ACROSS-COUNTRY GENETIC PARAMETERS IN BEEF CATTLE FOR INTERBEEF WEANING WEIGHT GENETIC EVALUATION

Abstract Text: As primary ingredients for the Interbeef genetic evaluation, genetic correlations for weaning weight were estimated across eight member countries of Interbeef and for two beef breeds: Charolais and Limousine. A multitrait sire model with maternal and permanent dam environment effects was used in a series of pair-wise analyses. The average genetic correlation was 0.75 between direct effects and 0.65 between maternal effects. This study underlined the importance of the French population for these two beef breeds, and the importance of across-country link sires. Interbeef has been provided with a set of across-country genetic parameters to compute a pilot run of breeding values for weaning weight, which will lead to a broader population for selection for breeders in the participating countries.

Keywords: beef cattle Interbeef genetic parameters across-country