A study of growth rate and type score of offspring of four different sires in Hereford cattle

Abstract

A study of growth rate and body type of calves of both sexes; estimates of heritability of growth rate and body type; and the effect of data of birth on growth rate was made on 76 calves in the same herd sired by four unrelated bulls. The calves were scored for body types at birth, weaning and the females at approximately fifteen months of age. All calves were weighed at weaning and the females at approximately fifteen months of age. The females were fed a limited ration from weaning until the fifteen month weight was taken. The weights of the calves were adjusted by regression to 240 days at weaning and 395 days as yearlings.

The analysis of variance, regression, and correlation were used in the analysis and interpretation of the data. Heritability of weaning weight and type score was estimated from intra-class correlation obtained from the analysis of variance.