Genetic aspects of the growth curve characteristics in Anglo-Nubian goats

Abstract

Data of Anglo-Nubian goats from experimental herds of Empresa Estadual de Pesquisa Agropecuária da Paraíba (EMEPA-PB), recorded between 1980 and 2005 were used, with the objective to study the adjustment of Brody, Gompertz, Logístico, Richards and Von Bertalanffy functions on the growth curve and to estimate genetic parameters for the traits obtained from best fitting function. Functions were fitted using NLIN procedure of Statistical Analysis System software (SAS), by GAUSS method. The best fitting was obtained using the Brody function. The respective values of mature weight and maturation rate estimated by Brody function were 28.22kg and 0.0054/day. The Brody function was used to estimate genetic parameters and the (co)variance components for traits of economic importance using the Derivative Free Restricted Maximum Likelihood method, using the WOMBAT software. The estimates direct heritability of mature weight and maturation rate were, respectively, 0.10, and 0.12, and the direct heritability of other weights recorded ranged from 0.10 to 0.28. The results observed in this study indicates small genetic progress using individual selection.