Heritability and genetic correlation of production and reproduction traits of Simmental cows

Improvement of production capacity of cattle in terms of increasing the production of milk, milk fat and number of calves, greatly depends on phenotype and genotype variability, heritability and correlation between desirable traits, as well as on the production level of the cattle population. Heritability, as a value expressing and measuring average additive gene effect, is one of the major characteristic of quantitative traits from the point of view of creating genetically high-value cattle populations. Knowledge of the heritability is necessary in the estimation of the beeeding value of cattle and has significant impact on the selection of breeding method. Genetic correlations are very important in indirect selection where changes in one trait are induced through selection of other traits between which a genetic correlation exists. Genetic correlations can be determined in all cases where heritability coefficient can be calculated. This research included 3.461 first calving Simmental cows under control, with lactation concluded within one year. All first-calvers were reared on individual farms in the territory of Republic of Serbia. In this study, heritability and genetic correlations between the the following milk and fertility traits were investigated: duration of lactation (days)- DL, milk yield in standard lactation (kg)- MY, milk fat content in standard lactation (%)- MFC, milk fat yield in standard lactation (kg)- MFY, yield of 4% FCM in standard lactation (kg)- 4%FCM, age at first calving (days)- AC and duration of service period (days)- DSP.Key words: Heritability, genetic correlations, milk yield, fertility, Simmental breed

Features of the new breed of sheep in serbia called mis sheep 1. reproductive characteristics and body development

This paper presents the results of reproductive characteristics and body development of the new breed of sheep in Serbia, called Mis sheep. Mis sheep as a type of sheep for meat, had been developed for the past 20 years at the Institute of Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun. Main method of development is complex combinatory three-breed crossing. As material, three breeds of sheep have been used in this project, namely: Pirot Pramenka, Merinolandschaf and Ile de France. Mis sheep is characterized by a strong constitution with emphasized carcass conformation and excellent meat traits. These are very persistent long-lived animals, well adjusted to conditions of the environment. Mis sheep are white without any spots. Sexual maturity is acquired at the age of 6-8 months, what includes them into the population of early maturing sheep. However, as well as in the case with other noble breeds their first fertilization should be at the age of 10 to 12 months. Mis sheep could be considered as sheep of higher fertility because from 100 sheep giving birth approximately 150 lambs are obtained. At the age of 90 days, the body weight of lambs is approximately 34.26 kg. At the age of 18 months, when sheep are already mature but not completely developed, the body weight is 71.63 kg. Finally, at the age over of 3 years, when they are completely developed, the average weight is 78.89 kg. The body weight of rams varies from 120-140 kg, although even in this case it depends on the production phase and use of male heads in breeding

The importance of buffalo in milk production and buffalo population in Serbia

This research paper gives an analysis on the size of world's domestic buffalo populations, their milk production and the size of buffalo population in Serbia. Population of domestic buffalo in the world is constantly increasing so that in 2013 there were 199 783 549 individuals, out of which in India in the same year they raised 57.77% of buffalo world population, in Pakistan 18.87%, and in China 11.64%. The share of total world production of buffalo milk in total world milk production in 2012 was 12.92 % or 97 417 135 t out of which 67.76% was produced in India. In Serbia buffalo is raised in the regions of Raška (about 1000 individuals) and Kosovo. Populations of buffalo in central Serbia show a tendency of decreasing in size what was the reason to start a programme of in situ conservation 10 years ago. On the sample of buffalo population encompassed by the programme of conservation the body measures were analysed indicating that the population of buffalo is quite unequalised and that average values obtained for exterior measures are similar to the results obtained by the authors of earlier period for the population of buffalo in the area of former Yugoslavia

The effect of genetic and non-genetic factors on production traits of Simmental cows

This study covered 737 controlled first calving Simmental cows with, lactations concluded within one year. All first calving animals were on the farms of individual farmers in the municipalities of Kragujevac and Mladenovac. The research included the influence of bull sires, year and season of calving on milk yield and fertility. Least squares method was used to determine the average duration of lactation of 323.74 days. For a period of 305 days, heifers produced 3701.67 kg of milk, or 3644.58 kg of 4% FCM. The average production of milk fat was 144.26 kg and milk fat content was 3.88%. The interval from calving to first insemination lasted in average 124.19 days, and the animals were first calved at the age of 789.95 days. The bull sires had a highly significant effect (P0.05) of bull sires. Year of calving had a significant effect (P0.05). Season of calving of cows demonstrated highly significant effect (P0.05) on the production of milk fat, however it had no effect (P>0.05) on the milk fat content, duration of lactation and service period and age at calving

