Abstract
Records of 3716 Nubian goats from the United States (US) were analyzed to estimate relationships between fourteen conformation traits (CT) with lactation average somatic cell score (ASCS). To analyze ASCS, a mixed model was implemented. Linear and quadratic effects of CT traits, days in milk (DIM), and kidding age in months (KA) were considered as fixed covariates, and herd-year (HY) of kidding as a random effect. Correlation coefficients between CT traits and ASCS adjusted for HY and linear and [...]
Highlights
In dairy goat populations from countries such as France, the United States of America (US), and Spain, several traits have been included in the selection programs aiming at increasing the economic efficiency of goat production in commercial dairy herds (Rupp et al, 2011)
The highest type trait scores were for final score (FIS), udder depth (UDE), fore udder attachment (FUA), and rear udder height (RUH), with values of 86.3, 34.6, 33.7, and 33.3 points, and the lowest were for teat placement (TEP), RUH, and STA (1, 1, and 2 points), respectively
Non-linear relationships showing an intermediate maximum value were found between average somatic cell score (ASCS) with teat diameter (TDI) and medial suspensory ligament (MSL) (P
Summary
In dairy goat populations from countries such as France, the United States of America (US), and Spain, several traits have been included in the selection programs aiming at increasing the economic efficiency of goat production in commercial dairy herds (Rupp et al, 2011). These include milk, fat, and protein production (Wiggans and Hubbard, 2001), as well functional traits, such as. They found nonlinear relationships between many type traits and productive life as well
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