Genetic Parameter Estimates for Milk Yield, Udder and Body Conformation Traits of Jersey Cattle in the New Derived Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria

Despite the huge potential of utilising Jersey cattle as diary animals in the tropical countries, the genetic basis of the relationship between milk yield and conformation traits has been scarcely described in the literature especially in West Africa. This trial therefore set a layout to estimate the additive genetic correlations, heritabilities and repeatabilities of milk, udder and body conformation traits for Jersey cattle in the Derived Guinea Savannah zone of Nigeria. Our study used a total of 4200 lactation records for milk yield and conformation traits of Jersey cows. The milk and conformation traits data was analysed by fitting and solving a multiple trait animal model solutions using average information restricted maximum likelihood algorithm. Traits with moderate to high heritabilities and repeatabilities estimates were milk yield (0.35; 0.53), body condition score (0.25; 0.31), chest ligament (0.72; 0.75), chest width (0.23; 0.28), body depth (0.61; 0.65), udder circumference (0.44; 0.45), rear udder height (0.38; 0.41), rear udder width (0.52; 0.63) and teat length (0.34; 0.40), respectively. Milk yield had the highest additive genetic correlation with body weight (0.86). We concluded that the heritability was high enough to consider the traits in selection programs. The high additive genetic correlation between milk yield and bodyweight in the derived Guinea Savannah Zone of Nigeria validates the need to considering bodyweight in selection programs geared towards improvement of milk yield of Jersey cattle born in Nigeria.