Genetic and environmental factors affecting serum macrominerals and weights in an Angus-Brahman multibreed herd: I. Additive and nonadditive group genetic effects of serum calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium and weight at weaning.

Amounts of serum calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium at weaning (WCa, WP, and WMg, respectively) and weaning weights (WW) were obtained from 380 Angus (A), Brahman (B), and A x B calves of various expected A and B fractions reared at the Pine Acres Research Station of the University of Florida, Citra from 1989 to 1990. Calves were produced by mating A, .75A, .25B, .5A .5B, .25A .75B, B, and Brangus (.625A .375B) sires to dams of the same expected breed fractions, except for .25A .75B dams. Best linear unbiased estimates (BLUE) of genetic effects, expressed as regression coefficients, were 1) -15.07 +/- 13.65 mg of WCa, -11.21 +/- 12.07 mg of WP, -1.23 +/- 2.99 mg of WMg, and .66 +/- 1.18 kg of WW for the difference between A and B additive direct; 2) 9.79 +/- 6.94 mg of WCa, -5.72 +/- 6.14 mg of WP, 1.64 +/- 1.52 mg of WMg, and .52 +/- .60 kg of WW for the difference between A and B additive maternal; 3) 242.21 +/- 51.56 mg of WCa, 66.67 +/- 45.62 mg of WP, 52.16 +/- 11.27 mg of WMg, and 22.61 +/- 4.44 kg of WW for A x B nonadditive direct; and 4) 373.63 +/- 38.44 mg of WCa, 93.96 +/- 34.02 mg of WP, 69.90 +/- 8.41 mg of WMg, and 36.83 +/- 3.31 kg of WW for A x B nonadditive maternal. Nonadditive (A x B) effects were the main factors affecting total (sum of additive plus nonadditive) genetic effects in this multibreed population. Total genetic effects were used to rank breed group of sire x breed group of dam combinations.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)