larger than are the differences at mating, which affects feed costs in valuing cow liveweight at mating. Adoption of the procedure will increase the precision with which feed cost is associated with cow liveweight in beef cattle breeding objectives.

link

Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics, v.21, p. 13-16

1328-3227

9780646945545

13

16