Heritability estimates and genetic correlations for body weight traits in Boran cattle reared under semi-arid rangelands of Ethiopia

Abstract:

Can selective breeding improve body weight gain in Boran cattle adapted to harsh semi-arid environments? This research estimated heritability and genetic correlations for birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), yearling weight (YW), and 18-month weight (MW) in 847 Boran calves born between 2023 and 2025 at the Addis Ababa Livestock Research Institute, Ethiopia. A multi-trait animal model with REML yielded heritability of 0.31 for BW, 0.29 for WW, 0.37 for YW, and 0.41 for MW. Genetic correlations ranged from 0.42 (BW–WW) to 0.81 (YW–MW). Maternal genetic effects declined from 14.3% of phenotypic variance at birth to 3.8% at 18 months. These moderate-to-high heritability values support direct selection for later growth stages to accelerate genetic progress in Boran cattle.