• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.476-484
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• 2015

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic and phenotypic parameters for linear type traits, as well as milk yield (MY), fat yield (FY) and protein yield (PY) in 18,831 Holstein cows reared in 495 herds in Brazil. Restricted maximum likelihood with a bivariate model was used for estimation genetic parameters, including fixed effects of herd-year of classification, period of classification, classifier and stage of lactation for linear type traits and herd-year of calving, season of calving and lactation order effects for production traits. The age of cow at calving was fitted as a covariate (with linear and quadratic terms), common to both models. Heritability estimates varied from 0.09 to 0.38 for linear type traits and from 0.17 to 0.24 for production traits, indicating sufficient genetic variability to achieve genetic gain through selection. In general, estimates of genetic correlations between type and production traits were low, except for udder texture and angularity that showed positive genetic correlations (>0.29) with MY, FY, and PY. Udder depth had the highest negative genetic correlation (-0.30) with production traits. Selection for final score, commonly used by farmers as a practical selection tool to improve type traits, does not lead to significant improvements in production traits, thus the use of selection indices that consider both sets of traits (production and type) seems to be the most adequate to carry out genetic selection of animals in the Brazilian herd.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.6
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• pp.501-508
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• 2013

This study was conducted to determine genetic correlations among carcass traits measured by ultrasound and real carcass measurements and to estimate indirect selection responses for real carcass traits based on ultrasound measurements in Hanwoo cows. To accomplish this, 22,080 ultrasound measurement records from 17,926 cows collected from 2001 to 2012 and 11,907 carcass records obtained from fattened cattle from 2008 to 2012 were used. Genetic parameters were estimated based on eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS) measured by ultrasound-scanning of live cows and using the official technique on chilled bovine half-carcasses after slaughtering. Heritability and genetic correlation for carcass traits were estimated using a mixed model equation that consisted of environmental effects as fixed parameters and additive genetic effects and residual effects as random parameters, assuming that traits were different between ultrasound and carcass measurements. This statistical method was applied to the average information restricted maximum likelihood method. The heritability of EMA, BF and MS measured by ultrasound were 0.33, 0.61 and 0.46, respectively, while the heritability estimates of the corresponding traits based on carcass measurements were 0.29, 0.40 and 0.38, respectively and the genetic correlation between ultrasound and carcass traits for EMA, BF and MS were 0.41, 0.78 and 0.67, respectively. The genetic correlation between ultrasound and carcass traits was highly positive. Additionally, the selection response for marbling score was estimated to be 0.42 per generation if the cows were selected based on the ultrasound scan marbling score with an assumed selection intensity of 0.8. Overall, these results indicate that the ultrasound scan technique would be applicable to judging cow selection for genetically improved meat quality.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.55 no.5
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• pp.549-556
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• 2022

The aim of this study was to evaluate the genetic parameters of growth traits for improvement breeding in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus at the 8^th generation of selective breeding in April 2021. Growth traits such as total length, body weight and condition factor at 11 months of age were measured for 7,508 individuals with confirmed paternity. Data were analyzed using the restricted maximum likelihood method applied to a multiple traits animal model. The effects of sex and family were significantly different across traits (P<0.05). The heritability values of total length, body weight and condition factor were estimated to be high as 0.479, 0.457, and 0.466, respectively. Correlation analysis between phenotypic and breeding values, indicated that the selection accuracy was 75.9-85.2% for all traits. To increase the selection accuracy for parent fish selection, the sex and pedigree characteristics that affect each trait should be considered. Moreover, further improvement of multiple traits can be achieved if the correlation between each trait is appropriately considered.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.54 no.6
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• pp.974-981
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate genetic parameters of growth traits for improving selective breeding in olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus produced in April 2019. The total length and body weight at 11-, 18-, and 22-months-old were measured for 7,479, 2,831 and 1,904 individuals, respectively. Since 2004, we have been conducting a selective breeding program to improve growth traits in the olive flounder. Data were analyzed using the restricted maximum likelihood method using the multiple traits animal model. The effect of sex and production period showed significant differences in all traits (P<0.05). The heritability of all traits was 0.428-0.520, which is relatively high by measurement month. Therefore, it is considered that individual selection will be more advantageous than family selection. However, to maintain an appropriate degree of inbreeding and genetic diversity for future generations, it is necessary to consider family selection adequately. Results of the correlation analysis between the same traits according to the measurement period indicated that considering production costs such as feed cost, selection at 18-months-old will be advantageous. Olive flounder is a major aquaculture species in Korea, and continuous selective breeding research is essential to improve productivity.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.243-247
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• 2016

