Evaluation of cytoplasmic genetic effects in beef cattle using an animal model

Mixed model techniques were used to evaluate the importance of cytoplasmic genetic effects on beef cattle performance. Birth weight (BWT), preweaning average daily gain (ADG), weaning weight (WT205), postweaning gain (PG), ultrasonic backfat thickness (FAT) and predicted milk yield (MILK) data were collected in two herds of Hereford cattle located at Plymouth and Raleigh, North Carolina. Cytoplasmic lines were determined based on the foundation female in the maternal lineage of each animal. An animal model was used to account for all nuclear genetic variation among animals within herds. Direct breeding values were estimated for all animals with records and their parents for all traits. For MILK, permanent environmental effects were estimated for animals with multiple records. For preweaning traits, maternal breeding values and permanent maternal environmental effects also were estimated. In all analyses, F-tests for cytoplasmic effects were not significant. Probability values approached significance (P = .15 to P = .10) only for PG and FAT at Plymouth. Assumptions regarding the ratios of genetic and environmental variances and covariances had no effect on F-tests. Results contrast with earlier analyses of the same data in which nuclear genetic effects were accounted for by including sire and maternal grandsire in the statistical model. This study failed to show that cytoplasmic genetic effects were important sources of variation in performance; residual additive genetic effects were confounded with cytoplasmic lines for these herds. Because cytoplasmic sources may be regarded as founder effects, further research is needed in other populations.