Abstract

RESTREPO, Giovanni  and  PIZARRO, Edison J. Selection indexes and independent culling levels for two productive and reproductive traits in a holstein (Bos taurus) dairy herd. Rev Colom Cienc Pecua [online]. 2008, vol.21, n.2, pp.239-250. ISSN 0120-0690.

With the purpose to evaluate genetic selection by using indexes and independent culling levels (ICL) for productive and reproductive traits, 305-d milk yield (MY) and days open (DO), 1707 and 1206 records for MY and DO, respectively, were analyzed. By means of the MTDFREML program genetic parameters for heritability of 0.23 ± 0.065 and 0.09 ± 0.074 for MY and DO, respectively, and for repeatability of 0.34 ± 0.061 and 0.18 ± 0.054 for MY and DO, respectively, were estimated. Also the genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations between MY and DO were estimated, resulting in values of 0.15 ± 0.32, 0.42 and 0.34, respectively. For the indexes and ICL elaboration, and the estimation of genetic progress, different relations between relative economic values were analyzed. The highest progress was found for DO:MY economic values at 1:3 ratio. In the same way, evaluations for different selection intensities were done, where the highest genetic progress was obtained by the used of the maximum selection intensity (selected fraction of 10%) for both cases. Although with both selection methods the achievement of simultaneous genetic progress for each trait was demonstrated, by estimating a comparative relationship between both genetic progresses, a 12.6% more genetic progress by each generation was found for Index than for ICL methods. Nevertheless, despite being the Index a better method for selection of the best animals it requires a more precise estimation of correlations between traits, a process that was not feasible performed in the present study. Thereafter, ICL is proposed as the more convenient for that type of selection program.

Keywords : open days; genetic parameters; genetic progress; milk production.

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