Phenotypic correlation between productivity traits in the Lithuanian dairy cattle breeds

Abstract

The aim of the work was to perform a research of phenotypic correlations between milk production and composition traits in Lithuanian dairy cattle breeds according to the data of all controlled cows (n = 1,489,264) during the period 2003–2012. The analysis showed strong positive, statistically significant correlations in all analyzed breeds between milk kg and fat kg correlations ranged from r  =  0.915 in Lithuanian White-backed to r  =  0.948 (p  <  0.001) in Lithuanian Ash-grey controlled cows, and between milk kg and protein kg correlations ranged from r  =  0.969 in Lithuanian White-backed to r = 0.984 (p < 0.001) in Lithuanian Red, and between fat kg and protein kg correlations ranged from r = 0.928 in Lithuanian Black-and-White to r = 0.949 (p < 0.001) in Lithuanian Ash-grey controlled cows. Low positive, statistically significant correlations in all analyzed breeds were estimated between fat and protein percentages. Correlations ranged from r = 0.256 in Lithuanian Black-and-White to r = 0.353 (p < 0.001) in Lithuanian Ashgrey controlled cows. Also low positive, statistically significant correlations in all analyzed breeds were estimated between milk kg and protein percentages, r = 0.020 (p < 0.01) in Lithuanian Red and r = 0.042 (p < 0.001) in Lithuanian Black-and-White controlled cows.