The genetic parameters for growth, reproductive and maternal traits in a multibreed meat sheep population were estimated by applying the Average Information Restricted Maximum Likelihood method to an animal model. Data from a flock supported by the Programa de Melhoramento Genético de Caprinos e Ovinos de Corte (GENECOC) were used. The traits studied included birth weight (BW), weaning weight (WW), slaughter weight (SW), yearling weight (YW), weight gain from birth to weaning (GBW), weight gain from weaning to slaughter (GWS), weight gain from weaning to yearling (GWY), age at first lambing (AFL), lambing interval (LI), gestation length (GL), lambing date (LD - number of days between the start of breeding season and lambing), litter weight at birth (LWB) and litter weight at weaning (LWW). The direct heritabilities were 0.35, 0.81, 0.65, 0.49, 0.20, 0.15 and 0.39 for BW, WW, SW, YW, GBW, GWS and GWY, respectively, and 0.04, 0.06, 0.10, 0.05, 0.15 and 0.11 for AFL, LI, GL, LD, LWB and LWW, respectively. Positive genetic correlations were observed among body weights. In contrast, there was a negative genetic correlation between GBW and GWS (-0.49) and GBW and GWY (-0.56). Positive genetic correlations were observed between AFL and LI, LI and GL, and LWB and LWW. These results indicate a strong maternal influence in this herd and the presence of sufficient genetic variation to allow mass selection for growth traits. Additive effects were of little importance for reproductive traits, and other strategies are necessary to improve the performance of these animals.

We determined the polymorphism C242T of the aromatase gene (Cyp19) and its allelic frequency, as well as the effect of the variants on productive and reproductive traits in 71 purebred Santa Inês sheep, 13 purebred Brazilian Somali sheep, nine purebred Poll Dorset sheep, and 18 crossbred 1/2 Dorper sheep. The animals were genotyped using the PCR-RFLP technique. The influence of the animal's genotype on its performance or on the performance of its lambs was analyzed by the least square method. Another factor assessed was the importance of the animal's genotype in analysis models for quantitative breeding value estimates, and whether there were differences among the averages of breeding values of animals with different genotypes for this gene. In the sample studied, no AA individuals were observed; the AB and BB frequencies were 0.64 and 0.36, respectively. All Brazilian Somali sheep were of genotype BB. All 1/2 Dorper BB animals presented a lower age at first lambing, and the Santa Inês BB ewes presented a lower lambing interval. In these same genetic groups, AB ewes presented higher litter weight at weaning. This is evidence that BB ewes have a better reproductive performance phenotype, whereas AB ewes present a better maternal ability phenotype. However, in general, animals with genotype AB presented better average breeding values than those with genotype BB.

Este trabalho foi realizado com os objetivos de estudar o ajuste das funções de Richards, Brody, Gompertz, Von Bertalanffy e Logística sobre a curva de crescimento de ovinos Santa Inês e estimar parâmetros genéticos para características calculadas a partir da função de melhor ajuste. Foram utilizadas apenas informações de fêmeas controladas entre os anos de 1993 e 2004, na Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, e entre 1981 e 2004, na Embrapa Caprinos. Para o ajuste das curvas, as análises foram realizadas separadamente para cada rebanho, utilizando-se o procedimento NLIN do software Statistical Analysis System (SAS), por meio do método de GAUSS. Para determinar a função que melhor ajustava os dados, foram utilizados os critérios de coeficiente de determinação (R²), de quadrado médio residual (QMR) e o erro de predição médio (EM). No rebanho da Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, todas as funções subestimaram os pesos, à exceção da curva de Richards. Diferentemente, todas as funções superestimaram o peso predito para o rebanho da Embrapa Caprinos. A curva de Richards foi a que promoveu melhor ajuste nos dois rebanhos. Os valores do peso adulto e da taxa de maturação estimados pela função de Richards foram de 54,38 kg e 0,00144/dia, respectivamente, para o rebanho da Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros, e 42,74 kg e 0,00260/dia, respectivamente, para o da Embrapa Caprinos. A função de Richards foi utilizada para estimar curvas individuais de crescimento dos animais. A partir destas curvas, foram estimadas várias características de interesse econômico. Os parâmetros genéticos e os componentes de (co) variância para estas características foram estimados pelo método da Máxima Verossimilhança Restrita Livre de Derivadas (DFREML), utilizando-se o software MTDFREML. As estimativas de herdabilidades direta e materna variaram, respectivamente, de 0,01 a 0,99 e de 0,00 a 0,13. É possível alterar o padrão da curva de crescimento destes animais por meio de seleção.

The aim of this work was to study the adjustment of Richards, Brody, Gompertz, Von Bertalanffy and Logistic functions on the growth curve of Santa Inês hair sheep and to estimate genetic parameters for the traits obtained from the best fitting function. Information from females of the Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros herd recorded between 1993 and 2004 and from the Embrapa Caprinos herd recorded between 1981 and 2004 was used. Functions were fitted for each herd, using NLIN procedure of Statistical Analysis System software (SAS), by GAUSS method. The coefficient of determination (R²), residual mean square (QMR) and mean prediction error (EM) were the criteria used to determine the best fitting function. For the Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros herd, all the functions subestimated the weights, except the Richards function. On the other hand, all the functions superestimated the weights of animals from the Embrapa Caprinos herd. The best fitting in the both herds was obtained using the Richards function. The respective values of mature weight and maturation rate estimated by Richards function were 54.38 kg and 0.00144/day for Embrapa Tabuleiros Costeiros herd and 42.74 kg and 0.00260/day for Embrapa Caprinos herd. The Richards function was used to estimate individual growth curves of animals in order to estimate genetic parameters and the (co)variance components for traits of economic importance using the Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood method (DFREML). The estimates of direct and maternal heritabilities ranged, respectively, from 0.01 to 0.99 and 0.00 to 0.13 suggesting the possibility of changing the growth curve of Santa Ines sheep by selection.