Canonical Correlation Analysis for Estimation of Relationship between Some Body Measurements at the Birth and 6 Month Periods in Holstein Friesian Calves

Abstract

A canonical correlation analysis was applied to examine the relationship between easily measured some body traits at early time and the traits measured hard or later time for the Holstein Friesian calves. Data were measurement records for 5 different morphologic characters (live weight, chest girth, middle rump width, body length and height at withers) which were obtained from 56 head Holstein Friesian calves at the birth period and the 6 month period in Cukurova Agricultural Research Institute. For the canonical correlation analysis, the traits measured at the birth period were one set of measurements (X-variable set) and the same traits measured at the 6 month period were the second set of measurements (Y-variable set). Five canonical correlations were obtained (0.927, 0.759, 0.289, 0.135 and 0.028). Among the estimated coefficients, only first canonical correlation coefficient between the first pair of canonical variables was significant (p<0.001). It was also determined that the highest contribution for the explanatory capacity of canonical variables for morphological traits at birth and 6 month period was maintained by the live weight and chest girth, respectively. Therefore, the live weight and chest girth measurements of the calves at birth period can be used as early selection criteria for determining the calves that have high live weights at the 6 month age at Holstein Friesian cattle husbandry.