Genetic parameters for milk, growth, and reproductive traits in Guzerá cattle under tropical conditions.

Abstract

This study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters of milk (305-day milk yield (MY305)), growth (weaning weight (WW), yearling weight (YW), and weight at 550days (W550)), and reproductive (age at first calving (AFC)) traits in Guzerá cattle by using Bayesian multiple-trait models. Systematic effects included sex and age at calving for the growth and milk traits, respectively. The additive genetic and contemporary groups (herd and year and season of birth) were included as random effects. Additionally, maternal genetic and permanent effects were also included as random effects for the WW. The heritability estimates were 0.29 (MY305), 0.42 (WW), 0.49 (YW), 0.56 (W550), and 0.25 (AFC). The genetic correlations among the growth traits were higher than 0.83; between the MY305 and WW, MY305 and YW, and MY305 and W550, the genetic correlations were 0.25, 0.32, and 0.36, respectively. The AFC was negatively correlated with the milk and growth traits. These results suggest the viability and potential of the joint selection for milk, beef, and reproductive traits in Guzerá cattle.