L'Uso dell'analisi multicaratteriale nella stima dell'ereditabilità della curva di lattazione in bovine da latte

The heritability estimation of the shape of the lactation curve is quite complex. However, it now
seems to be resolvable thanks to a combination of two mathematical methods which up to now
have been developed indipendently. One method is a multitrait analysis of variance components
which enables us to estimate the genetic components of phenotypic variance and the trait
correlation. The other method is the mathematical modelling of biological phenomena which, when
applicable, provides a mathematical description of the relationship between the fundamental
quantities under consideration.
Multitrait analysis, when applied to lactation curve parameters, enables us to estimate not only the
heritability but also the genetic and phenotipic correlations of the essential elements of the
lactation curve.