Growth traits, such as body weight, directly influence productivity and economic efficiency in the swine industry. In this study, we estimate heritability for body weight traits usinginformation from pedigree and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) chip data. Four body weight phenotypes were measured in 1,105 $F_2$ progeny from an intercross between Landrace and Jeju native black pigs. All experimental animals were subjected to genotypic analysis using PorcineSNP60K BeadChip platform, and 39,992 autosomal SNP markers filtered by quality control criteria were used to construct genomic relationship matrix for heritability estimation. Restricted maximum likelihood estimates of heritability were obtained using both genomic- and pedigree- relationship matrix in a linear mixed model. The heritability estimates using SNP information were smaller (0.36-0.55) than those which were estimated using pedigree information (0.62-0.97). To investigate effect of common environment, such as maternal effect, on heritability estimation, we included maternal effect as an additional random effect term in the linear mixed model analysis. We detected substantial proportions of phenotypic variance components were explained by maternal effect. And the heritability estimates using both pedigree and SNP information were decreased. Therefore, heritability estimates must be interpreted cautiously when there are obvious common environmental variance components.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1395-1403
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• 2008

The objective of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for economic traits in Markhoz goats. Data collected from 1993 to 2006 by the Markhoz goat Performance Testing Station in Sanandaj, Iran, were analyzed. The traits recorded as body weight performance at birth (BW), weaning (WW), six month (6MW), nine month (9MW), yearling (YW) and yearling fleece weight (YFW) were investigated. Least square analyses were used for estimation of environmental effects. Genetic parameters were estimated with single and multi trait analysis using restricted maximum likelihood (REML) procedures, under animal models. By ignoring or including maternal additive genetic effects and maternal permanent environmental effects, five different models were fitted for each trait. The effects of sex, type of birth, age of dam and year of birth on the all body weights were significant (p<0.01), but had no effects on YFW except year of birth. Age of kids had significant influences on WW and 6MW (p<0.01). A log likelihood ratio test was carried out for choosing the most suitable model for each trait. Total heritability estimates for YFW and growth traits varied from 0.16 for YFW and WW to 0.41 for YW. For all traits, maternal heritability was lower than direct heritability, ranging from 0.06 for BW to 0.01 for 6MW and 9MW. The magnitude of $c^2$ was more substantial for BW than the others, and relative importance was reduced from 0.12 for BW to 0.04 for 9MW. The direct additive genetic correlations estimates were positive and varied from 0.21 between BW-YW to 0.96 between WW-6MW. Direct additive genetic correlations between YFW and body weight traits were positive and ranged from 0.14 between BW-YFW to 0.67 between 6MW-YFW. For all traits, the corresponding estimates for phenotypic correlation were positive and lower than genetic correlations. The maternal additive genetic correlations between various traits were varied and ranged from -0.19 between 9MW-YFW to 0.96 between 6MW-9MW. The estimates of the maternal permanent environmental correlations between various traits were positive and ranged from 0.33 between WW-YFW to 0.93 between WW-6MW. Also, the environmental correlations between various traits ranged from 0.01 between BW-YFW and WW-YFW to 0.70 between 9MW-YW. Estimates of genetic parameters for various traits in this study confirm that selection should be applied on WW for genetic improvement in Markhoz goats.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.217-225
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• 2007

This study was conducted to estimate the general genetic parameters, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations on growth-related traits by studying multiple trait animal model in two Korean abalone species, Haliotis discus hannai and H. discus discus. The data was collected from the records of 3,795 individuals produced from 54 sires and 74 dams in Haliotis discus hannai and 399 individuals produced from 7 sires and 7 dams in Haliotis discus discus. The data was evaluated by the Genetics and Breeding Research Center, National Fisheries Research & Development Institute (NFRDI). Genetic parameters were estimated for two abalone species raised in Bukjeju branch, NFRDI, from May 20 to November 1, 2004. The heritability estimates for growth traits of shell length, shell width and body weight obtained from restricted maximum likelihood (REML) were ranging from 0.73 to 0.78 in Haliotis discus hannai, and from 0.87 to 0.89 in H. discus discus. The heritabilities for shell shape and condition factor were ranging from 0.17 to 0.20 in Haliotis discus hannai, and from 0.01 to 0.45 in H. discus discus. Genetic and phenotypic correlations were over than 0.96 between shell parameters and weight in both of abalone subspecies, indicating that breeding for weight gains could successfully be achieved by selecting for shell length.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.121-130
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• 2008

