Judit Márton
57225069779
Publications - 7
Comparison of some economic traits by genetic cluster of Aberdeen Angus cattle
Publication Name: Archives Animal Breeding
Publication Date: 2025-05-12
Volume: 68
Issue: 2
Page Range: 279-286
Description:
The Angus cattle population of Hungary was categorized into four groups using 12 microsatellite markers exhibiting notable genetic variations. Moreover, some traits influencing the profitability and sustainability of beef cattle farming were compared between groups. Data were obtained from 5075 cows (born between 1990-2020) and 19 142 calves (born between 1997-2023), including 10 629 bull calves and 8513 heifer calves of different genetic backgrounds. Genetic groups were distinguished by origin, color, size, and type: blue group (BG), red group (RG), green group (GG), and yellow group (YG). The six investigated traits were age at first calving (AFC), productive lifespan (PL), number of calves born (NCB), culling age (AGE), birth weight (BW), and the 205 d adjusted weaning weight (WW). The averages of the six tested traits were as follows: AFC - 2.35 ± 0.54 years; NCB - 5.89 ± 3.69 heads; PL - 6.85 ± 4.13 years; AGE - 9.2 ± 4.26 years; BW - 29.4 ± 4.28 kg; and WW - 176.9 ± 44.07 kg. YG excelled in terms of NCB, PL, AGE, and WW traits, while RG performed best in terms of AFC and BW. BG displayed the lowest performance across NCB, PL, AGE, BW, and WW. The heavier Red Angus individuals were largely behind the performance of the traditional-type, smaller British-type Black and Red Angus individuals in the tested traits affecting sustainability and profitability. Significant reproduction and longevity trait differences exist among different genetic groups of Angus beef cattle genotyped by DNA microsatellite information. The results indicated significant differences in terms of the performance of different Angus types with regard to the tested traits. These findings could be useful in developing breeding concepts and making selection decisions, contributing to more efficient and sustainable breeding strategies.
Open Access: Yes
Heritability Estimates of Age at First Calving and Correlation Analysis in Angus Cows Bred in Hungary
Publication Name: Animals
Publication Date: 2024-12-01
Volume: 14
Issue: 24
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study aimed to examine the age at first calving (AFC) in Hungarian Angus herds. This study was conducted on the basis of data from 2955 registered cows, classified into five groups (based on different Angus types), and 200 breeding bulls, which were the sires of the cows. The data were made available by the Hungarian Hereford, Angus, and Galloway Breeders’ Association. The variance and covariance components, heritability, breeding value (BV), and genetic trends of AFC between 1998 and 2021 were evaluated. A general linear model (univariate analysis of variance) was used to examine the various effects, while best linear unbiased prediction was used to estimate the population genetic parameters and BV, and linear regression analysis was used for the trend analysis. The average AFC obtained was 28.1 ± 0.1 months (SD = 5.3 months), showing a relatively large variance (CV = 18.9%). The environmental factors that influenced the development of the phenotype were the cow’s birth season (28.99%, p < 0.01), cow’s birth year (28.7%, p < 0.01), the cow’s sire (18.32%, p < 0.01), and the herd (11.77, p < 0.05). The cow’s color variant (8.10%, p > 0.05) was not significant and did not influence the AFC in this study. The direct heritability of AFC (h2 = 0.51 ± 0.06) was higher than data in the literature (0.38 ± 0.05); however, the maternal heritability was low (h2m = 0.00 ± 0.03). The correlation between direct and maternal genetic effects was zero (rdm = −0.97 ± 1.00). The phenotypic trend of AFC increased by +0.03 months per year, which was not statistically significant. The genetic trend calculation showed no significant changes. Based on the h2 and BV results, it seems that selecting a suitable sire can effectively reduce the AFC of daughters. Since AFC is also an important trait in economic terms, it would be appropriate to include AFC BV in the bull catalog.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3390/ani14243715
Genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationship of Angus herds in Hungary and analyses of their production traits
Publication Name: Animal Bioscience
Publication Date: 2024-02-01
Volume: 37
Issue: 2
Page Range: 184-192
Description:
Objective: This study aims to investigate the genetic structure and characteristics of the Angus cattle population in Hungary. The survey was performed with the assistance of the Hungarian Hereford, Angus, Galloway Association (HHAGA). Methods: Genetic parameters of 1,369 animals from 16 Angus herds were analyzed using the genotyping results of 12 microsatellite markers with the aid of PowerMarker, Genalex, GDA-NT2021, and STRUCTURE software. Genotyping of DNA was performed using an automated genetic analyzer. Based on pairwise identity by state values of animals, the Python networkx 2.3 library was used for network analysis of the breed and to identify the central animals. Results: The observed numbers of alleles on the 12 loci under investigation ranged from 11 to 18. The average effective number of alleles was 3.201. The overall expected heterozygosity was 0.659 and the observed heterozygosity was 0.710. Four groups were detected among the 16 Angus herds. The breeders’ information validated the grouping results and facilitated the comparison of birth weight, age at first calving, number of calves born and productive lifespan data between the four groups, revealing significant differences. We identified the central animals/herd of the Angus population in Hungary. The match of our group descriptions with the phenotypic data provided by the breeders further underscores the value of cooperation between breeders and researchers. Conclusion: The observation that significant differences in the measured traits occurred among the identified groups paves the way to further enhancement of breeding efficiency. Our findings have the potential to aid the development of new breeding strategies and help breeders keep the Angus populations in Hungary under genetic supervision. Based on our results the efficient use of an upcoming genomic selection can, in some cases, significantly improve birth weight, age at first calving, number of calves born and the productive lifespan of animals.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.5713/ab.23.0157
