Application of the technology of improvement of body development traits as a basis for milk production in Simmental cattle population in Serbia

Abstract

To analyze variability and heritability of body development traits and possibilities for their improvement data of 371 performance tested Simmental bulls were used. Average test-on (120 days of age) and test-off (365 days of age) height at withers (HW), circumference of chest (Cir), depth of chest (DC), width of round (WR), width of hip (WH) and body length (BL) were 99.88?3.49 and 126.00?2.65 cm, 127.42?6.14 and 184.76?5.95 cm, 42.55?2.25 and 60.90?2.15 cm, 32.56?3.01 and 47.63?2.67 cm, 30.26?2.12 and 44.14?1.93, 106.69?5.99 and 147.57?4.65 cm, respectively. Average values for test-on and test-off index of body frame (IBF), index of chest depth (ICD), index of body compactness (ICBL), and index of massiveness (IM) were 106.8?4.44 and 117.13?3.11%, 42.61?1.90 and 48.34?1.45%, 119.59?5.19 and 125.27?4.26%, 127.58?4.86 and 146.65?4.30%, respectively. Heritability estimates for test-off height at withers, circumference of chest, depth of chest and body length were 0.43, 0.30, 0.33 and 0.29. Possibilities for improvement of body development traits were done according to their phenotypic and genetic variability. Obtained results confirm that exist enough variability in major body development traits in Simmental bulls which can be utilized not only for genetic improvement of milk production in their daughter, but also for improvement of overall body traits in Simmental population in Serbia.