ZuchtData EDV-Dienstleistungen GmbH, Dresdner Str. 89/19, 1200 Vienna, Austria.
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Department of Sustainable Agricultural Systems, Division of Livestock Sciences, Gregor-Mendel-Str. 33, 1180 Vienna, Austria.
J Dairy Sci. 2018 Jan;101(1):445-455. doi: 10.3168/jds.2017-13281. Epub 2017 Nov 2.
This study is part of a larger project whose overall objective was to evaluate the possibilities for genetic improvement of efficiency in Austrian dairy cattle. In 2014, a 1-yr data collection was carried out. Data from 6,519 cows kept on 161 farms were recorded. In addition to routinely recorded data (e.g., milk yield, fertility, disease data), data of novel traits [e.g., body weight (BW), body condition score (BCS), lameness score, body measurements] and individual feeding information and feed quality were recorded on each test-day. The specific objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for efficiency (related) traits and to investigate their relationships with BCS and lameness in Austrian Fleckvieh, Brown Swiss, and Holstein cows. The following efficiency (related) traits were considered: energy-corrected milk (ECM), BW, dry matter intake (DMI), energy intake (INEL), ratio of milk output to metabolic BW (ECM/BW), ratio of milk output to DMI (ECM/DMI), and ratio of milk energy output to total energy intake (LE/INEL, LE = energy in milk). For Fleckvieh, the heritability estimates of the efficiency (related) traits ranged from 0.11 for LE/INEL to 0.44 for BW. Heritabilities for BCS and lameness were 0.19 and 0.07, respectively. Repeatabilities were high and ranged from 0.30 for LE/INEL to 0.83 for BW. Heritability estimates were generally lower for Brown Swiss and Holstein, but repeatabilities were in the same range as for Fleckvieh. In all 3 breeds, more-efficient cows were found to have a higher milk yield, lower BW, slightly higher DMI, and lower BCS. Higher efficiency was associated with slightly fewer lameness problems, most likely due to the lower BW (especially in Fleckvieh) and higher DMI of the more-efficient cows. Body weight and BCS were positively correlated. Therefore, when selecting for a lower BW, BCS is required as additional information because, otherwise, no distinction between large animals with low BCS and smaller animals with normal BCS would be possible.
本研究是一个更大项目的一部分，该项目的总体目标是评估奥地利奶牛生产效率遗传改良的可能性。2014 年进行了为期 1 年的数据收集。记录了 161 个农场的 6519 头奶牛的数据。除了常规记录的数据（例如产奶量、繁殖力、疾病数据）外，还记录了新性状的数据（例如体重、体况评分、跛行评分、体尺）以及个体饲养信息和饲料质量。本研究的具体目标是估计奥地利弗里斯兰牛、瑞士褐牛和荷斯坦牛的效率（相关）性状的遗传参数，并研究它们与体况评分和跛行的关系。考虑了以下效率（相关）性状：能量校正乳（ECM）、体重、干物质采食量（DMI）、能量摄入（INEL）、产奶量与代谢体重比（ECM/BW）、产奶量与 DMI 比（ECM/DMI）和产奶能量与总能量摄入比（LE/INEL，LE=乳中能量）。对于弗里斯兰牛，效率（相关）性状的遗传力估计值范围从 LE/INEL 的 0.11 到 BW 的 0.44。体况评分和跛行的遗传力分别为 0.19 和 0.07。重复性较高，范围从 LE/INEL 的 0.30 到 BW 的 0.83。瑞士褐牛和荷斯坦牛的遗传力估计值通常较低，但重复性与弗里斯兰牛相同。在所有 3 个品种中，发现效率更高的奶牛产奶量更高，体重更低，DMI 略高，体况评分更低。更高的效率与略少的跛行问题相关，这很可能是由于更高效的奶牛体重较低（尤其是在弗里斯兰牛中）和 DMI 较高。体重和体况评分呈正相关。因此，在选择较低体重时，需要 BCS 作为附加信息，因为否则，无法区分体况评分较低的大型动物和体况评分正常的小型动物。
