Análise de características reprodutivas, tratadas como variáveis categóricas, em bovinos da raça Nelore

Abstract

In the present study were obtained, in a population of Nellore cattle, estimates of genetic parameters for the characteristics probability of calving up to 39 months at age (PC39), stayability, considering three calving until 5.2 (STAY5,2) and trhee calving until 6.2 years old (STAY6,2), and the first four calving interval (CI1, CI2, CI3 and CI4), treated as categorical traits, and scrotal perimeter at weaning (EPD) and at 18 months of age (EPS), treated as continuos trait. Were used Baeysian procedures, in single and two trait analysis, by using THRGIBBS1F90 and GIBBS2F90 programs. Information from Nellore animals belonging to the Geneplus-Embrapa program was used. The heritabilities for PC39, STAY3,1, STAY3,2, EPD and EPS in single trait analysis were 0.14, 0.20, 0.23, 0.28 and 0.36, respectively. For the calving interval estimates heritabilities for CI1, CI2, CI3 and CI4 were 0.13, 0.13, 0.12 and 0.017, respectively. These values indicate that genetic gains by direct selection in any of the intervals would be very small. In the two trait analysis the heritabilities for PC39 and EPS were 0.15 and 0.38, respectively. The low values of estimates showed that small gains would be obtained by direct selection in any of traits measured in females. EPD and EPS had higher heritabilities. The correlation between EPS and PC39 was positive with low magnitude (0.25), suggesting that the selection for the increase of EPS of sires could possibly lead to small changes in the PC39. In general, estimates of heritability for traits measured in dams were low and for traits measured in males were moderate to low. This result is likely those reported in most studies with the same traits. However, the threshold model was able to detect additive genetic variance for the traits under study and can permit to promote gains, albeit small, by direct selection.