Genetic, environmental and phenotypic relationships among gestation length, birth weight, growth traits and age at first calving in beef cattle.

Data on the Red Angus, Angus and Hereford herds of Pioneer Hi-Bred International, Inc., Des Moines, Iowa, collected from 1968 to 1976, were analyzed for relationships among gestation length, birth weight, prenatal gain (birth weight adjusted for gestation length), growth traits and age at first calving. A total of 5,691 calf records, 1,783 listing gestation length, were included in the study. Paternal half-sib analyses and least-squares procedures were used to compute heritability estimates and genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlations among traits. Genetic correlations among growth traits, including prenatal gain, were high in all cases. Heritability estimates for gestation length and birth weight were .36 and .43, respectively, for bull calves and .37 and .35 for heifer calves. Genetic correlations between these traits were .25 and .22 for bull and heifer calves, respectively. Gestation length was negatively correlated (genetically) with all growth traits except birth weight. This result suggests that faster growing fetuses may trigger parturition earlier than average. Age at first calving was negatively correlated (genetically) with growth traits, indicating a favorable relationship between growth and early reproduction. Analysis of several selection indexes combining either birth weight and yearling weight or gestation length and yearling weight indicated that continued response to selection for growth without excessive increase in birth weight is feasible. Selection for growth and moderate birth weight would be more effective than selection for growth and shorter gestation, suggesting that the former method would both shorten gestation and alter the growth curve. Repeatability estimates for gestation length and birth weight were .20 and .22, respectively. Maternal effects accounted for approximately 10% of the variation in each trait.