The objectives of this study were to obtain estimates of heritability and genetic, phenotypic and environmental correlations for average daily gains from birth to weaning (DGBW), from weaning to 12 months (DGW12), from 12 to 18 months (DG1218) and from 18 to 24 months (DG1824) of age, and to estimate the principal components for these growth traits in Canchim cattle. The data were analyzed by the least square method. The heritability estimates were 0.39± 0.07 (DGBW), 0.12±0.04 (DGW12), 0.20±0.05 (DG1218) and 0.13±0.05 (DG1824). The genetic correlations between DGBW and DG1218, and DGW12 and DG1218 were moderated and positive, indicating favorable genetic association among these traits. The genetic correlations among body weight gains and adjacent body weights were, in general, high and positive. For body weights, the first principal component explained 74% of total variation, and it is an index of the studied traits, and the importance of each one increased as the animal aged. The second component explained 14% of the variation, and contrasts heavier animals at weaning and at 18 months with heavier animals at 24 months old, characterizing animals with higher or less precocity and precocious and late maturation rate. For body weight gains the first component explained 44% of the total variation, and contrasts animals with higher DGW12 and DG1824 with animals with higher DG1218 or, in other words, contrasts the gains obtained during the less favorable season of the year (from weaning to one year of age and 18 to 24 months of age) with the gains obtained during the most favorable season of the year (from12 to 24 months).
genetic parameters; principal components; weights; weight gains
