• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.457-463
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• 2014

Ultrasound measurements of backfat thickness (UBF), longissimus muscle area (ULMA) and marbling score (UMS) and carcass measurements of carcass weight (CW), backfat thickness (BF), longissimus muscle area (LMA), and marbling score (MS) on 7,044 Hanwoo steers were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters. Data from Hanwoo steers that were raised, finished in Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon-do (province) and shipped to slaughter houses during the period from October 2010 to April 2013 were evaluated. Ultrasound measurements were taken at approximately three months before slaughter by an experienced operator using a B-mode real-time ultrasound device (HS-2000, FHK Co. Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) with a 3.5 MHz linear probe. Ultrasound scanning was on the left side between 13th rib and the first lumbar vertebrae. All slaughtering processes and carcass evaluations were performed in accordance with the guidelines of beef grading system of Korea. To estimate genetic parameters, multiple trait animal models were applied. Fixed effects included in the models were: the effects of farm, contemporary group effects (year-season at the time of ultrasound scanning in the models for UBF, ULMA, and UMS, and year-season at slaughter in the models for CW, BF, LMA, and MS), the effects of ultrasound technicians as class variables and the effects of the age in days at ultrasound scanning or at slaughtering as linear covariates, respectively for ultrasound and carcass measures. Heritability estimates obtained from our analyses were 0.37 for UBF, 0.13 for ULMA, 0.27 for UMS, 0.44 for CW, 0.33 for BF, 0.36 for LMA and 0.54 MS, respectively. Genetic correlations were strongly positive between corresponding traits of ultrasound and carcass measures. Genetic correlation coefficient between UBF and BF estimate was 0.938, between ULMA and LMA was 0.767 and between UMS and MS was 0.925. These results suggest that ultrasound measurement traits are genetically similar to carcass measurement traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1407-1414
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• 2018

Objective: The aim of this study was to estimate (co) variance components and genetic parameters for categorical carcass traits using Bayesian inference via mixed linear and threshold animal models in Anglonubian goats. Methods: Data were obtained from Anglonubian goats reared in the Brazilian Mid-North region. The traits in study were body condition score, marbling in the rib eye, ribeye area, fat thickness of the sternum, hip height, leg perimeter, and body weight. The numerator relationship matrix contained information from 793 animals. The single- and two-trait analyses were performed to estimate (co) variance components and genetic parameters via linear and threshold animal models. For estimation of genetic parameters, chains with 2 and 4 million cycles were tested. An 1,000,000-cycle initial burn-in was considered with values taken every 250 cycles, in a total of 4,000 samples. Convergence was monitored by Geweke criteria and Monte Carlo error chain. Results: Threshold model best fits categorical data since it is more efficient to detect genetic variability. In two-trait analysis the contribution of the increase in information and the correlations between traits contributed to increase the estimated values for (co) variance components and heritability, in comparison to single-trait analysis. Heritability estimates for the study traits were from low to moderate magnitude. Conclusion: Direct selection of the continuous distribution of traits such as thickness sternal fat and hip height allows obtaining the indirect selection for marbling of ribeye.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.285-289
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• 2015

Body and carcass weights are always being main focus in poultry industry. The aim of current study was to estimate the heritability, genetic and phenotypic correlations of growth-related traits in Korean native chicken. A total of 596 chickens representing five lines of Korean native chicken (Black, Gray-Brown, Red-Brown, White, and Yellow-Brown) were reared under the standard breeding procedures in the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Korea. Their body weights were observed every two weeks from hatched to 20 weeks of age. In addition, shank length and carcass weight were also measured before and after slaughter, respectively. The ASReml-R program was used to compute genetic parameters. The body weight traits were moderate to high heritability values (ranged 0.29~0.63). The heritablilites of carcass weight ($h^2=0.20$) and shank length ($h^2=0.20$) were categorized as moderate. Moreover, both genetic and phenotypic correlations were ranged form 0.62 to 0.99 and ranged from 0.42 to 0.98, respectively. These findings can be useful information for quantitative genetic studies and breeding plan of Korean native chicken.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.843-845
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• 1999

To evaluate direct and maternal effects on calf market weight (CMW) and carcass weight (CW) in Japanese Black cattle under an animal model, genetic parameters were estimated using 51,320 records of CMW and 11,944 records of CW, respectively. Direct and maternal heritabilities, and direct-maternal genetic correlation were estimated to be 0.22, 0.06 and 0.27 for CMW, and 0.23, 0.12 and -0.40 for CW, respectively. Correlation coefficient between maternal breeding values for CMW and CW was 0.521 for 157 sires appeared in both CMW and CW data sets. These results suggest that the maternal genetic effect on pre-weaning growth carries over to carcass weight. Maternal breeding values for both calf market weight and carcass weight could be used as the indicator traits of maternal ability in Japanese Black cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.33 no.8
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• pp.1224-1232
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• 2020

