Genetic Relations between Body Measurements at Three Ages in Holsteins

Abstract

Body measurements at 6 mo., 1 yr., and 2 yr. of age were used to study patterns of growth relationships. Phenotypic correlations between measurements on the same animal, phenotypie correlations between one measurement on the dam and another on the daughter, genetic correlations, and heritabilities were calculated and considered. The influence of genetic factors relative to that of environmental factors increased with age. The effect of general factors was most evident at 6 mo., whereas the effect of group and specific factors became more evident as age increased.