The objective of this study was to evaluate the genotype x environment interaction for body weight at weaning (WW) and 12 months of age (W12), average daily gain from weaning to 12 months of age (ADG), and performance based on a principal components index (PC) involving these three traits, in a Canchim (5/8 Charolais + 3/8 Zebu) herd. The environment was the season (semester) of birth, and two methods were used to evaluate the genotype x environment interaction: Method 1 - genetic parameters estimated by the derivative free maximum likelihood method (REML), using two-trait analyses (the same trait in the two seasons), and a model that included the effects of year and month of birth, sex and age of cow as a covariate (linear and quadratic effects), and the random effect of animal; and Method 2 - same methodology as Method 1, but with two statistical models, with or without the uncorrelated random effect of sire - season of birth, testing the difference between the two models using the likelyhood ratio test. By Method 1, the genetic correlations for the same trait in the two environments (seasons) were equal to 0.87, 0.97, 0.91 and 0.88 for WW, W12, ADG and PC, respectively. The heritability estimates were very similar for both environments, for all traits studied. By Method 2, the sire-season of birth effect was significant for all traits studied. These results show evidence of genotype x season of birth interaction for the traits studied, suggesting that, in this herd, genetic evaluation and selection should take this interaction into account.
body weight; Canchim cattle; genetic correlation; heritability; season of birth
