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The relationship between fertility, rump and other type traits in Holstein Friesian cows

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  23 November 2017

E. Wall ,
I. M. S. White ,
M. P. Coffey  and
S. Brotherstone
E. Wall*
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems, SAC, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PH, UK
I. M. S. White
Affiliation:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Labs, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK
M. P. Coffey
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems, SAC, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PH, UK
S. Brotherstone
Affiliation:
Sustainable Livestock Systems, SAC, Bush Estate, Penicuik, Midlothian, EH26 0PH, UK School of Biological Sciences, University of Edinburgh, Ashworth Labs, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JT, UK
*
Email: eileen.wall@sac.ac.uk
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Extract

Cattle breeders, farmers and vets believe that the decline in fertility seen in recent years can be partially attributed to changes in rump angle with selection being for more angular cows. This suggests that animals with pin bones that sit above the hip bones (high rump angle) will have poorer fertility. Few studies have shown a significant relationship between fertility and rump traits. This study investigates the popular belief that high rump angle equates to poor fertility by examining the genetic and phenotypic correlation between rump angle and fertility traits. The relationship between rump angle and fertility was also examined to see if there was an intermediate optimum or threshold of rump angle for good/bad fertility. The correlation of other type traits (udder and composite traits) with fertility was also examined to see if they had potential to add information to the estimation of fertility breeding values.

Type
Theatre Presentations
Information
Proceedings of the British Society of Animal Science , Volume 2005 , 2005 , pp. 53
Copyright
Copyright © The British Society of Animal Science 2005

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References

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