Genetic parameters and risk factors for abortion traits in Murciano-Granadina dairy goats: A Bayesian multivariate...

In this study, pedigree information and 9591 records related to the kidding outcomes of Murciano-Granadina goats were used to investigate the risk factors associated with abortion and estimate genetic parameters for abortion across three parities, including Abortion1, Abortion2, and Abortion3 in the Murciano-Granadina goat breed. Data were collected from 2017 to 2023 in a large commercial dairy herd located in Ghale-Ganj City, Kerman province, Iran. The averages for the incidence rates of abortion in the first, second, and third parity were 15.00%, 18.00%, and 15.00%, respectively. The effects of abortion year and abortion season were statistically significant for all the investigated abortion traits, while the age of the doe at abortion significantly influenced Abortion1 and Abortion2 (p < 0.01), but not Abortion3 (p > 0.05), while warm season (lasts from March to September) and younger does were high-risk for abortion. Genetic analysis was performed by applying a Bayesian multivariate threshold model. Posterior means ± posterior standard deviation (PSD) for the heritability estimates were statistically significant values of 0.25 ± 0.10, 0.11 ± 0.04, and 0.19 ± 0.07 for Abortion1, Abortion2, and Abortion3, respectively. Posterior means ± PSD for genetic correlations among abortion traits ranged from 0.23 ± 0.14 (Abortion1-Abortion2) to 0.48 ± 0.16 (Abortion2-Abortion3), with the genetic correlation between Abortion1 with Abortion2 and Aborion3 being statistically non-significant. Posterior means ± PSD for phenotypic correlations among the abortion traits were generally low, ranging from -0.07 ± 0.05 to 0.14 ± 0.05, denoting weak correlation among traits. The obtained results highlighted the effect of environmental factors such as abortion year, abortion season, and age of abortion alongside low to moderate heritability estimates, suggesting that abortion incidence in the studied population of Murciano-Granadina goats was controlled by both genetic and non-genetic factors. The results provided valuable insights for breeding and management strategies aimed at reducing prenatal losses in this breed.