Skip to main content
ARS Home » Plains Area » Miles City, Montana » Livestock and Range Research Laboratory » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #153715
Title: EFFECTS OF SIRE MISIDENTIFICATION ON ESTIMATES OF GENETIC PARAMETERS FOR BIRTH WEIGHT AND WEANING WEIGHT OF HEREFORD CATTLE

Author
item SENNEKE, S - UNIV OF NEBRASKA
item Van Vleck, Lloyd
item Macneil, Michael

Submitted to: Research Update for Fort Keogh Livestock and Range Research Laboratory
Publication Type: Popular Publication
Publication Acceptance Date: 10/1/2002
Publication Date: 1/15/2003
Citation: SENNEKE, S., VAN VLECK, L.D., MACNEIL, M.D. EFFECTS OF SIRE MISIDENTIFICATION ON ESTIMATES OF GENETIC PARAMETERS FOR BIRTH WEIGHT AND WEANING WEIGHT OF HEREFORD CATTLE. RESEARCH UPDATE FOR FORT KEOGH LIVESTOCK AND RANGE RESEARCH LABORATORY. p. 63-64. 2003.

Interpretive Summary: Misidentification of sires may be a weakness in selection programs in the cattle industry. Studies have shown in dairy cattle that sire misidentification can decrease estimates of heritability and cause an incorrect ranking of sires. Both direct and maternal heritability estimates decrease with increased sire misidentification. In addition, sire misidentification may cause the estimate of a negative direct-maternal genetic correlation to become positive. Effects of misidentification on genetic correlations among traits are unknown.Results indicate that sire misidentification biases estimates of genetic parameters. Estimates of the direct and maternal genetic correlations between birth weight and weaning weight were less biased than estimates of the direct and maternal heritabilities. Ignoring sire by year interaction effects increased estimates of both direct and maternal heritability and decreased estimates of direct-maternal genetic correlation. Sire misidentification will also decrease genetic gain from selection due to bias in prediction of breeding values. Emphasis on correct sire identification will improve reliability of estimates of genetic parameters and will also increase response to selection.

Technical Abstract: Misidentification of sires may be a weakness in selection programs in the cattle industry. Studies have shown in dairy cattle that sire misidentification can decrease estimates of heritability and cause an incorrect ranking of sires. Both direct and maternal heritability estimates decrease with increased sire misidentification. In addition, sire misidentification may cause the estimate of a negative direct-maternal genetic correlation to become positive. Effects of misidentification on genetic correlations among traits are unknown.Results indicate that sire misidentification biases estimates of genetic parameters. Estimates of the direct and maternal genetic correlations between birth weight and weaning weight were less biased than estimates of the direct and maternal heritabilities. Ignoring sire by year interaction effects increased estimates of both direct and maternal heritability and decreased estimates of direct-maternal genetic correlation. Sire misidentification will also decrease genetic gain from selection due to bias in prediction of breeding values. Emphasis on correct sire identification will improve reliability of estimates of genetic parameters and will also increase response to selection.