Some Actualities and Challenges in Sustainable Beef Cattle Breeding and Husbandry
Publication Name: Chemical Engineering Transactions
Publication Date: 2023-01-01
Volume: 107
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 241-246
Description:
Beef cattle farming is an environmentally friendly food-producing animal husbandry sector that is based largely on pasture and arable by-product feedstuffs. It faces several problems that need to be addressed from a sustainability point of view. Population growth and growing food demand raise concerns about the environmental consequences of expanding beef production using current systems. Consequently, this condition underscores the importance of maintaining an equilibrium between these sustainability pillars and the necessity of adopting more sustainable models. This review article analyzes the most important, recent literary sources dealing with the sustainability of the sector. As a result of the literary synthesis, it has been established that most experts emphasize the two main pillars of sustainability, namely, economic and environmental aspects. The present work directs attention to the third and possible fourth point, the social as well as the cultural aspects of the sustainability of the beef cattle sector, which will be increasingly important to keep in mind in the future.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3303/CET23107041
Relationship between direct and maternal genetic effects on weaning weight of Limousin and crossbred beef calves
Publication Name: Czech Journal of Animal Science
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 66
Issue: 7
Page Range: 262-270
Description:
Population genetic parameters, direct and maternal breeding value, genetic trend in the weaning weight of Limousin beef cattle calves were estimated in the period 1992–2019. Data of 19 764 calves (15 437 purebred Limousin and 4 327 crossbred) were computed. Crossbred calves were sired by Limousin breeding bulls from Simmental dams. Calves in question came from 37 herds and from 240 sires in Hungary. DFREML and MTDFREML software was used for the estimation of population genetic parameters, BLUP animal model for breeding value estimation. Weighted linear regression model was used for describing genetic trends. The maternal heritability (h2m ± SE = 0.29 ± 0.03; 0.32 ± 0.10) was approximately half of the direct heritability (h2d ± SE = 0.63 ± 0.05; 0.68 ± 0.12). The direct maternal covariance is negative, the direct maternal genetic correlation coefficients (rdm ± SE = –0.80 ± 0.03 and –0.96 ± 0.07) are strong negative. The Spearman rank correlation between direct and maternal breeding value in purebred population is moderate and negative (rrank = –0.33; P < 0.01), in crossbred population it is strong and negative (rrank = –0.99; P < 0.01). According to direct and maternal breeding values of sires the genetic trend of the weaning weight of purebred and crossbred Limousin calves appeared stagnant during the examined period (b = +0.01 kg/year to +0.19 kg/year).
Open Access: Yes
Environmental effects, population genetic parameters, breeding value, phenotypic and genetic trend for age at first calving of limousin cows
Publication Name: Journal of Central European Agriculture
Publication Date: 2021-01-01
Volume: 22
Issue: 2
Page Range: 240-249
Description:
Some environmental effects, population genetic parameters, breeding value of Limousin breeding bulls, also phenotypic and genetic trends in the age at first calving (AFC) of cows between 1992 and 2013 were estimated. Data were served by the Limousin and Blonde d’Aquitaine Breeders Association, in Hungary. The study was extended to three herds and 1157 cows. GLM method was used for the study of different effects, the BLUP animal model for estimation of population genetic parameters and breeding values (BV), and one-way linear regression analysis for trend calculations. The overall mean value of the AFC was estimated to be 34.7±0.4 months. The contribution of the evaluated factors to the phenotype was as follows: herd 73.51%, birth year of cow 13.02%, sire 6.74%, birth season of cow 1.62%. The heritability of AFC proved to be low (h2 = 0.08±0.07 and h2 = 0.01±0.04). There were relatively small differences in the estimated BV of the studied sires for the AFC. Based on the phenotypic trend calculation, the AFC of cows decreased by an average of 0.33 months per year, however no significant change was found in the genetic trend during the study period.
Open Access: Yes
Population genetic features of calving interval of the Limousin beef cattle breed in Hungary
Publication Name: Acta Veterinaria Hungarica
Publication Date: 2022-07-06
Volume: 70
Issue: 2
Page Range: 113-120
Description:
Variance, covariance components, heritability, breeding values (BV) and genetic trends in calving interval (CI) of the Limousin population in Hungary were evaluated. A total of 3,008 CI data of 779 cows from three herds in 1996-2016 were processed. For influencing effects GLM method, for population genetic parameters and BV estimation BLUP animal model, for trend analyses linear regression was applied. The average CI obtained was 378.8 ± 3.1 days. The variance distribution components of the phenotype were as follow: age of cow at calving 34.30%, season of calving 26.09%, year of calving 23.00%, sire 7.45%, herd 3.23%, sex of calf 0.33% and type of calving 0.30%. The heritability of CI proved to be low (h2 d = 0.04 ± 0.02 and 0.03 ± 0.02; h2 m = 0.01 ± 0.02). The repeatability was low (R = 0.03 ± 0.02). Based on the phenotypic trend calculation, the CI of cows decreased by an average of 0.60 days per year (R 2 = 0.19; P < 0.05). In case of genetic trend calculation, the average BV of sires in CI increased 0.07 and 0.17 days per year (R 2 = 0.23 and 0.27; P < 0.05).
Open Access: Yes
