Conte AF, Nedashkovsky IS, Sermyagin AA.

Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2026. Vol. 109. No. 1. Р. 27-42.

doi: 10.33284/2658-3135-109-1-27

Original article

Development of selection indices for assessing the breeding value of sires based on the exterior traits of their daughters

 

Alexander F Conte1, Igor S Nedashkovsky2, Alexander A Sermyagin3

1.2Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, Dubrovitsy, Russia

3Russian Research Institute of Farm Animal Genetics and Breeding – Branch of the LK Ernst Federal Science Center for Animal Husbandry, St. Petersburg, Tyarlevo, Russia

1alexandrconte@ya.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4877-0883

2nedashkovsky_is@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0487-4576

3alex_sermyagin85@mail.ru, https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1799-6014

 

Abstract. A comprehensive system for assessing the breeding value of Black‒and‒White and Holstein sires based on the conformation traits and defects of their first-calf daughters (n=110,801) was developed. The REMLF90 program was used to obtain digital values ​​of the genetic variances and covariances of the studied animal traits, and the predicted breeding value of bulls was calculated using the iterative Gauss-Seidel method (the accuracy (convergence) threshold of the model equation was 9×10‒11). Particular attention should be paid to the high incidence of certain conformation defects: soft pasterns (32.35%), front leg spacing (7.39%), high tail (17.11%), as well as oblique bottom of the udder (13.33%), additional nipples (6.66%), and udder lobe atrophy (4.09%). Regarding the analysis of genetic correlations between conformation traits and their deficiencies in cows, the most significant correlations are observed for the "soft pasterns" defect, which demonstrates a strong positive correlation with animal height (r = 0.48) and body depth (r = 0.26), as well as a negative correlation with hind leg angle (r = - 0.34). Udder deficiencies, such as "slanted udder bottom" and "forked nipples", exhibit moderate positive correlations with udder traits. The developed system of selection indices enables the effective assessment of the breeding value of animals, taking into account both conformation traits and deficiencies. Population heterogeneity in terms of index indicators creates favorable conditions for herd improvement through targeted selection. The obtained results indicate the need for intensified breeding efforts to eliminate the most common conformation deficiencies while maintaining and relatively positively developing individual conformation traits.

Keywords: sires, Black-and-White breed, Holstein breed, exterior, exterior defects, selection index, breeding value, EBV

Acknowledgments: the work was supported in accordance to the plan of research works for 2023-2026 L.K. Ernst Federal Research Center Directorate (No. 124020200029-4; FGGN-2024-0013).

For citation: Conte AF, Nedashkovsky IS, Sermyagin AA. Development of selection indices for assessing the breeding value of sires based on the exterior traits of their daughters. Animal Husbandry and Fodder Production. 2026;109(1):27-42. (In Russ.). https://doi.org/10.33284/2658-3135-109-1-27

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            Information about the authors:

Alexander F Conte, Cand. Sci. (Agriculture), Senior Researcher at the population genetics and animal breeding department, Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, 60 Dubrovitsy village, Podolsk City district, Moscow region, 142132, tel.: 896478942890.

Igor S Nedashkovsky, Cand. Sci. (Biology), Senior Researcher at the National Catalog Department of the National Center for Genetic Resources of Farm Animals, Federal Research Center for Animal Husbandry named after Academy Member LK Ernst, 60 Dubrovitsy village, Podolsk City district, Moscow region, 142132, tel.: 89679889925.

Alexander A Sermyagin, Cand. Sci. (Agriculture), director Russian Research Institute of Farm Animal Genetics and Breeding – Branch of the LK Ernst Federal Science Center for Animal Husbandry,  St. Petersburg, Tyarlevo, Moscow highway, 55a, 196625, 196601, tel.: 89032065193.

The article was submitted 28.01.2026; approved after reviewing 04.03.2026; accepted for publication 16.03.2026.

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