Genetic evaluation of growth traits and resistance to verminoses in Santa Inês sheep using random regression models and cluster analysis

Abstract

The random regression models have as main advantage a better adjustment of the longitudinal data. Multivariate analyzes are used to explore and understand the information contained in a dataset and allow a better understanding of the genetic structure of the population by exploiting the breeding values of the animals. The aim of this study is the use of cluster analyzes to explore the genetic profile of the animals for meat production, resistance and resilience, and to identify superior animals and to use them as future breeders in Santa Inês sheep selection. To perform the analysis, a dataset with 2,531 records of 771 Santa Inês sheep will be used. The traits that will be analyze are: body weight (BW), egg count per gram of feces (EPG) and globular volume (GV). The components of variance will be calculate using unitrait regression models. Based on the predicted additive breeding values of the studied traits, group analyzes will be performe by the hierarchical and non hierarchical method, in order to characterize the groups that will be submitted to selection.