Genetic parameter estimation of growth traits of Fogera cattle

Data collected from 1988 to 2011 at Metekel Ranch, Ethiopia was used to estimate genetic parameters of growth traits of Fogera cattle. The data set used for analysis consisted of 5513, 3223 and 3223 records for BWT, AWWT, and PADG, respectively. Four animal models were used fitting direct animal (Model1), direct animal and permanent environmental (Model2), direct and maternal genetic (Model3), and all the above random effects (Model4). Heritability values and additive variances for all traits were low. Estimates of direct heritability of growth performance traits from the best model were 0.03 ± 0.02, 0.06 ± 0.03 and 0.05 ± 0.03 for BWT, AWWT and PADG respectively. The phenotypic correlation between growth traits ranged from -0.10 ± 0.02 for BWT and PADG to 0.99 ± 0.01 for AWWT and PADG and genetic correlation ranged from 0.5 ± 0.27 for BWT and PADG to 0.99 ± 0.00 for AWWT and PADG. The low heritability estimates might be indication of low genetic control of the expression of a trait and this might also be an indication of presence of high environmental effects influence.