Type Appraisal: III. Relationships of First Lactation Production and Type Traits with Lifetime Performance

Abstract

Phenotypic and genetic correlations were estimated between 48 type appraisal traits and first lactation milk production to determine the importance of appraisal traits in a breeding program from 5,024 records from the New York type appraisal program. Most phenotypic correlations amgng the type traits were near zero. Depth of udder was the appraisal trait having the highest correlation with first lactation milk (.27) and fat (.23). Multiple correlations of all appraisal traits with first lactation milk and fat were .44 and .40.