Weaning performance of beef Hungarian Fleckvieh calves: 3. Genotype × environment interaction
Abstract. The interaction of sire and population in Hungarian Fleckvieh beef cattle breed were examined in this study on data from the Hungarian Fleckvieh Breeders Association. Data of 2 345 progeny (1 260 male and 1 085 female), born between 1992 and 2003, of 35 sires from two populations were evaluated. Preweaning daily gain (PDG) and 205-day weight (205-dw) were analysed. Population, age of cows, year of birth, season of birth and sex of calves as fixed, sire and sire × population were treated as a random effect. Among the same performance data in the two populations (A, B) genetic correlation (rg), while by the gradiation of sires rank correlation (rrank), were evaluated. Data were analysed with HARVEY’S (1990) Least Square Maximum Likelihood Computer Program and SPSS 9.0 for Windows. Results were as follows: rg=PDGA−PDGB: 0.31(P<0.01); 205-dwA−205-dwB: 0.22(P<0.01) and rrank=PDG: −0.04(P>0.05); 205-dw: 0.078(P>0.05). According to the result of examination important and significant (P<0.001) sire × population interaction were found in case of the two traits in Hungarian Fleckvieh breed.
