Estimation of phenotypic and genetic parameters for weight gain and weight at fixed ages in the double-muscled Belgian Blue Beef breed using field records

In the double-muscled Belgian Blue beef (DM-BBB) breed, selection focuses on muscular conformation and not on weight gain and higher weight. There are very few studies on growth in the DM-BBB using field records. Therefore, farms have no available useful figures on weight at fixed ages and weight gain for the DM-BBB. This study describes and evaluates live weights of DM-BBB animals. All the data were gathered on farms in Belgium. It was found that a male DM-BBB weighs an average of 51 kg at birth, 98 kg at 3 months, 242 kg at 7 months, 430 kg at 13 months and 627 kg at 20 months. Between the age of 7 and 20 months, weight gain is more than 1200 g a day. Females weigh 47 kg at birth, 96 kg at 3 months, 189 kg at 7 months and 332 kg at 13 months. For males, estimates of heritability for weights at 7, 13 and 20 months were between 0.21 and 0.36. The heritability for weight gain between 13 and 20 months was 0.13. This demonstrates that it is possible to select for higher weights and for increased growth between 13 and 20 months. Animals having high weights at a young age (7 and 13 months) tend to have also high weight at slaughtering age (20 months; r(g) between 0.81 and 0.98), but no additional growth between 13 and 20 months (r(g) between -0.09 and 0.00). High weight at 20 months is partially due to growth between 13 and 20 months (r(g) = 0.49)