Maternal and fetal inbreeding depression for 70-day nonreturn and calving rate in Holsteins and Jerseys

Abstract

Inbreeding depression for 70-d nonreturn rate was estimated in 50,613 Holstein and 47,673 Jersey cows with five-generation pedigrees using an animal model. Heritabilities of 70-d nonreturn rate were very low for both breeds (1 to 2%). Maternal inbreeding depression was small (3% reduction for 10% inbreeding) and significant only for Jerseys. Fetal and maternal inbreeding depression was not significant for individual parities in Holsteins, but maternal inbreeding depression was significant in first parity only in Jerseys. Maternal and fetal inbreeding depression of calving rate (verified by a subsequent calving) was estimated on separate datasets by parity from 13,229 to 26,876 Holstein and 7374 to 11,742 Jersey cows. First-parity estimates for heritability of calving rate were 1% or less, whereas estimates for later parities varied from 1 to 6%. Significant inbreeding depression in first-parity Holsteins reduced calving rate by 4% per 10% maternal or fetal inbreeding, but effects, while undesirable, were not consistently significant in other parities. In Jerseys, maternal inbreeding significantly reduced calving rate by 6% per 10% inbreeding in first parity, and was undesirable but not significant for second through fourth parities. Fetal inbreeding depression was not significant in Jerseys. Maternal inbreeding depression of 70-d nonreturn and calving rate was small, undesirable, but not consistently significant across breeds and parities. The cumulative economic impact of maternal or fetal inbreeding on lifetime reproductive performance of Holstein or Jersey cows would be more dramatic than results for a single breeding.