Comparison of Genetic Parameters Estimation of Fatty Acids from Gas Chromatography and FT-IR in Holsteins

Abstract Text: Fourier transfrom infrared (FT-IR) is routinely used in the milk recording system and IR-based solutions are therefore attractive to ensure the full potential of genomic selection data in future breeding programs. Today, IR-based models can be used to predict a wide range of milk traits, and their genetic parameters. However, IR-predicted phenotypes for detailed milk composition are often based on their correlation to other traits in a given data set rather than on direct predictions. Here, genetic parameters for individual milk fatty acids were estimated based on either IR-predicted phenotypes or on fatty acids data measured from gas chromatography in 371 Danish Holstein cows. Results showed similar heritability estimates and strong genomic correlations for most of the fatty acids. However, for some fatty acids, the choice of data affected the genetic parameter estimation, which may be due to indirect calibration models.

Keywords:

dairy cattle

Milk fatty acids

genetics