GENETIC, ENVIRONMENTAL AND PHENOTYPIC CORRELATIONS BETWEEN GROWTH TRAITS OF HEREFORD AND ABERDEEN ANGUS CALVES

Abstract

Canadian Record of Performance for Beef Cattle data were used to estimate genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlations between pairs of four calf growth traits: weaning weight, preweaning average daily gain (ADG), yearling weight and postweaning ADG. A total of 61,688 Hereford and 22,333 Aberdeen Angus records were studied. Average genetic, environmental and phenotypic correlation estimates, in that order, for the following growth trait combinations were:.997,.974 and.979 for weaning weight and preweaning ADG;.801,.709 and.726 for weaning weight and yearling weight;.784,.692 and.706 for preweaning ADG and yearling weight;.516, −.143 and.104 for weaning weight and postweaning ADG;.494, −.142 and.094 for preweaning ADG and postweaning ADG; and.875,.595 and.741 for yearling weight and postweaning ADG.