Estimation of genetic parameters for growth traits in Tabapuã cattle using a multi-trait model

Gilberto Romeiro De Oliveira Menezes,Robledo De Almeida Torres,Luiz Otávio Campos Da Silva,Andrea Gondo,Roberto Augusto De Almeida Torres Júnior,Ricardo Frederico Euclydes

doi:10.1590/s1516-35982013000800006

Gilberto Romeiro De Oliveira Menezes, Robledo De Almeida Torres + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1590/s1516-35982013000800006

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Abstract

To provide information that can contribute to the genetic evaluation and selection in Tabapua cattle, genetic parameters were estimated for growth traits using a multi-trait animal model. (Co)variance components were estimated by a Bayesian approach using the Gibbs Sampler. Moderate and similar responses to selection are expected when selecting for weights at the four ages evaluated, since the direct heritability estimates were similar and of average magnitude (0.18 to 0.19). The direct and maternal additive genetic correlations between all pairs of weights were higher than 0.70, indicating a high degree of association between the four traits. This suggests that using any of them as selection criteria will result in correlated response in the others and that multi-trait analysis are recommended for the genetic evaluation of growth traits in beef cattle for exploiting this association.

Highlights

The current market trend is to work with animals with faster growth, which spend less time on pastures or in feedlots, shortening the production cycle which in turn allows for greater economic return
To provide information that can contribute to the genetic evaluation and selection in Tabapuã cattle, genetic parameters were estimated for growth traits using a multi-trait animal model. (Co)variance components were estimated by a Bayesian approach using the Gibbs Sampler
The direct and maternal additive genetic correlations between all pairs of weights were higher than 0.70, indicating a high degree of association between the four traits. This suggests that using any of them as selection criteria will result in correlated response in the others and that multi-trait analysis are recommended for the genetic evaluation of growth traits in beef cattle for exploiting this association

Summary

Introduction

The current market trend is to work with animals with faster growth, which spend less time on pastures or in feedlots, shortening the production cycle which in turn allows for greater economic return. As a result, selecting animals with higher weights at younger ages has been practiced in beef cattle breeding programs in Brazil (Boligon, 2008). According to Sarmento et al (2006), genetic evaluation and subsequent animal selection depend on several factors, including the availability of (co)variance components and genetic parameters estimates for the traits of interest. The choice of multi-trait models aims at achieving greater selection response by more efficiently using the available information, considering the existence of missing values caused by sequential selection and exploiting the correlations between the traits (Marques et al, 2001). To provide information that will contribute to the processes of genetic evaluation and selection in Tabapuã cattle, (co)variance components and genetic parameters for growth traits were estimated using a multi-trait animal model under a Bayesian approach

Material and Methods

Results and Discussion

Conclusions