Genetic analysis of velvet antler yield in farmed elk (Cervus elaphus)

• Author(s) / Creator(s)

  • Goonewardene, L. A.
  • Wang, Z.
  • Yang, R. C.
  • Huedepohl, C.

• Data from the Alberta Agriculture Food and Rural Development data base, which keeps inventories of elk producers and velvet production information (n = 12 724), were used to estimate genetic and phenotypic variances, heritability and repeatability estimates for velvet antler using REML methods. The heritability based on the animal models I and II was 0.27 ± 0.03 and the repeatability ranged from 0.31 ± 0.02 to 0.35 ± 0.03 depending on the animal model used. Antler yield is expected to respond to selection as the heritability is medium, but non-additive and environmental effects can also influence production.

• Date created

  1999

• Subjects / Keywords

  • Repeatability
  • Heritability
  • Elk
  • Antler production

• Type of Item

  Article (Published)

• DOI

  https://doi.org/10.7939/R3ZK55P1T

• License

  @1999 Wang, Z., Yang, R. C., Goonewardene, L. A., Huedepohl, C. This version of this article is open access and can be downloaded and shared. The original author(s) and source must be cited.