Influence of inbreeding depression on genetic (co)variance and sire-by-year interaction variance estimates for weaning weight direct-maternal genetic evaluation

This study examined the effects of ignoring inbreeding depression on (co)variance components for weaning weight through the use of Monte Carlo simulation. Weaning weight is of particular interest as a trait for which additive direct and maternal genetic components exist and there then is the potential for a direct-maternal genetic covariance. Ignoring inbreeding depression in the analytical model (.8 kg reduction of phenotypic value per 1% inbreeding) led to biased estimates of all genetic (co) variance components, all estimates being larger than the true values of the parameters. In particular, a negative bias in the direct-maternal genetic covariance was observed in analyses that ignored inbreeding depression. A small spurious sire-by-year interaction variance was also observed.