Bayesian meta-analysis of genetic parameters for growth traits in beef cattle

Abstract

Bayesian meta-analysis was performed in a data set of heritability estimates for growth traits of zebu beef cattle with 869 direct heritabilities, 186 maternal heritabilities, and 123 direct-maternal genetic correlation. The fitting and development of a hierarchical model made possible to obtain pooled heritability estimates for birth weight, weaning weight, weight at 365 days of age and weight at 550 days of age, whose values were, respectively: 0.31, 0.24, 0.28 e 0.33 for direct effects; 0.09, 0.13, 0.12 e 0.05 for maternal effects; and -0.16, -0.16, -0.20 e -0.16 for direct-maternal genetic correlation. Meta-analysis conducted under Bayesian framework was adequate, since hierarchical model considers between-study and within-study variances, and its implementation and conduction are facilitated, mainly, due to the advance in computational area.