Mitigation of greenhouse gases in dairy cattle via genetic selection: 1. Genetic parameters of direct methane using noninvasive methods and proxies of methane
Javier López‐Paredes, Idoia Goiri, Raquel Atxaerandio, A. García-Rodríguez, E. Ugarte, J. A. Jiménez-Montero, R. Alenda, Óscar González-Recio
Abstract
production when selecting for better fertility [days open estimated breeding values (EBV) are expressed with mean 100 and SD 10, inversely related to days from calving to conception; that is, greater days open EBV implies better fertility]. Positive correlations were also estimated for stature with MeC and MeP (0.30 ± 0.04 and 0.43 ± 0.04, respectively). Other type traits (chest width, udder depth, angularity, and capacity) were positively correlated with methane traits, possibly because of higher milk yield and higher feed intake from these animals. Rumination time showed positive EBV correlations with production traits and type traits, and negative correlations with somatic cell count and body condition score. Based on the genetic correlations and heritabilities estimated in this study, methane is measurable and heritable, and estimates of genetic correlations suggest no strong opposition to current breeding objectives in Spanish Holsteins.