Genetic parameters for growth traits in the Slovenian beef cattle population

Luštrek, Barbara (author), Kovač, Milena (author), Potočnik, Klemen (author)

This study compared genetic parameter es-timates and correlations between estimated breeding values (EBVs) obtained using four single-trait animal models differ-ing in the definition of the common herd-time environmental effect. Analyses were based on field performance records for birth weight (BW), weight at 90 days (W90), and weight at 210 days (W210) in Charolais and Limousin calves born in Slo-venian suckler herds between 1990 and 2017. Model variants defined contemporary groups by herd only (H), or by herd combined with one-year (HY), two-year (HY2), or five-year (HY5) time periods. Heritability estimates varied across mod-els: for BW, direct h² ranged from 0.25 to 0.39, for W90 from 0.11 to 0.37, and for W210 from 0.34 to 0.57. Correspond-ing maternal h² ranged from 0.10 to 0.13 (BW), 0.12 to 0.18 (W90), and 0.20 to 0.29 (W210). The proportion of variance due to common herd-time effects ranged from 0.25 to 0.44, and EBV correlations between models ranged from 0.61 to 0.95. The HY2 model provided the most balanced partition-ing of phenotypic variance across traits and herds, providing the most practical solution for national genetic evaluations under the current data structure.

• Language: English
• Keywords: beef cattle, Charolais, Limousin, suckler cows, growth traits, genetic evaluation, heritability, models, model comparison, Slovenia
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 12.12.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 121, no. 4
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-176916
• UDC: 636.2
• ISSN on article: 1854-1941
• DOI: 10.14720/aas.2025.121.4.13600
• COBISS.SI-ID: 261321219
• Publication date in RUL: 15.12.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta agriculturae Slovenica
• Publisher: Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Univerza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1854-1941
• COBISS.SI-ID: 219581184

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Ocena genetskih parametrov za lastnosti rasti v populaciji slovenskega mesnega goveda

Abstract

V raziskavi smo primerjali ocene genetskih parametrov in korelacije med plemenskimi vrednostmi (PV), ocenjenimi s štirimi različnimi eno-lastnostnimi modeli živa-li, ki so se razlikovali v definiciji skupnega okoljskega vpliva črede skozi čas. Analize so temeljile na podatkih terenskih meritev za telesno maso ob rojstvu (BW), pri 90 dneh (W90) in pri 210 dneh starosti (W210) telet pasem šarole in limuzin, rojenih v slovenskih čredah krav dojilj med letoma 1990 in 2017. Primerjalne skupine so bile definirane kot: samo čre-da (H), ali čreda v kombinaciji z enoletnim (HY), dvoletnim (HY2) oziroma petletnim (HY5) časovnim obdobjem. Ocen-jeni dednostni deleži so bili: za BW 0,25–0,39 (direktni) in 0,10–0,13 (maternalni); za W90 0,11–0,37 in 0,12–0,18; za W210 0,34–0,57 in 0,20–0,29. Delež variance zaradi skupne-ga okoljskega vpliva črede je znašal 0,25–0,44, korelacije med PV različnih modelov pa 0,61–0,95. Model HY2 je zagoto-vil najbolj uravnoteženo razdelitev fenotipske variance med vplive in se je izkazal kot najustreznejša izbira za uporabo v nacionalnem genetskem vrednotenju pri obstoječi strukturi podatkov.

• Keywords: mesno govedo, pasme, šarole, limuzin, dojilje, lastnosti rasti, genetika, genetski parametri, heritabiliteta, modeli, primerjava modelov, Slovenija