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Effect of Some Genetic and Maternal Environmental Variations on Birth Weight and Gestation Length in Holstein Cattle¹

Departments of Genetics and Dairy Husbandry, University of Wisconsin, and Dairy Cattle Research Branch, USDA, Madison, Wisconsin

ABSTRACT

Records on 536 gestations from 258 Holstein cows representing six different sire lines were studied by standard partial regression and analysis of variance. Birth weight and gestation length were analyzed for possible effects of sire line, inbreeding and sex of calf, and weight, inbreeding, parity, and uterine horn pregnant in the dam.

The average inbreeding of inbred dams was 24.7% and of inbred calves, 24.9%. Inbreeding of the dam had insignificant effects both on birth weight and on gestation length. The standard partial regression of birth weight on inbreeding of calf was negative and statistically significant. Inbreeding of the calf, however, had no significant effect on gestation length. Both birth weight and gestation length increased with the parity order of the dam, but the effect was significant only in the case of birth weight. Weight of dam had a positive effect (P < 0.05) on both dependent variables. There were significant differences between sire lines both in birth weight and in gestation length. Male calves averaged 5.92 lb. heavier at birth and were gestated 1.44 days longer than females. The right uterine horn produced heavier calves (av. 1.78 lb.; P < 0.05) than the left horn, but the side pregnant had no significant effect on gestation length. Interactions between the effects of sire line, sex of calf, and uterine horn pregnant were also tested and none was significant.

¹ From the Department of Genetics (Paper No. 716) and Department of Dairy Husbandry; published with the approval of the director of the Agricultural Experiment Station. This study was supported in part by a grant from the Research Committee of the Graduate School from funds supplied by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation and by a grant from the Emmons Blaine, Jr., Fund. Contribution from the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station as a collaborator under the North Central Region Cooperative Research Project entitled "Improvement of Dairy Cattle Through Breeding—NC-2," conducted in cooperation with the Dairy Cattle Research Branch, USDA.