The Correlation between linear traits of Ukrainian cows of Black-and-White Dairy cattle

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the correlation variability between linear traits of the first-born cows of Ukrainian Black-and-White dairy breed. The material of the study was based on the information about the linear classification of cows in the enterprise like "Ukrlandfarming" PE "Burynske" Podlisnivsky branch of Sumy region. There were evaluated18 descriptive such as: height (H), chest width (CW), body depth (BD), angularity (ANG), rear position (RP), rear width (RW), pelvic limbs angle (PLA), hoof angle (HA), pelvic limbs posture (PLP), fore udder attachment (FAA), rear udder attachment (RAA), central ligament (CL), udder depth (UD), fore teats position (FTP), rear teats position (RTP), teats length (TL), locomotion (Loc) and body condition (BC). The coefficients of phenotypic correlations between all descriptive traits of the linear classification differed significantly in variability in direction, strength and reliability. The cows rump height correlated with the rest of descriptive type traits, which characterize the condition of body and limbs from negative (-0.131; PLA) to positive (0.306; HA). Chest width did not differ significant correlate variability with correlation coefficients from -0.071 (PLA) to 0.192 (RW). The body depth correlated with high reliability with ANG (0.336), RP (0.248) and RW (0.346) and negative - with PLA (-0.285). Angularity correlated with Height (0.217), RW (0.208) and HA (0.188) and negative with PLA (-0.194). Pelvic limbs angle differed in negative relative variability with all linear traits from -0.037 (PLP) to -0.285 (BD). Pelvic limbs posture was positively correlated with Height (0.167), BD (0.178), RW (0.163) and HA (0.202) and negative with CW (-0.134) and PLA (-0.037). The fore udder attachment was positively correlated with CW (0,141), BD (0,219), ANG (0.222) and RW (0.132) and negative with PLA (-0.156). The rear udder height attachment was positively correlated only with RP (0,155) and negatively with BD (-0,161) and RW (-0,201). The central udder ligament was correlated with BD (0.240) and ANG (0.295) and RW (0.171). Udder depth correlated with significant variability from negative (-0.397) with BD to positive (0.256) with Height. The locomotion of cows correlated with PLP (0.349) and HA (0.374), with PLA (0.187) and RW (0.145). There was received a negative correlation between body condition score and most linear type traits, especially with Height (-0.134), BD (-0.322), ANG (-0.351), RP (-0.174) and RW (-0.196). Fore udder attachment was positively correlated with RAA (0.324), CL (0.353) and WD (0.255). Rear udder attachment was similarly correlated with CL (0.381) and UD (0.339), and central ligament was correlated with UD (0.258), respectively. The established positive level of phenotypic correlations between individual linear traits of the conformation type, especially between anatomically and functionally related, testified to their indirect development in the direction of desired dairy type.

Keywords

• linear type traits
• ukrainian black-andwhite dairy breed
• correlation.