Genetic variability of red clover seedlings in relation to salt stress

Red clover is highly salt-sensitive plant, especially during germination and early seedling growth stages. The aim of this investigation was to estimate the effects of different saline conditions (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200mM NaCl) on germination and early seedling growth in four red clover varieties (Kolubara, K-32, K-17 and K-39). Germination test was conducted in the laboratory conditions using sterile plastic vessels on filter paper moistened with 10ml of the appropriate salt test solutions. It was observed that the germination energy (GE), germination (G), percentage of dead or infected seeds (DIS), normal seedlings (NS), root length (RL), shoot length (ShL), fresh weight (FW) and dry weight of seedling (DW) and seedling vigor index (SVI) were significantly decreased with increasing concentrations of NaCl in the growing medium. The tested varieties of red clover showed different NaCl tolerance at the seedling stage. Generally, studied red clover varieties are very sensitive to salt, especially K-32 which has the lowest values for GE, G, NS and SVI and highest for DIS. Variety K-17 proved to be a variety that the best tolerates conditions of salt stress because the values for GE, G, NS, RL and SVI were highest. Testing of varieties of red clover in the early seedling growth at different concentrations of NaCl in the growing medium could be helpful in the identification and selection of varieties for cultivation on saline soils

Silage fermentation characteristics of grass-legume mixtures harvested at two different maturity stages

The objective of our study was to investigate the diversity of individual parameters of quality of grass-legume mixture silages harvested in two stages of crop utilization and the impact of the interaction of studied factors on the quality. Legumes as an important source of protein are very difficult to ensilage. However, in mixture with grasses their fermentable characteristics are improved. During the growth and development of plants, their chemical composition changes, hence their ability and suitability for ensiling also changes. In regard to the studied factors, the phase of exploitation had a highly significant impact on almost all quality parameters in both years. By delaying the harvest period, dry matter content in silage has significantly increased and the level of crude protein and NH3-N decreased. In regard to the content of lactic acid, the studied silages fall into category of good quality silages. Its content in the first year ranged from 24.3-31.5 in the early harvest stage and from 27.9-36.2 g kg-1 DM at the late harvest stage, and in the second year from 27.4 to 31.4 in the early harvest stage and from 28.2- 31.9 g kg-1 DM at the stage of late harvest. According to the content of acetic and butyric acids, studied silages can also be considered as silages of good quality

Relationship between birth weight and body growth characteristics of lambs

Research was carried out in population of R2 generation Pirot pramenka x Pirot improved sheep during period of three years. Lambs were divided into three groups: I from 2.5 kg to 3.5 kg; II from 3.6 kg to 4.5 kg; III from 4.6 kg to 5.5 kg. Weight of lambs was controlled at birth, with 30, 60 and 90 days of age. Average body weight at birth of the tested lambs was 3.35 kg in the first group, 4.30 kg in the second group and 5.06 kg in the third group. At 30 days of age, the body weight of the lambs was 10.19 kg in the first group, 11.39 kg in the second and 12.49 kg in the third group. All these differences in body weight of lambs at birth were statistically highly significant (P¬ 0.01). With 60 days of age, average body weight was 16.48 kg in the first group, 19.01 kg in the second and 20.49 kg in the third group. Differences between groups of lambs at this age were statistically very significant (P¬0.01).On the end of experiment at 90 days of lambs age, we have found the following values of the body weight of lambs: 26.35 kg in the first group, when the second 30.49 kg and 28.93 kg in the third group. Differences between groups of lambs at this age were statistically very significant (P¬0.01). At the age of 90 days maximum weight of the body was in the second group of lambs, or a group which body weight at birth occupied the mean of the population. Correlations between body weights of lambs vary from weak to midsized values. The highest values of correlation coefficients were found between body weight at birth and weight of lambs at 30 days of age

STUDY OF THE VARIABILITY OF MILK TRAITS IN THE POPULATION OF HOLSTEIN FRIESIAN CATTLE IN CENTRAL SERBIA

The work includes the review of production results, i.e. milk performance phenotypes of Black and White Holstein cows in Central Serbia. The analysis of quantitative phenotypic parameters was carried out in five regions (breeding regions) on several large and small farms which housed 1090 cows - first calving heifers. Using the method of Least Squares - the fixed model, highly significant deviation of milk yield, milk fat from the average (P 0.05) were determined. Season in which the cows had calved caused a highly significant deviation of milk yield (P < 0.01) and significant deviations of yields of milk fat and protein (P < 0,05)

The influence of the factor 'Genetic value of the father' on the productive qualities of the Romanov breed sheep

Sheep farming plays an important role in the production of meat. Romanov breed is known for its high fertility and therefore is used all over the world due to increased production of lambs and lamb meat. Meat products are the main food elements of the man. Most of the inhabitants of industrialized countries cannot imagine their menu without meat. Value of meat for human health is known, it supplies protein to the body. The Yaroslavl Region is a leading region of the Romanov sheep breed. Therefore, the aim of our research was to determine the strength and reliability of the influence of the factor 'genetic value of the father' on productive characteristics of animals as a factor that helps to increase the productivity of animals. Upon determining the strength of the influence of factors for statistical data have used the procedure of generalized linear models (General Linear Models - GLM), and evaluation components of phenotypic variation attributes were analyzed by multivariate dispersive analysis. Our research has allowed allocating rams with genetic value that has the improving effect. Using the recommended lines the farmers of the Yaroslavl region may increase productive characteristics of animals and the profit of the farms and improve the efficiency of breeding