Abstract
To test the variability of traits of Simmental bulls in performance test, data of the Livestock - Veterinary Centres for Reproduction and Artificial Insemination of Velika Plana and Krnjaca were used. In the analysis, data on 113 performance tested bulls born from 2008 to 2009 were used. The analysis included two sets of characteristics: body development traits and growth traits. The average body mass of calves entering the test was 195.75 kg, while the body mass at the end of the test was 476.50 kg, average daily gain in the test was 1138.69 g. Average values of body development traits measured at the end of the test, with 12 months of age were: height at withers 127.13 cm, chest circumference 179.42 cm, the chest depth 61.19 cm and body length 151.34 cm. The influence of their sires, the year and the Centre on the variability of traits was studied. The effect of age is present at a high level of statistical significance (p<0.01) for all traits that are registered at the end of the test, while the effect of the Centre was present in the variability of body mass at the end of the test, the daily gain in the test and the length of the body. The bulls-sires' influence was demonstrated (p<0.05) on the variability in body mass of calves entering the test.
Highlights
Simmental cattle belong to the combined type, which means almost equal economic importance of milk and meat production
Bearing in mind the importance of Simmental breed in cattle production of Serbia, as well as the lack of research associated with this breed, the aim of this study was to determine the average expression and variation of traits of growth and body development, and to determine the influence of certain genetic and nongenetic factors on traits measured in performance test
In the variability of the monitored traits in the performance test, the effect of year was present at a high level of statistical significance (p
Summary
Simmental cattle belong to the combined type, which means almost equal economic importance of milk and meat production. It belongs to the big breeds that have the genetic potential for intensive improvement of both components. Proper selection and selection of young bulls as future breeding bulls should ensure improvement of traits and improvement of production of milk and meat (Bogdanović, 2001). In assessing the breeding value of performance test bulls is one of the main animal husbandry practices, which determines the genetic improvement of a certain group of properties. Selection based on the results of performance test, is of special importance for traits that are characterized by medium to high heritability values (Bogdanović, 2001). Performance test is used for production traits which can be determined or measured in each individual animal. This process is known as direct test because its application covers control of production traits that are directly measured on animals still in development
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