In other aquaculture species, large improvements in growth have been achieved through selective breeding. Ezo abalone(Haliotis discus hannai) and disk abalone(H. discus discus) are major aquatic animals cultured in Asia, but selective breeding for the promotion of growth with these abalones has not been actively pursued. Recently significant efforts are being made to promote production of these species through selective breeding in Korea. The aims of this work were to estimate the general genetic parameters, heritabilities, and genetic and phenotypic correlations on growth-related traits at 1-year old in two Korean abalone subspecies, H. discus hannai and H. discus discus, by using multiple trait animal model. The data were collected from the records of 1,504 individuals produced from 22 sires and 26 dams in H. discus hannai and 297 individuals produced from 5 sires and 6 dams in H. discus discus, which evaluated by the Genetics and Breeding Research Center, National Fisheries Research & Development Institute(NFRDI). Genetic parameters were estimated for these abalone subspecies raised in Bukjeju branch, NFRDI, from May 20, 2004 to May 16, 2005, respectively. The heritability estimates obtained from restricted maximum likelihood(REML) were higher than expected, ranging from 0.40 to 0.43 for growth traits shell length, shell width and body weight in H. discus hannai and from 0.26 to 0.51 in H. discus discus, respectively. The heritabilities for shell shape and condition factor were lower than others of growth traits such as ranging from 0.09 to 0.19 in H. discus hannai and from 0.10 to 0.23 in H. discus discus, respectively. Genetic and phenotypic were > 0.93 between shell parameters and weight in two abalone species, respectively, indicating that breeding for weight gains could be successfully achieved by selecting for shell length.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2006

This study utilized test day of somatic cell score data of dairy cattle from 2000 to 2004. The number of data used were 124,635 of first parity, 134,308 of second parity, 77,862 of third parity, 41,787 of forth parity and 37,412 of fifth parity. The data was analyzed by least square mean method using GLM to estimate the effects of calving year, age, lactation stage, parity and season on somatic cell score. Variance component estimation using test day model was determined by using expectation maximization algorithm- restricted maximum likelihood (EM-REML) analysis method. In each parity, somatic cell score was low for younger group and was relatively high in older groups. Likewise, for lactation stage, the score was low in early-lactation and high in late-lactation in first parity and second parity. Nevertheless, for the third, fourth and fifth parity, however, high somatic cell score was observed in mid-lactation. Generally, the score was high in the peak. Although in fourth and fifth parity, the score was low in late-lactation. Environmental effect of season, somatic cell score was generally low from September to November for all parities. The score was high between June and August when the milk production is usually low. The heritability in each parity were 0.05, 0.09, 0.10, 0.05 and 0.05 for parity 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, respectively. Genetic variance value was estimated to be high in second, third and fifth parity in early-lactation and to be low in first and forth parity.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.8
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• pp.1109-1115
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• 2008

The reproduction component traits are important components of sow efficiency. The objective of this study was to evaluate the phenotypic and genetic parameters of four reproduction component traits (age at puberty (AP), preweaning number dead (PND), weaning to service interval (WSI), and intra-individual SD in litter size (IISDLS)) of sows in two Chinese indigenous pig breeds. Available reproductive records including 22,591 piglets born from 2,054 litters by 574 Jiangquhai sows and 464 Meishan sows were used in this investigation. A set of mixed models and restricted maximum likelihood methodology were used for the multiple trait analyses of these traits. The results showed that the estimates of heritabilities (${\pm}$standard error) for AP, PND, WSI and IISDLS were $0.40{\pm}0.05$, $0.06{\pm}0.03$, $0.20{\pm}0.02$ and 0.09{\pm}0.03 in Jiangquhai sows, and $0.35{\pm}0.06$, $0.05{\pm}0.03$, $0.18{\pm}0.03$ and $0.10{\pm}0.04$ in Meishan sows, respectively. There was moderate genetic correlation between AP and WSI, while there were low genetic correlations between the other pairwise traits. The genetic correlations were positive for most of the pairwise traits, except for the one between AP and IISDLS. The results indicated that all traits except for AP were difficult to make genetic improvement by traditional selection methods due to low heritabilities and the favorable improvement of AP might result in unfavorable changes of IISDLS due to the trend of genetic antagonism.