Effect of errors in pedigree on the accuracy of estimated breeding value for carcass traits in Korean Hanwoo cattle

• Published in: Animal bioscience Vol. 33; no. 7; pp. 1057 - 1067
• Main Authors: Nwogwugwu, Chiemela Peter, Kim, Yeongkuk, Chung, Yun Ji, Jang, Sung Bong, Roh, Seung Hee, Kim, Sidong, Lee, Jun Heon, Choi, Tae Jeong, Lee, Seung Hwan
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korea (South) Asian - Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies 01-07-2020; Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies (AAAP) and Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology (KSAST); Asian-Australasian Association of Animal Production Societies; 아세아·태평양축산학회
• Subjects: breeding value; carcass traits; genetic gain; hanwoo cattle; heritability; 축산학; South Korea; Carcass Traits; Heritability; Hanwoo Cattle; Breeding Value; Genetic Gain
• ISSN: 1011-2367; 2765-0189; 1976-5517; 2765-0235
• DOI: 10.5713/ajas.19.0021

This study evaluated the effect of pedigree errors (PEs) on the accuracy of estimated breeding value (EBV) and genetic gain for carcass traits in Korean Hanwoo cattle.
The raw data set was based on the pedigree records of Korean Hanwoo cattle. The animals' information was obtained using Hanwoo registration records from Korean animal improvement association database. The record comprised of 46,704 animals, where the number of the sires used was 1298 and the dams were 38,366 animals. The traits considered were carcass weight (CWT), eye muscle area (EMA), back fat thickness (BFT), and marbling score (MS). Errors were introduced in the pedigree dataset through randomly assigning sires to all progenies. The error rates substituted were 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, 60, 70 and 80%, respectively. A simulation was performed to produce a population of 1650 animals from the pedigree data. A REML based animal model was applied to estimate the EBV, accuracy of the EBV, expected genetic gain, variance components, and heritability (h2) estimates for carcass traits. Correlation of the simulated data under PEs was also estimated using Pearson's method.
The results showed that the carcass traits per slaughter year were not consistent. The average CWT, EMA, BFT, and MS were 342.60 kg, 78.76 cm2, 8.63 mm, and 3.31, respectively. When errors were introduced in the pedigree, the accuracy of EBV, genetic gain and h2 of carcass traits was reduced in this study. In addition, the correlation of the simulation was slightly affected under PEs.
This study reveals the effect of PEs on the accuracy of EBV and genetic parameters for carcass traits, which provides valuable information for further study in Korean Hanwoo cattle.