Genetic parameters and heterogeneity of variance to milk yield in Murrah breed for Bayesian inference

Abstract

Data from 2061 lactations of 532 females of the Murrah breed, daughters of 44 sires, calving from 1975 to 2001 were used to evaluate the effects of heterogeneity at variance on sires genetic evaluation. The standard deviation of the milk yield was used to classify the herds among high and low variability levels. An animal model, used to estimate variance component, included the fixed effect of herds-year, season of calving, animal random effect, permanent and temporary environments. Variance components were estimated to milk yield in both levels, considering the milk yield in each production level as different trait. Estimatives of heritability were 0.39, in general analysis, and equal to 0.33 and 0.41 for milk yield in high and low levels, respectively. Genetic correlations between high and low production levels were 58. The sires were selected according to the environment most changeable where daughters are raised, and not properly for its genetic breeding.