Objective.

Estimate the heritability and correlations of three growth-related traits in Romosinuano Creole cattle, and to construct a selection index (IS).

Materials and methods.

A database made up of 4079 records of weight at birth (PN), weaning (PD) and at 16 months of age (P16m), obtained in the period 1943-2018, from the Turipaná research center herd of Romosinuano Colombian creole cattle was analyzed. Both the heritability values for each character and their correlations were estimated using the multivariate animal model; genetic values (VG) and their relationship using principal component analysis.

Results.

Genetic correlations between PN and PD, PN and P16m, and PD and P16m were moderate to high magnitude and positive, indicating a favorable genetic association between these traits. The standardized VGs for PN, PD and P16m exhibited a high association with the first principal component. The estimates of total heritability for PN, PD and P16m were equal to 0.18±0.04, 0.16±0.04 and 0.13±0.04, respectively.

Conclusions.

suggesting that these characters will respond slowly to selection, however, it could be improved by constructing IS based on the main components.

        · resumen en Español     · texto en Español     · Español ( pdf )