Genetic parameters for ultrasound-evaluated carcass and body traits in Anglo-Nubian goats

• Published in: Revista Colombiana de Ciencias Pecuarias 2021, Vol.34 (1), p.40-50
• Main Authors: Figueiredo-Filho, Luiz AS, Sarmento, José LR, Campelo, José EG, Santos, Natanael PS, Sena, Luciano S, Torres, Tatiana S
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: (co)variance; (co)variancia; (co)variância; amostragem de Gibbs; Anglonubian; Anglonubiana; Animal breeding; animal production; Aumento da variabilidade de genes; bayesian inference; cabras; Cabras da Núbia; Cabras Nubia; Calidad; calidad de carne; canal; caprinocultura; carcass; carcaça; Carne de cabra; Carne de caprino; correlación genética; correlação genética; genetic correlation; Genetic gain; genetic parameters; Gibbs sampling; Goat meat; goats; heredabilidad; heredabilidade; Hereditariedade; heritability; inferencia bayesiana; inferência bayesiana; meat quality; Mejora genética; Mejoramiento animal; Melhoramento animal; muestreo de Gibbs; Nubian Goats; parámetros genéticos; Parâmetro genético; parâmetros genéticos; producción animal; produção animal; Qualidade; qualidade da carne; Quality; selección; selection; selection index; seleção; Ultrasonografia; ultrasonografía; ultrasonography; ultrassonografia; índice de selección; Índice de selecção; índice de seleção
• ISSN: 0120-0690; 2256-2958
• DOI: 10.17533/udea.rccp.v34n1a04

Background: Meat goat breeding programs should prioritize the identification and selection of genetically superior animals for traits related to meat quality and carcass yield in order to increase the value of the final product. Objective: To estimate (co)variance components and genetic parameters for ultrasound-measured carcass traits, body size and body weight in AngloNubian breed goats raised in the Mid-North region of Brazil. Methods: (Co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated using the single and two-trait animal model analyses via Bayesian inference for loin eye dimensions (area, length, and depth), sternal fat thickness, rump height, chest circumference and depth, leg perimeter, and body weight. Results: Heritability estimates were higher when two-trait analyses were used. This finding implies that it is possible to recover part of the additive genetic variance included in the residual variance due to the correlation between traits. Genetic correlations between carcass and body size traits showed different magnitudes. On the other hand, genetic correlations between the traits related to muscularity showed high magnitudes. Conclusions: Body weight was not a good indicator of muscularity; therefore, it is not recommended as a criterion for indirect selection to improve carcass traits of Anglo-Nubian goats. Leg perimeter and chest circumference may be important to construct selection indexes in meat goat breeding programs.