Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. E-mail: Rafiee.s@ut.ac.ir
2 ,Corresponding Author, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. E-mail: Sadeghism@ut.ac.ir
3 Corresponding Author, Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. Email: Ashtiani@ut.ac.ir
4 Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. Email: hmehrbani@ut.ac.ir
Abstract
Objective: Linear type traits are recorded for some reasons in dairy cattle. Cows might reach to a high length of productive life and milk yield based on their ideal scores of type traits. In the dairy industry, type traits have indirect economic values due to genetic correlation with production, reproduction, clinical mastitis and length of productive life. The main object of our study was to identify type traits that have high enough genetic correlation with length of productive life, clinical mastitis and somatic cell score. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis as a statistical tool, on studies investigating the correlation between length of productive life, incidence of clinical mastitis, and somatic cell score with type traits in Holstein dairy cows.
Material and methods: A comprehensive search of the literature was conducted using the key words “genetic correlation”, “type traits”, “length of productive life”, “clinical mastitis”, “somatic cell score” , “Holstein cow” in Google Scholar search engine. Out of the 103 potentially relevant papers found, 75 studies were excluded from the analysis, because these studies did not contain appropriate data. Finally, from the search results, we prepared three real data sets in relation to genetic correlation of linear type traits with length of productive life (6 studies), clinical mastitis (8 studies), and somatic cell score (17 studies) in Holstein cows. These studies involved the total of 263065, 4716267 and 922090 animals, corresponded to length of productive life, clinical mastitis and somatic cell score, respectively. Analyses were performed using “metafor” procedure in R software package. Due to the differences in estimation methods and sample sizes in different studies, a random model was used to perform the meta-analysis and to estimate key statistics such as effect size, 95% confidence interval and measure of heterogeneity (.
Results and discussion: The obtained results from meta-analysis showed that the type traits with higher genetic correlations with length of productive life were central ligament 0.19 and udder depth 0.14. Furthermore, somatic cell score was more genetically correlated with body condition score (-0.31) and udder depth (-0.25). The largest genetic correlation of clinical mastitis estimated was with udder depth (-0.28) and teat length (-0.23). Test of heterogeneity (statistics) indicated that there was significant heterogeneity (variance among studies) at the highest level (more than 99%). Results of this study might indirectly be applicable for estimation of type traits’ economic values of Holstein cow’s selection indices.
Conclusion: Meta-analysis of genetic correlation between length of productive life, somatic cell score and clinical mastitis with linear type traits clarified that central ligament, udder depth, body condition score and chest width could be used as indicator traits in Holstein cows breeding programs. Results suggest that central ligament and udder depth as main mammary system traits potentially might be taking into account to constract indices for selection in dairy breeding programs. Cows can produce higher amount of milk and spend higher productive period when they have achieved to ideal scores of type traits.
Keywords
between longevity and linear type traits of Holstein cows. Scienta Agricola, 72, 203-209.