Evaluation of level of inheritance in the growth traits in the gudali and wakwa beef cattle breeds of Adamawa, Cameroon

Data were collected between 1968-1988 from a selection experiment involving the purebred Gudali and a two- breed- synthetic, the Wakwa. The data were collected at the experimental farm of the Animal and research stations of Wakwa, Ngaoundere, Cameroon and analyzed using the Proc Mixed procedure and MTDFREML. Estimates for direct and maternal heritabilities were 0.37 and 0.05 and 0.55 and 0.23 for birth weight (BWT); 0.27 and 0.19 and 0.28 and 0.00 for weaning weight (WWT); 0.51 and 0.20 and 0.18 and 0.00 for yearling weight (YWT); 0.18 and 0.02 and 0.14 and 0.06 eighteen-month weight (EWT); 0.25 and 0.09 and 0.22 and 0.03 for twenty four month weight (TFM); 0.18 and 0.03 and 0.34 and 0.05 for thirty month weight (TWT) and 0.18 and 0.07 and 0.33 and 0.10 for thirty six month weight (TSW) for Gudali and Wakwa breeds, respectively. Estimates for genetic correlation between direct and maternal effects were -0.88 and -0.90 for BWT; -0.77 and -0.76 for WWT; -0.81 and -0.98 for YWT; 0.00 and 0.00 for EWT; -0.26 and -0.20 for TFWT; -0.45 and -0.34 for TWT and -0.02 and -0.05 for TSWT in Gudali and Wakwa, respectively. Most of the estimates for direct heritability were moderate to high; indicating that it was possible to improve upon the trait through selection; though the overall genetic progress might be hampered with, if selection was to be concentrated on direct performance, given the genetic antagonism between direct and maternal effect as indicated by the negative genetic correlations.