Short Communication

Related GMR Articles

04/28/2005
Beef cattle; Feed efficiency; Genetic evaluation

Selection for the wide range of traits for which most beef breed associations calculate expected progeny differences focus on increasing the outputs of the production system, thereby increasing the genetic potential of cattle for reproductive rates, weights, growth rates, and end-product yield. Feed costs, however, represent a large proportion of the variable cost of beef production ... more

D.H.Denny Crews
11/02/2008
Beef cattle; Breeding efficiency; Longevity; Selection

The objective of the present study was to estimate (co)variance components for length of productive life (LPL) and some alternative reproductive traits of 6-year-old Nellore cattle. The data set contained 57,410 records for age at first calving from Nellore females and was edited to remove animal records with uncertain paternity and cows with just one piece of calving information. Only animals ... more

J.C.C. Balieiro; J.P. Eler; J.B.S. Ferraz; E.C. Mattos; C.C. Balieiro
10/28/2008
Beef cattle; Crossbreeding; Heterosis; performance

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the heterosis effects on weaning weight at 205 days (WW, n = 146,464), yearling weight at 390 days (YW, n = 69,315) and weight gain from weaning to yearling (WG, n = 59,307) in composite beef cattle. The fixed models were: RM, which included contemporary groups, class of age of dam, outcrossing percentages for direct and maternal effects, and ... more

G.B. Mourão; J.B.S. Ferraz; J.P. Eler; R.S. Bueno; J.C.C. Balieiro; E.C. Mattos; L.G.G. Figueiredo
03/11/2008
Beef cattle; Genetic trend; Heritability; Productive efficiency; Selection

With the aim of estimating the coefficient of heritability of average annual productivity of Nellore cows (COWPROD), a data set from 24,855 animals with known pedigree was analyzed. COWPROD is defined as the amount (in kilograms) of weaned calves produced yearly by one cow during her remaining time in herd ignoring a fixed period of 365 days. COWPROD was calculated regarding three standards: a ... more

J.P. Eler; J.B.S. Ferraz; J.C.C. Balieiro; E.C. Mattos
12/19/2011
Beef cattle; Beef quality; Genetic markers; Growth hormone pathway

The somatotropic axis is a major regulatory pathway of energy metabolism during postnatal growth in mammals. Genes involved in this pathway influence many economically important traits. The association of selected SNPs in these genes with carcass traits was examined in grazing Brangus steers. These traits included final live weight, ultrasound backfat thickness (UBFT), rib-eye area, ... more

M.C. Baeza; P.M. Corva; L.A. Soria; G. Rincón; J.F. Medrano; E. Pavan; E.L. Villarreal; A. Schor; L. Melucci; C. Mezzadra; M.C. Miquel
12/19/2011
Beef cattle; Gibbs samples; Growth; Reproductive traits

We estimated genetic parameters for various phases of body and testicular growth until 550 days of age in Nelore cattle, using Bayesian inference, including correlation values and error estimates. Weight and scrotal records of 54,182 Nelore animals originating from 18 farms participating in the Brazilian Nelore Breeding Program (PMGRN) were included. The following traits were measured: ... more

F.R.Araujo Neto; R.B. Lôbo; M.D.S. Mota; H.N. Oliveira
10/19/2010
Beef cattle; Marker assisted selection; QTL; SNP; Zebu

We analyzed the polymorphisms TFAM HaeIII, TFAM MboI and FABP4 MspA1I in three Nellore lines selected for growth in order to evaluate how selection affects the frequencies of these polymorphisms and evaluate their association with growth and carcass traits in Zebu cattle. Birth, weaning and yearling weights, rump height, longissimus muscle area, backfat ... more

D.R. Ayres; F.R.P. Souza; M.E.Z. Mercadante; L.F.S. Fonseca; H. Tonhati; J.N.S.G. Cyrillo; S.F.M. Bonilha; L.G. Albuquerque
03/23/2010
Beef cattle; Genetic and phenotypic correlations; Heritability; Maternal effect; Swiss cattle; Weight gain

Genetic parameters for traits related to postweaning growth in Braunvieh cattle, reared under tropical and sub-tropical conditions in Brazil, were studied. Weight traits were weight at 365 days of age (W365, N = 4055), at 450 days (W450, N = 3453), and at 550 days (W550, N = 1946), while weight gains were gain from weaning to 365 days of age (WGW365, N = 3060), from weaning to 450 days ( ... more

D.C. Cucco; J.B.S. Ferraz; J.P. Eler; J.C.C. Balieiro; E.C. Mattos; L. Varona
01/06/2010
Beef cattle; Genetic evaluation; Longitudinal data; Random regression

Currently, many different data types are collected by beef cattle breed associations for the purpose of genetic evaluation. These data points are all biological characteristics of individual animals that can be measured multiple times over an animal´s lifetime. Some traits can only be measured once on an individual animal, whereas others, such as the body weight of an animal as it grows, ... more

S.E. Speidel; R.M. Enns; D.H. Crews
02/02/2010
Bayesian approach; Beef cattle; Bos indicus; Genetic correlation; Growth traits; Reproduction

Survival or longevity is an economically important trait in beef cattle. The main inconvenience for its inclusion in selection criteria is delayed recording of phenotypic data and the high computational demand for including survival in proportional hazard models. Thus, identification of a longevity-correlated trait that could be recorded early in life would be very useful for selection ... more

M.H. Van Melis; H.N. Oliveira; J.P. Eler; J.B.S. Ferraz; J. Casellas; L. Varona

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