Heritability of Grade and Type in Range Beef Cattle

Abstract

Weaning scores from 715 Aberdeen-Angus calves and their dams yielded heritability estimates for Scores as follows, based on within-year regression of offspring on dam and half sib correlations: over-all weaning score, 5O and 30 percent; lowness score, 46 and 13 percent; thickness score, 15 and 10 percent; and smoothness score, 15 and 18 percent. Records from 1,257 range Hereford calves and their dams resulted in heritability estimates for grade of 24 and 23 percent, based on half sib correlation and intra-sire regression of offspring on dam, respectively. Preliminary results showed selection for compactness in Hereford cattle to be highly effective, indicating a relatively high heritability of body proportions. Copyright © . .