The Importance of Uniformity of Get in Evaluating a Sire

Abstract

Summary A study of the uniformity of 256 gets was made. The progenies differed significantly in uniformity, but only a small portion of this difference was attributable to sires. The small effect that sires exerted upon the uniformity of their gets was directly associated with their degree of inbreeding and was, therefore, non-hereditary as it could not be passed from sire to son in non-inbred populations. The reduction in culls possible from selecting only sires that had previously produced highly uniform gets was too small to be worth considering in a breeding program. The additional increase in average production of a herd resulting from selecting only sires that had produced highly variable gets and culling a given percentage of the poorest daughters was likewise insignificant. There appears to be no justification for considering the uniformity of fat records of progenies when selecting proved sires. Similar, conclusions seem appropriate regarding selection for uniformity in any character which depends upon several gene pairs and which is not highly hereditary.