Correlational relationships between economically useful traits of simmental cows across generations

Abstract

The correlational relationships between milk productivity, reproductive ability, and conformation traits of cows and their daughters, granddaughters, and great-granddaughters were studied, as well as the nature of interrelationships between these groups of traits across generations. It was established that the correlational relationships of milk productivity traits between mothers and offspring are weak, multidirectional, and statistically non-significant
(r = −0.16…+0.05). For reproductive ability traits, the strongest and statistically significant relationships were found in the "mother–daughter" group (r = +0.16…+0.20; P < 0.05–0.01), whereas in more distant generations they weaken and change direction. Correlation analysis of conformation measurements revealed predominantly positive relationships in the "mother–daughter" group, with statistically significant values for chest depth and hip width
(r = +0.30; P < 0.05) and the leg length index (r = +0.37; P < 0.01), while in distant generations the relationships become predominantly negative or approach zero. Relationships between milk productivity and reproductive ability are weak with a tendency toward neutralization in subsequent generations. Relationships between conformation measurements and milk productivity are characterized by considerable variability: in imported animals, moderate inverse relationships with relative milk yield predominate, whereas in the third generation statistically significant positive correlations form between chest width and oblique body length with milk yield (r = +0.29
and +0.39; P < 0.05); however, increased body measurements are accompanied by prolonged biological reproductive and adaptation periods. The predictive value of maternal traits is maintained predominantly in the nearest generation and decreases with increasing generational distance.