Morphological defects in cattle can affect animal welfare, performance, and farm profitability. In this study, we analyzed data from over 180,000 Nellore cattle to estimate the prevalence of several morphological defects, including depigmentation, feet and legs malformation, chamfer deviations, loin and jaw defects, hump irregularities, and navel abnormalities. Although some defects are rare, others appear to be recorded more frequently in recent years, likely due to improved on-farm monitoring. Using two statistical models, we estimated the proportion of variation attributable to genetic effects. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.03 to 0.12, indicating that while environmental has a large influence on these traits, there is still genetic variation for gradual improvement through selection. We also evaluated two approaches for expressing genetic potential as probabilities, making the results easier to interpret for practical breeding decisions. Our findings indicate that by including these defects in breeding programs, we could reduce the number of affected animals over time, improve animal well-being, and make cattle production more sustainable.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.