ABSTRACT – The objective of this study was to analyze the testicular volume and shape in young males of Nellore Zebu breed and their importance for the evaluation and selection of sires. Four hundred and forty two males, from 12 to 18 month of age, were examined for scrotal circumference (CE), length (COMP), width (LARG) and testicular volume (VOL). The animals were divided in two groups (G1 and G2) according to their date of birth. The VOL was calculated by […]

ABSTRACT – This experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance in feedlot finishing period of steers with genotype of 100 Hereford (H), 62/38 H Nellore (N), 50/50 HN, 25/75 HN. Twenty-four steers, twenty months old, feedlot confined by 126 days, were used. The diet with 12.7% of crude protein, was constituted by 57.5:42.5 forage to concentrate ratio on dry matter (DM) basis. The forage was corn silage + chopped sugar cane (relation 1:1). The regression was significant for the average […]

ABSTRACT – Economic weights for important economic characteristics in the “Milk Production System” of the Santa Rita Experimental Farm, EPAMIG, located in the municipality of Prudente de Moraes, MG were calculated. The economic weights were defined as the partial derivative of profit with respect to each trait, in method (1), and as the partial derivative of the receipts/cost ratio, in method (2), evaluated at the mean value of all other traits. The economic weights, expressed in milk equivalents, for milk […]

ABSTRACT – Growth records data of 688 animals from the Nellore breed reared in two herds in the El’Dourado farm were used to estimate the means, heritability coefficients and the genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations for the birth weight, weaning weight and from birth to weaning daily gain (pre-weaning daily gain). The least-Square Method was used for the analysis of variance of data with unequal frequency in the subclasses. The average observed birth weight, weaning weight (at 205 days) and […]

ABSTRACT – Twelve quantitative carcass traits of 162 Charolais (Ch), Caracu (Ca), 3/4Ca+1/4Ch, 3/4Ch+1/4Ca, 5/8Ca+3/8Ch and 5/8Ch+3/8Ca, born from 1988 to 1993, were analyzed. Averages for age at the beginning of the confinement period, initial weight, length of confinement period, final age and final weight were, respectively, 712 days, 362 kg, 99 days, 811 days and 489 kg. During the confinement period, the animals were fed corn silage ad libitum and a concentrate diet (79% TDN, 17,8% CP) offered on […]

ABSTRACT – Daily dry matter intake (CPUPV), feed:gain ratio (CONV) and average daily gain (ADG) of 80 Charolais (Ch), Caracu (Ca) and reciprocal crossbred (ChCa and CaCh) males were analyzed. The ChCa and CaCh were generated by rotational Ch x Ca crossbreeding. All animals were fed in individual stalls for 76 to 97 day periods receiving corn silage ad libitum and a concentrate containing 17.8% CP and 79% TDN fed 1% LW/animal•day. The three traits were analyzed first as a […]

ABSTRACT – Data from 573 primiparous lactating Gyr cows were used to estimate the (co) variance components of the conformation traits, milk production up to 305 days of lactation (MP) and age at first calving (AFC) by REML method. These components were used to calculate heritability coefficients and genetic, phenotypic and residual correlations. The conformation measures, the heart girth (HG), croup height (CH), body length (BL), teats length (TL), teats diameter (TD) and udder height (UH) were obtained in the […]