Com o objetivo de se comparar o ajustamento de modelos com diferentes definições de grupos contemporâneos sobre as estimativas de (co)variâncias e parâmetros genéticos para pesos padronizados e reais aos 120 e 210 dias de idade, analisaram-se dados de 72.731 bezerros Nelore, machos e fêmeas, nascidos de 1985 a 2005 em 40 rebanhos integrantes do PMGRN - Nelore Brasil. Foram comparados quatro modelos incluindo diferentes estruturas de grupos contemporâneos (CG), julgados pelos critérios de informação de Akaike, Bayesiano e modificado de Akaike. As estimativas foram obtidas pelo método da máxima verossimilhança restrita livre de derivadas. As estimativas de (co)variâncias e parâmetros genéticos foram similares entre os modelos, porém os critérios de informação (BIC, CAIC) indicaram que o modelo mais adequado é o que considera o grupo contemporâneo como efeito aleatório, sendo este constituído pela concatenação dos efeitos de rebanho, ano de nascimento, grupo de manejo e efeito sazonal de trimestre de nascimento, e com efeito do sexo do bezerro independente do CG.

We used actual and adjusted weights to 120 d and 210 d of age of 72,731 male and female Nellore calves born in 40 PMGRN - Nellore Brazil herds from 1985 to 2005 aiming to compare the effect of different definitions of contemporary groups on estimates of (co)variance and genetic parameters. Four models, each one with a different structure of contemporary group (CG), were compared using the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC), the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), and the Consistent Akaike Information Criterion (CAIC). (Co)variance estimates were obtained using a derivative-free restricted maximum likelihood procedure. Estimates of (co)variances and genetic parameters were similar for the four models considered. However, the BIC and CAIC indicated that the most appropriate model for this Nellore population was the one that considered CG to be random, and sex of calf to be fixed and separate from CG, in which CG was defined as the group of calves born in the same herd, year, season of birth (trimester), and undergone the same management.

The objective of this research was to estimate the relative magnitude of effects included in contemporary groups (CG) and their interactions with adjusted and actual 120 d and 210 d weights in 72, 731 male and female Nelore calves born from 1985 to 2005 in 40 herds from PMGRN (Genetic Improvement Program of Nelore). Ten models with different CG structures were compared. The analyses were done using the general linear models (GLM) procedure run in SAS software. All of the effects included in the CG for each model were significant (p < 0.001) for the four traits analyzed. Inclusion of semester or trimester of birth as part of a CG was more appropriate than its use as an independent effect in the model because it accounted for interactions with the other effects in the CG. Calf sex (CS) and dam age at calving (DAC) had similar effects across the models, which suggested independence from other effects in these models. The corresponding age deviation effect had a larger impact on actual weight at 120 d than any other effect in all of the models tested. The use of actual weights in models with no CS effect in CG provides an alternative that would allow better genetic connectedness among CGs and greater accuracy in genetic evaluations.

O objetivo deste trabalho foi comparar as estimativas de parâmetros genéticos obtidas em análises bayesianas uni-característica e bi-característica, em modelo animal linear e de limiar, considerando-se as características categóricas morfológicas de bovinos da raça Nelore. Os dados de musculosidade, estrutura física e conformação foram obtidos entre 2000 e 2005, em 3.864 animais de 13 fazendas participantes do Programa Nelore Brasil. Foram realizadas análises bayesianas uni e bi-características, em modelos de limiar e linear. De modo geral, os modelos de limiar e linear foram eficientes na estimação dos parâmetros genéticos para escores visuais em análises bayesianas uni-características. Nas análises bi-características, observou-se que: com utilização de dados contínuos e categóricos, o modelo de limiar proporcionou estimativas de correlação genética de maior magnitude do que aquelas do modelo linear; e com o uso de dados categóricos, as estimativas de herdabilidade foram semelhantes. A vantagem do modelo linear foi o menor tempo gasto no processamento das análises. Na avaliação genética de animais para escores visuais, o uso do modelo de limiar ou linear não influenciou a classificação dos animais, quanto aos valores genéticos preditos, o que indica que ambos os modelos podem ser utilizados em programas de melhoramento genético.

The objective of this work was to compare the estimates of genetic parameters obtained in single-trait and two-trait bayesian analyses, under linear and threshold animal models, considering categorical morphological traits of bovines of the Nelore breed. Data of musculature, physical structure and conformation were obtained between years 2000 and 2005, from 3,864 bovines of the Nelore breed from 13 participant farms of the Nelore Brazil Program. Single-trait and two-trait bayesian analyses were performed under linear and threshold animal models. In general, the linear and threshold models were efficient in estimating genetic parameters for visual scores under single-trait bayesian analyses. In the two-trait analyses, it was observed that: using continuous and categorical data, the threshold model provided greater estimates of genetic correlation than those of the linear model; with categorical data, the heritability estimates were similar. One major advantage of the linear models was its smaller requirements in the analyses processing time. In the genetic evaluation of animals for visual scores, the use of the linear or threshold model did not influence the classification of the animals, based on their predicted breeding values, which suggests that both models can be used in genetic improvement programs.

We used Gibbs sampling in single and two-trait animal models to estimate genetic parameters for some reproductive and related traits of Nellore cattle (Bos indicus). Female traits were age at first calving (AFC), cumulative productivity (CP) and adult weight (AW). For males, scrotal circumferences at 365 and 450 days of age were analyzed. Gibbs sampling using the ‘Multiple Trait using Gibbs Sampling under Animal Model’ (MTGSAM) program of Van Tassel and Van Vleck was used to estimate the (co)variance components of the traits and conduct genetic analyses. Heritabilities were AFC = 0.26, AW = 0.36 and CP = 0.25 under the single-trait animal model. The mean, mode and median estimates for genetic parameters obtained from the marginal posterior distributions were similar for all traits except AW, which presented lower values for the mode than the mean and median. However, the marginal posterior distributions for the traits studied presented a tendency toward normality. Favorable, but low, negative genetic correlations were found between male scrotal circumference and female age at first calving. The reproductive traits showed medium-magnitude heritabilities, which indicates that these traits should respond to selection and therefore should be included in genetic improvement programs.

The objective of this study was to estimate (co)variance components and genetic parameters for weights (W) and scrotal circumferences (SC) at 365 and 450 days of age, of Nelore (Bos indicus) cattle, using Bayesian inference in single and multiple-trait animal models. The fitted linear models included, besides the animal and residual random effects, the contemporary group (herd-year-season-sex-management group) and age-of-dam as "fixed effects". The analyses were carried out using a Gibbs sampler implemented through the MTGSAM program. The heritabilities (in parentheses) obtained fitting single-trait models were W365 (0.49), W450 (0.52), SC365 (0.68) and SC450 (0.66). Estimates of means, modes and medians for genetic parameters obtained from marginal posterior distributions were similar for all traits. The W365 and SC365 can be considered as suitable traits to be included as selection criteria in genetic improvement programs, not only because of their relatively high heritabilities but also due to the fact that they can be measured when the animals are relatively young compared to the corresponding traits W450 and SC450. The Bayesian approach appears to be an appropriate alternative for estimating genetic parameters, and has the advantage over point estimation methods of allowing inferences on marginal posterior distributions.