Genetic parameter estimates for carcass and yearling ultrasound measurement in Brangus cattle

Carcass measurements of 12th-rib fat thickness (CARCFAT), longissimus muscle area (CARCLMA), and weight (CARCWT) on 2,028 Brangus and Brangus-sired fed steers and heifers, as well as yearling weights (YWT) and ultrasound measures of 12th-rib fat thickness (USFAT) and longissimus muscle area (USLMA)...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inJournal of animal science Vol. 76; no. 10; pp. 2542 - 2548
Main Authors Moser, D.W, Bertrand, J.K, Misztal, I, Kriese, L.A, Benyshek, L.L
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published 1998
Subjects
area
beef cattle
body weight
bulls
carcass composition
carcass weight
evaluation
fat thickness
heifers
heritability
methodology
muscles
steers
ultrasonics
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Summary:Carcass measurements of 12th-rib fat thickness (CARCFAT), longissimus muscle area (CARCLMA), and weight (CARCWT) on 2,028 Brangus and Brangus-sired fed steers and heifers, as well as yearling weights (YWT) and ultrasound measures of 12th-rib fat thickness (USFAT) and longissimus muscle area (USLMA) on 3,583 Brangus bulls and heifers were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters. Data were analyzed using a six-trait animal model and an average information REML algorithm. The model included fixed effects for contemporary group and breed of dam, covariates for age at slaughter or measurement, and random animal and residual effects. Heritabilities for CARCFAT, CARCLMA, CARCWT, USFAT, USLMA, and YWT were .27 +/- .05, .39 +/- .05 59 +/- 06, .11 +/- .03 .29 +/- 04, and .40 +/- 04 respectively. Genetic correlations between CARCFAT and USFAT, CARCLMA and USLMA, and CARCWT and YWT were .69 +/- .18, 66 +/- 14 and .61 +/- .11, respectively. The favorable and moderately strong genetic correlations between carcass measurements and similar yearling breeding-animal ultrasound measurements indicate that such measurements of 12th-rib fat and longissimus muscle area are useful in predicting genetic values for carcass leanness and longissimus muscle area. Selection using yearling ultrasound measurements of breeding cattle should result in predictable genetic improvement for carcass characteristics. Inclusion of yearling ultrasound measurements for fat thickness and longissimus muscle area should enhance national cattle evaluation programs.
ISSN:0021-8812
1525-3163