Estimated Breeding Values of Aberdeen-Angus Cattle Breed

Abstract

The study aims to calculate the estimated breeding value of Aberdeen-Angus cattle using the BLUP method. The live weight of cattle of the Aberdeen-Angus breed was: At birth in bulls 28.25 kg and in heifers 27.18 kg; on day 210, at weaning in bulls 212.31 kg and in heifers 198.04 kg; on day 365, respectively, 328.02 kg and 304.73 kg. At the age of 5, the live weight is 897.05 kg for bulls and 552.04 kg for cows. The average values of the productivity indicators of cattle of the Aberdeen-Angus breed according to the average daily gain showed: From birth to 210 days of age in bulls -879.56 g and heifers -847.07 g; from 210 days to one year of age in bulls -767.03 g and heifers -647.62 g; from birth to one year of age in bulls -831.77 g and heifers -767.37 g. For the Aberdeen-Angus breed, the estimated breeding values in terms of live weight at birth range from -8.24 to +9.93; for live weight at weaning in the range from -42.47 to +39.07; for live weight at 12 months of age from -62.29 to +78.67; for milking capacity of cows from -47.45 to +33.15; for live weight at the age of 5 years from -117.4 to -141.16. The composition of the muscle tissue of Aberdeen-Angus bulls was with a high level of protein usefulness (protein usefulness index 0.70). This is higher than that of crossbred and Black-and-white mates by 6.1 and 4.5%.