Bayesian estimates of genetic parameters of non-return rate and success in first insemination in Japanese Black cattle

Objective: The objective of present study was to estimate heritability of non-return rate (NRR) and success of first insemination (SFI) by using the Bayesian approach with Gibbs sampling. Methods: Heifer Traits were denoted as NRR-h and SFI-h, and cow traits as NRR-c and SFI-c. The variance covariance components were estimated using threshold model under Bayesian procedures THRGIBBS1F90. Results: The SFI was more relevant to evaluating success of insemination because a high percentage of animals that demonstrated no return did not successfully conceive in NRR. Estimated heritability of NRR and SFI in heifers were 0.032 and 0.039 and the corresponding estimates for cows were 0.020 and 0.027. The model showed low values of Geweke (p-value ranging between 0.012 and 0.018) and a low Monte Carlo chain error, indicating that the amount of a posteriori for the heritability estimate was valid for binary traits. Genetic correlation between the same traits among heifers and cows by using the two-trait threshold model were low, 0.485 and 0.591 for NRR and SFI, respectively. High genetic correlations were observed between NRR-h and SFI-h (0.922) and between NRR-c and SFI-c (0.954). Conclusion: SFI showed slightly higher heritability than NRR but the two traits are genetically correlated. Based on this result, both two could be used for early indicator for evaluate the capacity of cows to conceive.