 |
||||
|
||||
|
||||
Research Finds Breeding Soundness is Highly Heritable by David Bowser Kansas State University researchers say their studies indicate a high heritability of breeding soundness. Dr. Twig Marston of Kansas State University said a study done in conjunction with the Kansas veterinarian college indicates that breeding soundness can be passed along from generation to generation. Researcher R.A. Christmas looked at yearling Angus bulls to determine genetic relationships of breeding soundness traits. "Some of the things that we saw," Marston said, "are that heritability is high for scrotal circumference and moderate for a percentage of abnormalities." Marston said that most Kansas beef producers use yearling bulls for at least part of their bull battery, and of the factors influencing a cow-calf producer's bull selection decision, fertility is the most important economically. If there is no calf, there is no need to worry about performance or carcass traits. The most common defects in breeding soundness examinations of yearling bulls, researchers say, are inadequate semen quality, persistent penile frenulum and penile warts. Marston said that the study indicated heritability for sperm motility was low and near zero for persistent frenulum and penile warts. It was also near zero for the presence of seminal white blood cells, an indicator of seminal vesiculitis. The conclusions reached by the researchers was that scrotal circumference was highly heritable and can easily be improved through selection, inadequate semen quality was low and common defects in the penis were near zero. |
||||
|
|
||||
|
||||
|
All information is copywrited by Feed Lot magazine and cannot be printed or re-printed without the publishers express consent. Please contact Feed Lot Magazine for reprint and copy authorization. | ||||