Comparison of udder and teat traits in Merino ewes recorded at lambing and weaning

E G Smith; G A Acton; A M Bell; J L Smith

Comparison of udder and teat traits in Merino ewes recorded at lambing and weaning

E G Smith
, G A Acton
, A M Bell
, J L Smith

School of Environmental & Rural Science

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

In Australia, there is currently no standard system for assessing ewe udder traits for genetic improvement. The aim of this study was to provide preliminary genetic parameter estimates of four visually scored udder and teat traits recorded at lambing and weaning, to inform recommendations about how and when to record udder and teat traits. Udder depth, teat size and teat placement were moderately heritable at both lambing and weaning (0.23 ± 0.08 to 0.36 ± 0.09) and the traits recorded at the two stages showed high genetic correlations (udder depth 0.75 ± 0.14; teat size 0.79 ± 0.12; teat placement 0.70 ± 0.16). Udder cleft, showed lower heritability, and lower genetic correlation across the two stages, with increased phenotypic variance from lambing to weaning. These results suggest that either stage is appropriate for recording udder depth, teat size and teat placement for genetic improvement of Australian Merinos.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	51-54
Journal	Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics
Volume	25
Publication status	Published - 26 Jul 2023
Event	AAABG 2023: 25th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics - The University Club of Western Australia, Perth, Australia Duration: 26 Jul 2023 → 28 Jul 2023

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@article{d82e9cfdb70b43d78bb7baea5cfa2663,

title = "Comparison of udder and teat traits in Merino ewes recorded at lambing and weaning",

abstract = "In Australia, there is currently no standard system for assessing ewe udder traits for genetic improvement. The aim of this study was to provide preliminary genetic parameter estimates of four visually scored udder and teat traits recorded at lambing and weaning, to inform recommendations about how and when to record udder and teat traits. Udder depth, teat size and teat placement were moderately heritable at both lambing and weaning (0.23 ± 0.08 to 0.36 ± 0.09) and the traits recorded at the two stages showed high genetic correlations (udder depth 0.75 ± 0.14; teat size 0.79 ± 0.12; teat placement 0.70 ± 0.16). Udder cleft, showed lower heritability, and lower genetic correlation across the two stages, with increased phenotypic variance from lambing to weaning. These results suggest that either stage is appropriate for recording udder depth, teat size and teat placement for genetic improvement of Australian Merinos.",

author = "Smith, \{E G\} and Acton, \{G A\} and Bell, \{A M\} and Smith, \{J L\}",

year = "2023",

month = jul,

day = "26",

language = "English",

volume = "25",

pages = "51--54",

journal = "Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics",

issn = "1328-3227",

publisher = "Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics (AAABG)",

note = "AAABG 2023: 25th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics ; Conference date: 26-07-2023 Through 28-07-2023",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Comparison of udder and teat traits in Merino ewes recorded at lambing and weaning

AU - Smith, E G

AU - Acton, G A

AU - Bell, A M

AU - Smith, J L

PY - 2023/7/26

Y1 - 2023/7/26

N2 - In Australia, there is currently no standard system for assessing ewe udder traits for genetic improvement. The aim of this study was to provide preliminary genetic parameter estimates of four visually scored udder and teat traits recorded at lambing and weaning, to inform recommendations about how and when to record udder and teat traits. Udder depth, teat size and teat placement were moderately heritable at both lambing and weaning (0.23 ± 0.08 to 0.36 ± 0.09) and the traits recorded at the two stages showed high genetic correlations (udder depth 0.75 ± 0.14; teat size 0.79 ± 0.12; teat placement 0.70 ± 0.16). Udder cleft, showed lower heritability, and lower genetic correlation across the two stages, with increased phenotypic variance from lambing to weaning. These results suggest that either stage is appropriate for recording udder depth, teat size and teat placement for genetic improvement of Australian Merinos.

AB - In Australia, there is currently no standard system for assessing ewe udder traits for genetic improvement. The aim of this study was to provide preliminary genetic parameter estimates of four visually scored udder and teat traits recorded at lambing and weaning, to inform recommendations about how and when to record udder and teat traits. Udder depth, teat size and teat placement were moderately heritable at both lambing and weaning (0.23 ± 0.08 to 0.36 ± 0.09) and the traits recorded at the two stages showed high genetic correlations (udder depth 0.75 ± 0.14; teat size 0.79 ± 0.12; teat placement 0.70 ± 0.16). Udder cleft, showed lower heritability, and lower genetic correlation across the two stages, with increased phenotypic variance from lambing to weaning. These results suggest that either stage is appropriate for recording udder depth, teat size and teat placement for genetic improvement of Australian Merinos.

UR - http://www.aaabg.org/aaabghome/proceedings25.php

M3 - Conference article

SN - 1328-3227

VL - 25

SP - 51

EP - 54

JO - Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics

JF - Proceedings of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics

T2 - AAABG 2023: 25th Conference of the Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics

Y2 - 26 July 2023 through 28 July 2023

ER -

Comparison of udder and teat traits in Merino ewes recorded at lambing and weaning

Abstract

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