Genetic analyses on bodyweight, reproductive, and carcass traits in composite beef cattle
Bruno Carlos Pires A , Patrícia Tholon B , Marcos Eli Buzanskas A , Ana Paula Sbardella A , Jaqueline Oliveira Rosa A , Luiz Otávio Campos da Silva C , Roberto Augusto de Almeida Torres
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A Departamento de Ciências Exatas, UNESP – Univ Estadual Paulista, Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias e Veterinárias (FCAV), Jaboticabal, São Paulo, Brazil.
B Embrapa Southeast Livestock, São Carlos, São Paulo, Brazil.
C Embrapa Beef Cattle, Campo Grande, Mato Grosso do Sul, Brazil.
D Corresponding author. Email: danisio@fcav.unesp.br
Animal Production Science 57(3) 415-421 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN15458
Submitted: 18 August 2015 Accepted: 4 December 2015 Published: 20 April 2016
Abstract
In beef cattle, growth, reproductive, and carcass traits have been studied for improving productivity and quality of meat products. The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for birth (BW), weaning (WW) and yearling (YW) weights, scrotal circumferences at weaning (SCW) and yearling (SCY), age at first calving (AFC), ribeye area (REA) and back fat thickness (BFT) in order to provide support for the evaluation program of the composite Canchim breed. Data on 12 967 (BW), 7481 (WW), 5131 (YW), 1447 (SCW), 1224 (SCY), 1400 (AFC), and 2082 (REA and BFT) animals were analysed using the Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood method under an animal model (single and multi-trait analyses). A substantial proportion of the variation in the bodyweights, scrotal circumferences and carcass traits was associated with the additive genetic term indicating that these traits may respond to the selection process. For AFC, a low heritability estimate was observed. Genetic correlations among bodyweights varied from 0.41 to 0.93. The genetic correlation among scrotal circumferences was 0.91. Important genetic correlations among YW, SCW, and SCY with AFC were observed (–0.48, –0.61, and –0.71, respectively), indicating that indirect responses to selection for these traits would be expected in the age of which the heifers calve. Furthermore, BFT presented an interesting result with calving performance due to the genetic correlation (–0.69) with AFC. Post-weaning weights showed moderate genetic correlations with REA. Many of the traits considered in the genetic evaluation of this breed are genetically correlated in a favourable manner. Genetic improvement through selection is expected for production, reproduction, and carcass traits in Canchim beef cattle.
Additional keywords: Canchim breed, genetic improvement, genetic parameters, selection.
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