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A Genetic Analysis of Weaning Weights in a Range Beef Herd Operated under Optimum and Sub-Optimum Nutritional Regimes
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1956
Year
NutritionFertilityFitnessLivestock ProductionAgricultural EconomicsExperimental Range HerdsGenetic AnalysisBreedingLivestock GeneticsBiostatisticsPublic HealthAnimal ProductionSub-optimum Nutritional RegimesAnimal PhysiologyQuantitative GeneticsAnimal NutritionGenetic VariationHerd BAnimal AgricultureAnimal ScienceEvolutionary BiologyMedicineAnimal Breeding
A genetic analysis has been made of weaning weight in two experimental range herds, A and B, of similar breeding that were managed alike except that in Herd A the cows were supplemented during the fall and winter when the range was nutritively deficient, while the cows in Herd B were not supplemented. The data were standardized for differential effects of pasture, year, sex, age of calf at weaning and age of dam. Heritability of weaning weight was estimated to be .30. The experimental evidence indicated that the difference in nutritive level of the two herds did not influence the heritability of weaning weight. Repeatability of weaning weight was estimated to be .51 in Herd A and .34 in Herd B.