VETINDEX

Periódicos Brasileiros em Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia

p. 06-13

Index proposal for Nelore bulls classification using traits groups of weight, carcass and reproductive

Costa Junior, Jose LauroMalhado, Carlos Henrique MendesRezende, Marcos Paulo Gonçalves deWenceslau, Amauri AriasCarneiro, Paulo Luiz Souza

Genetic breeding programs generally evaluate animals considering the same objectives, but the indices used in the selection criteria can vary. This can give rise to distinct bull rankings in each program. Thus, we aimed to create alternatives for the referral of bulls for mating through multivariate analyses. We used information from the summaries of two genetic evaluation programs (1 and 2) with Nellore bulls. Characteristics were separated into groups: weight, carcass and reproduction. Groups were formed using the mean Euclidean distance and the Tocher optimization method. The means of each trait among the animals allocated to the same group were used to compose the following subindexes: weight gain (siWG), carcass (siCG) and reproduction (siRG). Based on the mean of the group subindex classification, we calculated the average index of group classification (iAGc). When classifying the best groups by characteristics, we observed an increase (superiority of some bulls) in the estimated breeding values (EBVs) by comparison with the total number of bulls evaluated by the programs, selected animals and best 10 final indexes of the programs. There was a change in bull classification when using the iAGc in relation to the classification using the final indexes of the programs. The coefficient of simple coincidence showed that there was a change in bull classification between programs, both between deciles of the final indexes and groups of characteristics. The subindexes siWG, siCG and siRG are important for correcting specific problems inherds. The iAGc should be used instead of the final index of the programs, providing more options for the selection of bulls for mating.(AU)

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