Genetic parameters for body weight ratio, fertility and growth traits in Canchim breed females

Authors

  • Silvio de Paula Mello Faculdade de Ituverava, Ituverava, SP
  • Maurício Mello de Alencar Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária, Pecuária Sudeste, São Carlos, SP
  • Tiago Luciano Passafaro Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Belo Horizonte, MG
  • Fabio Luiz Buranelo Toral Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Escola de Veterinária, Belo Horizonte, MG

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17523/bia.v70n3p235

Keywords:

beef cattle, genetic correlations, heritability, productivity, weight

Abstract

The objective of this study was to estimate the heritability of age at first calving (AFC), body condition score at first calving (BCF), body condition score at calving (BCC), weaning weight (WW), yearling weight (W12), weaning weight of calf/weight of cow at calving (RCC) and weaning weight of first calf/weight of cow at first calving (RCCF) ratios, and genetic correlations of AFC, BCF, WW and W12 with RCCF, in a Canchim beef cattle herd. The variance and covariance components were obtained by bayesian inference with single and two-trait analyses. The statistical models included the additive direct and maternal, the permanent environmental and the residual random effects, and the fixed effects of year and month of birth or of calving, age of cow at calving and sex of calf, depending on the trait. The posterior means of heritability, obtained by single-trait analyses, were 0.12 (AFC), 0.36 (BCF), 0.18 (BCC), 0.50 (WW), 0.46 (W12), 0.16 (RCC) and 0.40 (RCCF) indicating that these traits have enough genetic variability to  show response to mass selection with the exception of AFC. The genetic correlations of AFC (-0.61), BCF (-0.36), WW (-0.20) and W12 (-0.05) with RCCF suggest that selection to reduce age and body condition score at first calving should improve the productivity trait of females at first calving, while selection for heavier females at young ages would not promote any change in the productivity of dams.

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Published

2013-03-29

Issue

Section

ANIMAL BREEDING

How to Cite

Genetic parameters for body weight ratio, fertility and growth traits in Canchim breed females. (2013). Bulletin of Animal Husbandry, 70(3), 235-241. https://doi.org/10.17523/bia.v70n3p235

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