Phenotypic relationship of female sexual precocity with production and reproduction traits in beef cattle using multivariate statistical techniques

Abstract

de Albuquerque (2019) Phenotypic relationship of female sexual precocity with production and reproduction traits in beef cattle using multivariate statistical techniques, Italian

Sustainable Intensification of Beef Production in the Tropics: The Role of Genetically Improving Sexual Precocity of Heifers

“…In this sense, the reproductive practice of having an early breeding season for identifying precocious heifers also impacts the expression of stayability. As reported by Terakado et al [ 10 ] and Fernandes Júnior et al [ 11 ], in scenario 2, precocious females presented a higher probability of staying in the herd for a longer time (success stayability) compared with non-precocious females. This might be related to the fact that precocious heifers have more time for recovering from their first calving to their first rebreeding than non-precocious [ 10 ].…”

“…In this scenario, heifers that fail to conceive in the fall season (non-precocious) have a second opportunity in the summer season, and precocious heifers have the advantage of having a longer period from their first calving to conception (10 to 11 months) than non-precocious (3 to 5 months). Females (dams and heifers) that fail to conceive in the summer season are culled [ 10 , 11 , 69 ]. This management practice favors the achievement of higher percentages of early pregnancy and heifer rebreeding rates in the herds.…”

“…This management practice favors the achievement of higher percentages of early pregnancy and heifer rebreeding rates in the herds. Additionally, anticipating heifer reproductive life was found to be favorably associated with cow cumulative productivity and longevity in tropical beef cattle [ 11 ].…”

“…It contributes to anticipating female productive life and is favorably genetically associated with lifetime reproductive performance in tropically-adapted beef cattle [ 7 , 8 , 9 ]. In addition, sexually precocious heifers may produce slightly heavier calves at weaning than non-precocious [ 10 ], in addition, to be related with higher growth rates and better product quality [ 11 ].…”

Efeito da idade a primeira concepção como critério de seleção em características de crescimento e carcaça em bovinos Nelore

“…Novilhas que emprenham no início da estação reprodutiva e parem também no início da estação de nascimento, apresentam bezerros mais pesados e maior tempo de recuperação pós-parto, resultando em maiores chances de se apresentarem prenhas no início das estações reprodutivas subsequentes (10,11) . Assim, a seleção genética para precocidade sexual em novilhas permite otimizar o ciclo produtivo e em sistemas de produção de bovinos de corte a sustentabilidade econômica está relacionada ao crescimento, eficiência reprodutiva, carcaça e produção (12) .…”