Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34673961›Full record

ArticleJournal of animal science2021

The impact of genetic merit on ewe performance and efficiency parameters.

Nicola Fetherstone, Noirin McHugh, Tommy M Boland, Philip Creighton, Norann Galvin, Fiona M McGovern

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of animal science, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

2 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors.

Nicola FetherstoneAnimal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co. Galway, H65 R718, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-5892-575X
Noirin McHughAnimal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-3105-8796
Tommy M BolandSchool of Agricultural Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0002-7433-130X
Philip CreightonAnimal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co. Galway, H65 R718, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0001-6106-4436
Norann GalvinAnimal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Moorepark, Fermoy, Co. Cork, P61 C996, Ireland.
Fiona M McGovernAnimal & Grassland Research and Innovation Centre, Teagasc, Mellows Campus, Athenry, Co. Galway, H65 R718, Ireland.ORCID 0000-0003-4471-5078

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of ewe genetic merit on ewe performance and efficiency parameters. The study consisted of three genetic merit groups (New Zealand [NZ], High Irish, and Low Irish) and ran from 2016 to 2019, inclusive. Each genetic merit group contained 30 purebred Suffolk and 30 purebred Texel ewes, which were selected based on their maternal genetic indexes in their country of origin, namely Ireland (€uro-star Replacement index) or New Zealand (New Zealand Maternal worth). Ewe body condition score (BCS), ewe body weight (BW), milk yield, milk composition, dry matter intake (DMI), and efficiency parameters were all analyzed using linear mixed models. Ewe BW was similar across all genetic merit groups at each time point (P > 0.05). In comparison to both High and Low Irish ewes, NZ ewes had a higher BCS at mating, mid-pregnancy, lambing, week 10 post-lambing (PL, P < 0.05). Ewe BW change was similar across genetic merit groups, except between mating and mid-pregnancy where ewe BW loss was greater for NZ ewes than Irish ewes (P < 0.05) and between weeks 6 PL and 10 PL, where NZ ewes gained BW and High and Low Irish ewes lost BW (P < 0.01). Ewe milk yield, milk fat, total solids, and gross energy content were superior for milk produced by NZ ewes at week 6 PL in comparison to milk produced by High Irish and Low Irish ewes (P < 0.01). NZ ewes produced a greater quantity of milk solids/kg of BW at week 6 PL compared with High Irish ewes (P < 0.01), whereas Low Irish ewes did not differ from either NZ or High Irish (P > 0.05). Low Irish ewes had a greater daily DMI than High Irish ewes in late lactation (week 10 PL, P < 0.05) and had a greater DMI/kg of ewe BW compared with the High Irish ewes at the same time point (P < 0.05). NZ ewes weaned a litter BW equivalent to 60.4% of their mating BW, which was more than the Low Irish ewes who weaned 57.1% of the ewe's BW at mating (P < 0.01), whereas the High Irish ewes did not differ from either the NZ or Low Irish ewes at 59.3% of the ewe's BW at mating (P > 0.05). This study presents a range of parameters across ewes of high and low genetic merit, demonstrating the ability to achieve gains through selection of animals of high genetic merit. Sheep producers should consider genetic indexes as a tool to assist in the decision-making process of selecting replacement ewes and/or breeding rams, once satisfied the animal is correct, and meeting the breeding objectives of the system.

Indexed as

LactationMilkAnimalsBody WeightFemaleMalePregnancyReproductionSheepWeaningbody condition scorebody weightefficiencyfeed intakemilk

Identifiers

PMID34673961
PMCPMC8653943

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.