Genetics of Reproduction in Primiparous Holsteins

Abstract

Effects of genetics and relationships between yield and days from parturition to first service, first service conception rate, number of services, and a reproductive performance code based on several reproductive components were investigated in primiparous Holsteins. Recorded breedings and DHI production records were from 3393 daughters of 174 bulls in six experimental herds. Subsets included progeny of 78 sires, with greater than or equal to 5 daughters calving in April through July (n = 817) and August through March (n = 1162). Daughter-dam regressions (n = 2593 pairs) and paternal half-sibs were used to estimate heritabilities of fertility traits and associations between yield and reproduction. Results showed increased FCM was associated with lowered fertility. For paternal half-sibs, the greatest antagonism was between conception rates and FCM (rG = -.65 +/- .10). Daughter-dam regressions estimated a favorable genetic correlation of .43 +/- .32 between conception rates and yield. Heritabilities were highest for April through July calvings and ranged from .08 +/- .10 for first service conception to .24 +/- .12 for reproductive code. Correlations between sire least squares constants from warmer and cooler calving seasons were lower than heritabilities of traits would suggest.