Abstract:
This study was carried out with the objectives of evaluating genetic and non - genetic
parameters affecting growth and reproductive traits of Fogera cattle. The data used in the
study included pedigree records, weight and reproductive data of animals born between 2009
and 2018. Least squares means were analyzed using General Linear Model (GLM) of
Statistical Analyses System (SAS) while genetic parameters and breeding value of the sires
were estimated by using Wombat spoftware. In this stady the effects of Sex, parity, year of
birth / calving and season of Birth / Calving were consider as the main fixed effects and their
effects on birth weight (BWt), weaning weight (AWWt) and reproductive traits. Result of fixed
effect analysis revealed that fixed effects of year were highly significant (p<0.001) for all
traits. For age at first service (AFS) and age at first calving (AFC) only year had a significant
influence (p<0.001). The overall least squares means for birth weight (kg), weaning weight
(kg), age at first service (AFS)(month), age at first calving(AFC)(month), calving interval
(CI)(month), days open (months) and number of service per conception (NSC) were: 21.18,
96.27, 42.77, 51.64, 19.93, 10.68 and 1.29 respectively. Estimates of direct heritability from
the best model were 0.26 ± 0.13 for birth weight (BWt) and 0.43 ± 0.17 for weaning weight
(AWWt). For reproductive traits the estimates were 0.08 ± 0.05, 0.07 ± 0.04, 0.164 ± 0.07,
0.161 ± 0.08 for calving interval, for days open, AFS, and AFC respectively. The error
variance was high for both growth and reproductive traits.The phenotypic correlations
between BWt and AWWt was 0.066, for AFS and AFC was 0.53, for CI and DO was 0.63.
Genetic correlations between BWt and AWWt was 0.20, between AFS and AFC was 1.00 and
between CI and DO was 0.999. The result of genetic correlations between considered traits
ranged from moderate to high. Therefore selection for any particular trait (s) must be carried
out with attention as it could have an adverse effect due to correlated response on the
correlated traits. Estimated overall mean sire breeding values ranges for BWt and AWWt
were 2.25kg and 32.75kg respectively.