Estimates of genetic parameters for carcass, growth and reproductive traits in Nellore cattle

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for female mature weight (FMW), age at first calving (AFC): weight gain from birth to 120 days (WG_B_120), from 210 to 365 days (WG_210_365), rib eye area (REA), back fat thickness (BF), rump fat (RF) and body weight at scanning date (BWS) using single and multiple-trait animal models by the REML method from Nellore cattle data. The estimates of heritability ranged from 0.163 +/- 0.011 for WG_210_365 to 0.309 +/- 0.028 for RF using the single-trait model and from 0.163 +/- 0.010 for WG_210_365 to 0.382 +/- 0.025 for BWS using the multiple-trait model. The estimates of genetic correlations ranged from -0.35 +/- 0.08 between AFC with BF to 0.69 +/- 0.04 between WG_B_120 with BWS. Selection for weights gains, REA, and BWS can improve FMW. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.