Effects of cow families on type traits in dairy cattle

The component of variance attributable to maternal lineage for type traits in the UK Holstein Friesian dairy population was estimated. First lactation type classification records of 33 325 contemporary cows, classified between 1996 and 1998 were used in the analysis. Maternal pedigree records were traced back to 1960 to establish maternal lineages. The tracing resulted in cows being assigned to 10 332 cow families with more than one cow per family. Sixty-six percent of the cows were in families of less than five. The traits comprised 16 linens type traits, a total score trait, four composite scores and measures of temperament and ease of milking. Univariate analysis of each trait was performed using residual maximum likelihood, with and without a maternal lineage component. A principal component analysis used a scree test to determine the number of independent traits being considered in order to establish a level of significance for the test statistic. It was found that eight principal components were responsible for the variation in type. The composite body score trait was found to have a 1.5% component of maternal lineage variance, significant at the 5% level. No other traits showed a significant maternal lineage variance component.