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Genetic parameters for calving, weight, and carcass performance of an unselected endangered cattle breed: The Austrian Murbodner
22,496 performance records for calving ease, birth weight, weaning weight and carcass traits were used to estimate genetic parameters for the unselected and endangered Austrian Murbodner Breed. Estimated heritabilities for all traits are low to moderate and consistent with literature, demonstrating good quality of data. Estimated genetic correlations imply a strong genetic relationship between a difficult birth and weight at weaning and a genetic tendency for difficult born individuals to wean relatively lighter offspring. 200-day weight shows strong genetic correlation to carcass weight, daily gain and EUROP score whereas only maternal birth weight was detected as significant related to carcass weight and daily gain. A moderate positive genetic correlation was estimated between maternal 200-day weight and carcass fat score. Significant inbreeding depression was detected in calving ease, birth weight and 200-day weight.
Keywords:
Endangered breed
Calving Ease
Carcass traits
Inbreeding