Objective: The QingYu pig is well known for its excellent meat quality attributes in Sichuan province, China. In order to improve its production efficiency, the determination of genetic factors contributing to quantifiable economic traits of livestock is important. Moreover, the cross-breeding of QingYu pigs with western breeds possessing strong growth attributes is an efficient way to improve the performance of this breed. Methods: Here, the genetic parameters of several important reproductive traits of QingYu pigs were estimated, include total number born (TNB), number born alive, litter birth weight, individual birth weight, number of piglets weaned, litter weaning weight, and individual weaning weight. The data was analyzed using the ASReml 3.0 software (NSW Inc., Sydney, Australia). Furthermore, the effects of crossing Berkshire with QingYu (BQ) pigs on carcass and meat quality traits, as well as the effects of slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality of BQ were characterized. Results: QingYu pigs exhibited superior reproductive traits. The TNB available to QingYu pigs was more than 8 per parity. The observed repeatability of the reproductive traits of the QingYu pigs was between 0.10 and 0.23. The significantly correlated genetic and phenotypic of reproduction traits were consistent. Interestingly, the BQ pigs exhibited improved carcass quality, with a significant increase in loin muscle area, lean percentage and reduction in sebum percentage. As a result, BQ had higher L_45min, lower cooking scores, and lower drip loss. In addition, the loin muscle area, body length, and sebum percentage were significantly higher in 90 and 100 kg animals. Cooking loss showed a significant increase at 80 kg, and marbling increased significantly from 90 kg. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that QingYu pigs exhibit excellent reproductive properties and heritability of these traits. Crossing with Berkshire is an efficient strategy to improve the carcass and meat quality of QingYu pigs for commercial operations. Furthermore, it appears as though the optimal slaughter weight of BQ pigs is at approximately 90 kg.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.1-5
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• 2000

Studies on the genetic and environmental effects on M.longissimus thoracis area (MLTA), fat thickness (SFT), rib thickness (RT) and marbling score (MS) were conducted on 21,086 steers and 7,151 heifers of Japanese Brown breed. All carcass traits were affected significantly (p<0.01) by sire, sex and initial year effects. Both of the MLTA and MS of steers were greater than heifers. Their differences were $1.4cm^2$ for MLTA and 0.05 for MS, respectively. Cattle started for fattening in winter tend to have higher of MLTA and MS and thicker of SFT and RT than those in other seasons. MLTA increase from 1987 to 1989 (about $1.9cm^2$) and decrease until 1994 (about $2.4cm^2$) and then increase again up to 1995 (about $1.5cm^2$). MS were nearly equal from 1987 to 1991 (about "1") and then decrease up to 1995 (about "1"). Heritability estimates of MLTA, RT, SFT and MS were ranged from 0.22 to 0.36. Genetic and phenotypic correlations of MLTA, RT, SFT and MS were positive and ranged from 0.05 to 0.62 and from 0.03 to 0.32 except SFT with MLTA was negative (-0.14 and -0.03).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.1080-1084
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• 2002

Carcass characteristics of 241 crossbred pigs (Korean wild boars ${\times}$ Landrace sows) were analyzed to examine variations in fasted body weight (FASTWT), carcass weight (CARCWT), dressing percentage (DP), back fat thickness (BFT) and longissimus muscle weight (LMW), and to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters using three different slaughter-end points. Covariates in the least squares full sib model were slaughter age, fasted body weight and back fat thickness of the carcass. Coefficient of variation was highest for BFT followed by LMW, CARCWT, FASTWT and DP in magnitude. Regressions of three covariates on traits were all linear. However, slaughter age was not significant as a linear covariate for five traits while FASTWT was significant for CARCWT and LMW and BFT was significant for all remaining traits. Genetic and phenotypic variation was considerably reduced by regressing FASTWT or BFT in the model. Heritability estimates of FASTWT, CARCWT, DP and BFT were 0.68, 0.61, 0.11 and 0.49, respectively, using slaughter age as covariate (model 1). Those of CARCWT, DP, BFT and LMW were 0.15, 0.15, 0.30 and 0.11, respectively, using FASTWT as covariate (model 2). Heritability estimates of the traits using LMW as covariate (model 3) were similar to the estimates from Model 1 except that the estimate of CARCWT was reduced to 0.39. Genetic or phenotypic correlations among FASTWT, CARCWT and BFT were all positive and moderate to high. Those between BFT and LMW were also positive and low to moderate. However, genetic and phenotypic correlations between DP and CARCWT were positive while those between DP and FASTWT were negative. It was suggested from this study that differences in carcass yield traits be determined using slaughter age or back fat thickness as slaughter-end point and carcass quality traits using fasted body weight as slaughter-end point.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.763-770
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• 2015

