Genetic analysis on accumulated productivity and calving intervals in Nelore cattle

Author(s)

Grossi, Daniela do Amaral ^[1] ; Berton, Mariana Piatto ^[2] ; Buzanskas, Marcos Eli ^[3] ; Seleguim Chud, Tatiane Cristina ^[3] ; Grupioni, Natalia Vinhal ^[3] ; Paro de Paz, Claudia Cristina ^{[4, 5]} ; Lobo, Raysildo Barbosa ^[6] ; Munari, Danisio Prado ^[3]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Guelph, Dept Anim & Poultry Sci, Ctr Genet Improvement Livestock, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1 - Canada

^[2] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Dept Zootecnia, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[3] Univ Estadual Paulista, UNESP, Fac Ciencias Agr & Vet, Dept Ciencias Exatas, BR-14884900 Jaboticabal, SP - Brazil

^[4] Univ Sao Paulo, Fac Med Ribeirao Preto, Dept Genet, BR-14049900 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

^[5] Ctr APTA Bovinos Corte, Inst Zootecnia, BR-14174000 Sertaozinho, SP - Brazil

^[6] Assoc Nacl Criadores & Pesquisadores, BR-14020230 Ribeirao Preto, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: TROPICAL ANIMAL HEALTH AND PRODUCTION; v. 48, n. 1, p. 207-210, JAN 2016.
• Web of Science Citations: 3

Abstract

The aim of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for accumulated productivity (ACP), first calving interval (CII), second calving interval (CI2), and mean calving interval (MCI) in Nelore beef cattle. The ACP trait is a reproduction index and comprises the total number of calves born per dam, weight of weaned calves, and age of the dam at calving. Genetic parameters were estimated by the average information restricted maximum likelihood method in two trait analyses. The average heritability estimate for ACP was 0.17 (0.03). For CII, Cl2, and MCI, the heritability estimates were 0.02, 0.02, and 0.06, respectively. Genetic correlations between ACP with CI1, Cl2, and MCI were -0.16 +/- 0.47, -0.29 +/- 0.53, and -0.40 +/- 0.27, respectively. Despite of the low heritability estimates obtained in our study, reproduction traits should be further studied and their inclusion in the selection criteria must be evaluated in order to improve the performance of females because these traits are of great economic importance in beef cattle. Accumulated productivity could contribute to decrease the mean calving interval in Nelore cattle. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 13/19335-2 - Study of admixture level in Canchim breed and ma genetic group animals using high density single nucleotide polymorphism markers
• Grantee: Marcos Eli Buzanskas
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral
• FAPESP's process: 15/08939-0 - Identification of copy number variations in Girolando cattle
• Grantee: Tatiane Cristina Seleguim Chud
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate