The Heritability Percentage of a Number of
Traits
Maxine Kinne
This chart was compiled from a variety of print sources.
Heritability Ranking up to 10% = Low Heritability 20% - 30% = Medium Heritability 30% and over = High Heritability (Low heritability means that it takes a lot of time to make genetic progress.)
Species Abbreviations |
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Fitness Traits Sound feet, legs Eyes Longevity Good disposition/personality Early maturity Natural fleshing ability Conception ease Annual production of offspring Uncomplicated pregnancy Easy delivery Strong mothering instinct Sound teat & udder conformation |
% | Reproduction | % | Growth | % | Phenotype | |
61 55 12 55 03 05 10 25 55 08 45 ![]() ![]() ![]() 20 30 45 50-75 15 17 13 10 5 32 59 40-70 |
Pelvic area (B) Pelvic area(D) Smoothness of pelvic arch (?) Conception probability (S) Breeding problems (D) Cystic ovaries (D) Fertility (S) Ovulation rate (S) Age at first kidding (G) Calving interval (B) Gestation length (S) ![]() Litter size (S) Birth weight (S) Birth weight (B) Maternal contribution to fetal size Maternal rearing ability (S) Preweaning mortality (P) Number of lambs reared (S) Live to weaning, dam trait (S) Live to weaning, offspring trait (S/B) Age at puberty (B) Male libido & mating ability (D) Scrotal circumference (B) |
44 27 10 30 63 17 86 40 30 30 35 43 50 46 ![]() ![]() ![]() 50 44 10 38 40 30 50 40 |
Young Weaning weight (G) Weaning weight (B) 60-Day weaning weight (S) 100-day weight (S) 7-month weight (G) Body condition at weaning (S) Weaning height (B) Postweaning feedlot gain (S/B) Pasture gain (B) Rate of gain/day (S/B) Feedlot gain efficiency (B) Final feedlot weight (B) Feed efficiency (S) Feed efficiency (B) Yearling Yearling weight (B) Yearling weight, pasture (B) Weaning type score (S) Weaning type score (B) Yearling type score (S/B) Yearling score, pasture (B) Adult Mature body weight (G) Mature body weight (S/B)
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52 40 29 24 40 ![]() ![]() ![]() 31 20 06 12 13 27 32 25 17 21 14 06 15 19 10 25 12 10 16 25 19 70 33 10 38 36 |
Stature (DG) Upstandingness (S/D) Strength (DG) Dairy character (DG) Dairy character (D) ![]() Body length (S) Body depth (D) Typical head (D) Head strength (D) Shoulder tightness (D) Rump width (DG) Rump angle (DG) Rump angle (D) Rump levelness (D) Rear legs (DG) Hock straightness (D) Straight rear leg set (D) Rear leg set (D) Thurl height (D) Mammary System Udder quality (D) Fore udder attachment (DG) Fore udder attachment (D) Fore udder length (D) Rear udder attachment (D) Rear udder height (DG/D) Rear udder arch (DG) Rear udder length (D) Suspensory ligament (DG) Udder halving (D) Teat diameter (DG) Teat placement (DG) |
|
% | Diseases & Defects | % | Milk | % | Carcass | |
03 05 10 03 09 17 32 38 |
Reproductive Breeding problems (D) Cystic ovaries (D) Metabolic Mastitis (D) Milk Fever (D) Ketosis, first lactation (D) Ketosis, repeat same cow (D) General Parasite resistance (S) Infection resistance (S) |
39 20 25 32 25 50 06 20 40 50 62 23 |
Milk yield/lactation (G) Milk production (B) Milk production (D) M.E. milk (D) Butterfat yield (D) Butterfat percentage (D) M.E. fat (D) Protein yield (D) SNF protein yield (D) Protein percentage (D) Milking time (G) Milking speed (D) |
22 11 65 12 50 60 50 40 57 39 30 55 50-53 45 23 43 |
Weight/day of age (S) Dressing percentage (S) Percent retail product (B) Grade (S) Grade (B) Tenderness Leanness (P) Marbling (B) Fat weight (B) Lean weight (S) Bone weight (S) Bone percentage (B) Loin eye area (P/S) Ribeye area (B) Loin fat thickness (S) External fat thickness (B) |
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