Meta-análise em estimativas de herdabilidade de características de crescimento em bovinos da raça nelore

Abstract

There is a great difference of results between the articles in the literature about growth traits heritability in beef cattle, and it is important to make a meta-analysis to indicate the magnitude of heritabilities in the assessed populations and obtain a better estimated overall value. This work aimed to make a meta-analysis to heritabilities of birth weight (PN), weaning weight (PD), 365-days weight (PA) and yearling weight (PS) and to discover a more secure overall reference for heritabilities of these traits. A total of 65 studies were selected with 215 heritability estimates as follows: 29 heritability estimates of birth weight, 74 weaning weight, 36 estimates for 365-days weight and 76 yearling weight. Afterwards, each work data was collected and had its quality evaluated, the results were assessed and synthesized and the data collected were interpreted and its research results were presented. Data from animals with 205 to 240 days were used as a pattern for weaning weight and 450 to 550 days for yearling weight, which are considered standard values in the selected studies. The combined heritabilities of birth weight (PN), weaning weight (PD), 365-days weight (PA), and yearling weight (PS) estimated by this study were 0,35, 0,24, 0,31 and 0,39, respectively. The PN, PA and PS can be considered highly inheritable, whereas PD can be considered moderately inheritable. Therefore, they can be used as selection criteria by farmers because they will allow a genetic and productive development.