Defining Attributes of Heritability

Heritability is the property of-

Correct Answer: All the above

Heritability is simultaneously a property of the trait, the population, and the environment — it is not a fixed constant but varies with all three.

Why Heritability is Context-Dependent

• Trait: h² for milk yield is different from h² for body weight — different traits have different genetic architectures.
• Population: h² of the same trait can differ between breeds/populations with different allele frequencies and genetic variances.
• Environment: h² = VA/VP. A more uniform environment reduces VE → increases VP denominator is smaller → h² appears higher. Thus, h² can be artificially increased by providing uniform environment (reducing VE).

Ways to Increase Heritability

1. Providing uniform environment (reducing VE)
2. Increasing number of records per animal
3. Adjustment of records and accurate measurement