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On the modelling of weights of kids to enhance growth in a local goat population under Tunisian arid conditions: the maternal effects

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Abstract

To provide the local goat population with an adequate breeding scheme under an arid environment, this study aimed to evaluate the use of alternative models attempting to dissect the additive genetic (AG) and permanent environmental (PE) components of direct and maternal effects on weights of kids up to weaning. Records of 903 local kids over a period of 16 years were used in this study. Data were split into four groups corresponding to four periods along weight recording. Periods 1/2/3/4 contained weights in an interval with upper-lower limits of 1–20/25–60/65–120/125–150 days of age. Models including or ignoring maternal genetic or permanent environmental effects were fitted for all traits. For all periods, the best models were those including the AG component for both direct and maternal effects and the direct PE effect. Heritability estimates of both the direct and maternal effects ranged from low (0.02 for maternal heritability in P1) to moderate (0.17 for direct and maternal heritability in P2 and P3). Period 1 showed the lowest values for heritability of both direct and maternal effects, with also the largest estimate of the ratio of residual to total variance (around 0.2) compared with the other periods, with decreasing ratios as age increased (from 0.13 for P2 to 0.07 for P4). Both direct and maternal estimated breeding values (EBVs) showed high correlations for models fitting direct AG and PE (DGP) effects. For direct EBVs (DEBVs), correlations were above 0.99, indicating that the same animals are expected to be selected under any model that includes those components, regardless of the maternal effects included. For maternal EBVs, correlations were also high, but slightly lower than for the DEBVs between models including DGP effects and maternal genetic effects. Overall, our recommendation for genetic evaluations of direct and maternal effects in this population raised in extensive and harsh conditions is to use weight records preferably collected during the period of high milk production of dams, for which direct and maternal effects are expected to show full expression. Complete pedigrees and several generations of dam-progeny recording are needed to obtain a proper separation of environmental and genetic components.

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The data used in this study are available on request from the corresponding author.

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Author notes

  1. Ahlem Atoui and Sghaier Najari contributed equally.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Laboratory of Livestock and Wildlife, Institute of Arid Regions, University of Gabès, MedenineGabes, Tunisia

    Ahlem Atoui & Mouldi Abdennebi

  2. Depto. de Mejora Genética Animal, INIA, Ctra. de La Coruña Km 7.5, 28040, Madrid, Spain

    Clara Díaz & María Jesús Carabaño

Authors
  1. Ahlem Atoui
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  2. Sghaier Najari
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  3. Clara Díaz
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  4. Mouldi Abdennebi
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  5. María Jesús Carabaño
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Contributions

Conceptualization, methodology and validation: A.A., M.J.C., S.N. and C.D. Investigation and data collection and analysis: A.A., M.J.C., S.N. and M.A. Writing—original draft preparation: A.A. and M.J.C. Writing—review and editing: A.A., M.J.C., S.N. and C.D. Supervision and project administration: M.J.C. and S.N. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ahlem Atoui.

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This study does not involve any human or animal testing, only routine management practices in animal husbandry.

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Atoui, A., Najari, S., Díaz, C. et al. On the modelling of weights of kids to enhance growth in a local goat population under Tunisian arid conditions: the maternal effects. Trop Anim Health Prod 54, 177 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03173-z

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