ABSTRACT To conduct an optimal breeding and selection program, it is necessary to understand the genetic underpinnings of the desired traits. Early growth is an indicator of future success in the production and reproduction of buffaloes. This study aimed to estimate the (co)variance components for growth traits of Anatolian buffalo calves in Yozgat by employing six animal models with the different combinations of additive genetic, maternal genetic, maternal permanent effects, and covariance between offspring and dam. Birth weight (BW), six-month […]

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate genomic information inclusion in genetic parameter estimation of standardized body weight at birth and at 240, 365, and 450 days of age, and visual scores for body structure, precocity, and body muscularity, measured as yearlings in Nelore cattle. We compared genetic parameters, (co)variance components (estimated from Bayesian inference and Gibbs sampling), breeding value accuracies, genetic trends, and principal component analysis (PCA) obtained through traditional GBLUP and ssGBLUP methods. For all traits […]

ABSTRACT We aimed to evaluate the effects of sex and the linear and quadratic components of age of dam at calving, as well as apply a mixed model including maternal effect for the genetic evaluation of weaning (WW) and yearling (YW) weights. The phenotypic database was composed by Charolais, Caracu, Aberdeen Angus, and Canchim purebred and crossbred animals. Single-trait analyses were performed using models that included the maternal effect for WW and YW traits, and a model ignoring this effect […]

ABSTRACT This study was conducted to investigate the growth hormone ( GH; somatotropin-like) gene polymorphisms in 150 water buffalo ( Bubalus bubalis ) from different regions of Turkey. 404 bp long partial intron 4, exon 5, 3’ UTR regions of the GH gene (also called GH/Alu I locus) and 347 bp long exon-intron 3 and partial exon 4 regions of the GH gene (also called GH/Msp I locus) were amplified, and their PCR products analyzed via DNA sequencing method. Seven […]

The objective of this work was to study the effects of age of cow at calving (IPV) and age of calf at weaning (IDD) as well as the direct additive genetic effects (AD) and maternal (AM), and the individual heterozygosity (HI) on visual scores of conformation (CD), precocity (PD) and musculature (MD) and average daily weight gain from birth to weaning (GND), for animals used to form the Brangus breed. The study analyzed 53,683, 45,136, 52,937 and 56,471 records on […]

The objective of this paper was to compare the estimates of genetic parameters obtained by REML and method Â. Animal model single-trait analyses were performed using a data set of Nellore cattle. Statistical models included fixed effects of contemporary group (herd, year, sex and management groups at weaning and 550 days) and age of animal (covariable-linear effect), and additive genetic and residual random effects. Heritability estimates were 0.36 and 0.39 for weight at 550 days (W550); 0.27 and 0.29 for […]

The data were obtained from 51 herds to participate in the Nelore Catttle Breeding Program (NCBP) from the states of Goiás (GO), Mato Grosso do Sul (MS), Mato Grosso (MT), Minas Gerais (MG), São Paulo (SP), Maranhão (MA) and Bahia (BA). Were used to estimative genetic parameters for standardized weights at 120 (P120), 455 (P455) and 550 (550) days of age. Univariate and bivariate analysis were performed by animal model using MTDFREML program. For P120 was used a model that […]

Records from an unselected flock of Morada Nova sheep collected over an 11-year period (1981 to 1991) were used to evaluate environmental sources of variation affecting growth traits. The effects of year of birth to yearling (A), sex of lamb (S), type of birth (T), and weigth of ewe at lambing (P) were important sources of variation to explain differences in weigth at birth (PN), weaning (PD), six- months (PM6) and 12 months (PM12) of age. Males were heavier than […]

The pre-weaning performance of Nellore (N), Guzerá x N (GN), Red Angus x N (RN) and Marchigiana x N (MN) calves, from a crossbreeding experiment conducted at IAPAR Paranavaí Experimental Station, produced by artificial insemination, born between 1985 and 1998 within two birth seasons (January to April and July to December) was studied. The least squares method was utilized to analyze 721 observations of birth weight (PNT) and 686 of weaning weight (PDS) and average daily gain from birth to […]

Data to 53433 of Nellore cattle were used to estimate genetic parameters for standardized weights at 120, 240, and 550 days of age (P120, P240, and P550 respectively), scrotal circumference at 550 days (PE550), days to reach 160 kg (D160), and 240 kg (D240) of live weigh. It was used software the MTDFREML with mixed-model analysis using animal model. Model included fixed effects of contemporary groups (GC) and classes of age-of-dam calving and random direct and maternal genetic effects, the […]