Genetic and phenotypic correlations between linear type traits and production traits in Holstein-Friesian dairy cattle

Abstract

First lactation production and linear type records of 72 559Holstein-Friesian cows, calving from 1982 to 1989, were analysed by multivariate restricted maximum likelihood, using a sire model. The data comprised offspring of 1066 randomly used sires, and 91 proven i.e. widely used bulls. All phenotypic correlations between the type traits and the yield traits were small, but moderate genetic correlations were obtained between milk, fat and protein yield and angularity (~—0·43) and between the yield traits and udder depth (~0·44), indicating that higher yielding heifers are more angular and have deeper udders. The heritabilities of the type traits were in line with previous analyses, but those for milk, fat and protein yield were rather high at 0·47, 0·52 and 0·45 respectively