Acta Veterinaria et Zootechnica Sinica ›› 2025, Vol. 56 ›› Issue (9): 4355-4368.doi: 10.11843/j.issn.0366-6964.2025.09.019

• Animal Genetics and Breeding • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Estimation of Genetic Parameters and Genetic Progress for Growth and Development Traits in Huaxi Cattle

CAO Xiaoyao1,2(), WANG Congyong3, WANG Ting1,2, XIONG Lanling1,2, YU Heyang1,2, WANG Zezhao1,2, GAO Huijiang1,2, LI Junya1,2,3,*(), ZHU Bo1,2,3,4,*()   

  1. 1. Institute of Animal Sciences, Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, Beijing 100193, China
    2. National Center of Beef Cattle Genetic Evaluation, Beijing 100193, China
    3. Huaxi Cattle Breeding Alliance, Beijing 100193, China
    4. Northern Agriculture and Livestock Husbandry Technology Innovation Center, Hohhot 010111, China
  • Received:2025-01-21 Online:2025-09-23 Published:2025-09-30
  • Contact: LI Junya, ZHU Bo E-mail:cxy1163899369@163.com;lijunya@caas.cn;zhubo@caas.cn

Abstract:

This experiment aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of body weight and daily weight gain at different growth stages of a new beef cattle breed "Huaxi cattle" and assess its genetic progress from 2011 to 2024. The Huaxi Cattle Breeding Alliance collected data from 13 212 Huaxi cattle (3 794 bulls and 9 418 cows), comprising 64 406 records of body weight and daily weight gain at various stages from 2009 to 2024. Fixed effects such as sex, birth year, birth season, birth place, and current province were considered, with age in days as a covariate. The REML algorithm was used to estimate the heritability of body weight and daily weight gain at each stage, and ASREML software was employed to calculate the breeding values of all individuals, followed by an estimation of genetic progress for each trait. The heritability estimates for birth weight, 6-month weight, 12-month weight, 18-month weight, 24-month weight and 36-month weight were 0.17, 0.21, 0.24, 0.51, 0.54 and 0.49, respectively. The heritability estimates for daily weight gain from birth to 6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months and 24-36 months were 0.23, 0.17, 0.28, 0.42 and 0.14, respectively. The annual genetic progress for birth weight, 6-month weight, 12-month weight, 18-month weight, 24-month weight and 36-month weight was 0.06, 0.49, 0.71, 2.18, 3.03 and 1.90 kg, respectively. The annual genetic progress for daily weight gain from birth to 6 months, 6-12 months, 12-18 months, 18-24 months and 24-36 months was 0.123, 0.087, 0.165, 0.256 and 0.025 kg·d-1, respectively. This study represents the systematic evaluation and analysis of the genetic parameters of growth traits in the Huaxi cattle population, as well as an assessment of its genetic progress, providing a theoretical foundation for the continued breeding of Huaxi cattle and beef cattle breeding in China.

Key words: Huaxi cattle, monthly weights and daily gain at various stages, genetic parameters, genetic progress

CLC Number: