Abstract

NEVES, Haroldo Henrique de Rezende; CARVALHEIRO, Roberto; FRIES, Luiz Alberto  and  QUEIROZ, Sandra Aidar de. Combined use of assortative mating and sexed semen in a simulated beef cattle population under selection. R. Bras. Zootec. [online]. 2009, vol.38, n.12, pp. 2368-2374. ISSN 1516-3598.  http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982009001200011.

Stochastic simulation was carried out to access the consequences of combined use of assortative mating and sexed semen in a beef cattle population under selection. Six generations of selection were simulated under three different scenarios of mating strategy and sexed semen use. The first was characterized by random mating and no use of sexed semen. The second was simulated using positive assortative mating (PAM) for the 40% top dams and negative assortative mating (NAM) for the remainder, with no use of sexed semen. The third followed the mating procedure of the second combined with use of sexed semen for dams under positive assortative mating. Positive assortative mating had more impact on the genetic progress than sexed semen, although it increased inbreeding incidence in the population. The combined use of negative assortative mating breeding was not efficient in reducing genetic variability of inferior offspring. The combined use of positive assortative mating and sexed semen improved production of genetically outstanding animals.

Keywords : negative assortative mating; positive assortative mating; selection; stochastic simulation.