Improved meat quality and greater muscle yield are highly sought after in high-quality chicken breeding programs. Past studies indicated that polymorphisms of the Perilipin gene (PLIN1) are highly associated with adiposity in mammals and are potential molecular markers for improving meat quality and carcass traits in chickens. In the present study, we screened single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in all exons of the PLIN1 gene with a direct sequencing method in six populations with different genetic backgrounds (total 240 individuals). We evaluated the association between the polymorphisms and carcass and meat quality traits. We identified three SNPs, located on the 5' flanking region and exon 1 of PLIN1 on chromosome 10 (rs315831750, rs313726543, and rs80724063, respectively). Eight main haplotypes were constructed based on these SNPs. We calculated the allelic and genotypic frequencies, and genetic diversity parameters of the three SNPs. The polymorphism information content (PIC) ranged from 0.2768 to 0.3750, which reflected an intermediate genetic diversity for all chickens. The CC, CT, and TT genotypes influenced the percentage of breast muscle (PBM), percentage of leg muscle (PLM) and percentage of abdominal fat at rs315831750 (p<0.05). Diplotypes (haplotype pairs) affected the percentage of eviscerated weight (PEW) and PBM (p<0.05). Compared with chickens carrying other diplotypes, H3H7 had the greatest PEW and H2H2 had the greatest PBM, and those with diplotype H7H7 had the smallest PEW and PBM. We conclude that PLIN1 gene polymorphisms may affect broiler carcass and breast muscle yields, and diplotypes H3H7 and H2H2 could be positive molecular markers to enhance PEW and PBM in chickens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.447-454
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• 2001

For determining the relative genetic effects of Duroc (D) and Taoyuan (T) breeds on the economic traits of their hybrids, 72 litters of pigs, from four mating types, namely TT (T♂$\times$T♀), DD (D♂$\times$D♀) and D-T hybrids (TD, T♂$\times$D♀ and DT, D♂$\times$T♀) were used in this study. The various crossbreeding parameters were estimated by comparisons among mating types using linear contrasts of least-square analysis. The results of reproductive traits analysis showed that T breed had contributed superior genetic effects on the total number of piglets at birth (TBN) (p<0.10) and number of live piglets at 21 days (LP21) (p<0.05) to the D-T hybrids. Estimates of maternal genetic effects showed that the T females were superior in TBN (p<0.05), but inferior in average birth weight (ABW) and average litter birth weight (LBW) (p<0.01) to the D females. Direct heterosis effects were significant for LBW, LP21 and LWT21 (p<0.01). Least-squares analysis of other economic traits showed that T breed had relative negative effects on all growth traits, withers height (WH), body type index (BTI), average backfat thickness (ABF), carcass length (LENG), loin eye area (longissimus) (LEARA), and lean percentage (LEAN) of D-T hybrids (p<0.05). Estimates of direct genetic effects showed that the D breed was superior to the T breed in all growth and carcass traits except the average backfat (BF). Estimates of maternal genetic effects showed that average body weight at 180 days (WT180) of progenies from T sows were lighter than from D sows. Progenies from D females had larger and leaner carcass than those from T females. Direct heterosis effects were significant for average daily weight gains from 150 to 180 days ($ADG_{150-180}$) (p<0.05) and for average body weights at 150 (WT150), and 180 days (WT180), average daily weight gains from birth to 150 and 180 days ($ADG_{150}$ and $ADG_{180}$, respectively), WH, body length (BL), ABF, BTI, and LENG (p<0.01). The results showed that D-T hybrids tended to have superior TBN and LP21 than D breed, and to be superior in all growth and most conformation and carcass traits to the T breed.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.7-12
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• 2004

Real time ultrasonic measurements for 13th rib fat thickness (LBF), longissimus muscle area (LEMA) and marbling score (LMS) of live animal at pre-harvest and subsequent carcass measurements for fat thickness (BF), longissimus muscle area (EMA), marbling score (MS) as well as body weight of live animal, carcass weight (CW), dressing percentage (DP), and total merit index (TMI) on 755 Korean beef steers were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters. Data were analyzed using multivariate animal models with an EM-REML algorithm. Models included fixed effects for year-season of birth, location of birth, test station, age of dam, linear and quadratic covariates for age or body weight at slaughter and random animal and residual effects. The heritability estimates for LEMA, LBF and LMS on RTU scans were 0.17, 0.41 and 0.55 in the age-adjusted model (Model 1) and 0.20, 0.52 and 0.55 in the weight-adjusted model (Model 2), respectively. The Heritability estimates for subsequent traits on carcass measures were 0.20, 0.38 and 0.54 in Model 1 and 0.23, 0.46 and 0.55 in Model 2, respectively. Genetic correlation estimate between LEMA and EMA was 0.81 and 0.79 in Model 1 and Model 2, respectively. Genetic correlation estimate between LBF and BF were high as 0.97 in Model 1 and 0.98 in Model 2. Real time ultrasonic marbling score were highly genetically correlated to carcass MS of 0.89 in Model 1 and 0.92 in Model 2. These results indicate that RTU scans would be alterative to carcass measurement for genetic evaluation of meat quality in a designed progeny-testing program in Korean beef cattle.