Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Heritability and genetic correlations between marbling in longissimus dorsi muscle and conventional economic traits in Nellore beef cattle

  • Regular Articles
  • Published:
Tropical Animal Health and Production Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In Nellore beef cattle, studies addressing genetic correlations between ultrasound marbling content and other economically important traits are still incipient. Therefore, this work aimed to estimate heritability and genetic correlations between ultrasound marbling content in the longissimus dorsi muscle (MARB) and growth, reproductive, feed efficiency, and carcass-related traits in a Nellore beef cattle population from Brazil. Phenotypic records of 614,395 Nellore animals were used and included adjusted weight at 210 (W210) and 450 (W450) days of age, adult cow weight (AW), early heifer pregnancy (EH), stayability (STAY), adjusted scrotal circumference at 365 days of age (SC365), ribeye area (REA), subcutaneous backfat thickness (BF), rump fat thickness (RF), and marbling (MARB). The genetic parameters for all traits but EH and STAY were estimated considering a linear animal model, whereas for those two nonlinear traits, a threshold animal model was used. The direct and correlated response to selection for MARB versus the other traits, and the relative efficiency of selection, were also calculated. The heritability estimate for MARB was 0.31 and for the other conventional evaluated traits was low to moderate, with values ranging from 0.14 to 0.41. The genetic correlations between MARB and growth, reproductive, feed efficiency, and carcass-related trait were very low, with values close to zero, with similar correlated responses. The MARB displayed adequate genetic variability to respond to selection and crossbreeding programs looking forward to higher meat quality and differential market standards for the Nellore beef. The selection for growth, reproductive, feed efficiency, and carcass-related traits would not affect MARB in Nellore beef cattle and vice versa. Therefore, this trait should be included as a selection criterion in the Nellore breeding program.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Data availability

The dataset generated and/or analyzed during the current study are available through the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

Code availability

The code generated during this study is available through the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

References

  • Abreu, L.R.A., Martins, P.G.M.A., Ribeiro, V.M.P., Gouveia, G.C. and Moraes, G.F., 2019. Genetic association between residual feed intake and carcass traits in a herd of Nellore beef cattle, Livestock Science, 225, 53--61

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • ANUALPEC, 2021. Anuário da Pecuária Brasileira (IHS MARKIT - Agribusiness Intelligence, São Paulo).

  • Baldi, F., Espigolan, R., Oliveira, H., Souza, F., Gordo, D. and Magalhães, A., 2013. Genetic parameter estimates for carcass and meat traits in Poll Nellore cattle, In: Fifty-ninth international congress of meat science and technology (Elsevier:Amsterdam)

  • Boldt, R.J., Speidel, S.E., Thomas, M.G. and Keenan, L.D., 2017. Genetic parameters for carcass traits and stayability in Red Angus cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 95, 89--89

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boldt, R.J., Speidel, S.E., Thomas, M.G. and Enns, R.M., 2018. Genetic parameters for fertility and production traits in Red Angus cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 96, 4100--4111

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Bonamy, M., Kluska, S., Peripolli, E., de Lemos, M.V.A., Amorim, S.T., Vaca, R.J., Lôbo, R.B., de Castro, L.M., de Faria, C.U., Borba Ferrari, F. and Baldi, F., 2018. Genetic association between different criteria to define sexual precocious heifers with growth, carcass, reproductive and feed efficiency indicator traits in Nellore cattle using genomic information, Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 136, 15--22

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brunes, Ludmilla C., Baldi, F., Lopes, F.B., Lôbo, R.B., Espigolan, R., Costa, M.F.O., Stafuzza, N.B. and Magnabosco, C.U., 2021. Weighted single-step genome-wide association study and pathway analyses for feed efficiency traits in Nellore cattle, Journal of Animal Breeding and Genetics, 138, 23--44

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brunes, L.C., Baldi, F., Lopes, F.B., Narciso, M.G., Lobo, R.B., Espigolan, R., Costa, M.F.O. and Magnabosco, C.U., 2021. Genomic prediction ability for feed efficiency traits using different models and pseudo-phenotypes under several validation strategies in Nelore cattle, Animal, 15, 100085

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Buainain, A.M. and Batalha, M.O., 2007. Cadeia produtiva da carne bovina. Série de Agronegocios. Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento, (Bib. Orton IICA/CATIE: Brasília)

  • Caetano, S.L., Savegnago, R.P., Boligon, A.A., Ramos, S.B., Chud, T.C.S., LÔbo, R.B. and Munari, D.P., 2013. Estimates of genetic parameters for carcass, growth and reproductive traits in Nellore cattle, Livestock Science, 155, 1--7

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Cancino-Baier, D.E., Mamani, G.C., Santana, B.F., Mattos, E.C., Eler, J.P., Sainz, R.D., Tonetto, T., Tonetto, V., Tonetto, F., Quiñones, J.A., Sepúlveda, N.G. and Ferraz, J.B.S., 2019. Estimation of variance components for carcass and production traits in Guzerat cattle, Genetics and Molecular Research, 18

  • Carvalho, M.E., Baldi, F.S., Alexandre, P.A., Santana, M.H.A., Ventura, R. V., Bueno, R.S., Bonin, M.N., Rezende, F.M., Coutinho, L.L., Eler, J.P. and Ferraz, J.B.S., 2019. Genomic regions and genes associated with carcass quality in Nelore cattle, Genetics and Molecular Research, 18, 1--15

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ceacero, T.M., Mercadante, M.E.Z., Cyrillo, J.N.D.S.G., Canesin, R.C., Bonilha, S.F.M. and De Albuquerque, L.G., 2016. Phenotypic and genetic correlations of feed efficiency traits with growth and carcass traits in Nellore cattle selected for postweaning weight, PLoS ONE, 11, 1--11

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • da Silva Neto, J.B., Peripolli, E., da Costa e Silva, E.V., Espigolan, R., Neira, J.D.R., Schettini, G., da Costa Filho, L.C.C., Barbosa, F.B., Macedo, G.G., Costa-Brunes, L., Lobo, R.B., Pereira, A.S.C. and Baldi, F., 2020. Genetic correlation estimates between age at puberty and growth, reproductive, and carcass traits in young Nelore bulls, Livestock Science, 241, 104266

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Garnero, A. del V., Barbosa, R., Framartino, L.A. and Nunes de Oliveira, H., 2001. Comparação entre Alguns Critérios de Seleção para Crescimento na Raça Nelore, Revista Brasilera de Zootecnia, 30, 714--718

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Devitt, C.J.B. and Wilton, J.W., 2001. Genetic correlation estimates between ultrasound measurements on yearling bulls and carcass measurements on finished steers, Journal of Animal Science, 79, 2790

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Falconer, D.S. and Mackay, T.F.C., 1996. Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. (Longman Group, Edinburgh)

    Google Scholar 

  • Feitosa, F.L.B., Olivieri, B.F., Aboujaoude, C., Pereira, A.S.C., de Lemos, M.V.A., Chiaia, H.L.J., Berton, M.P., Peripolli, E., Ferrinho, A.M., Mueller, L.F., Mazalli, M.R., de Albuquerque, L.G., de Oliveira, H.N., Tonhati, H., Espigolan, R., Tonussi, R.L., de Oliveira Silva, R.M., Gordo, D.G.M., Magalhães, A.F.B., Aguilar, I. and Baldi, F., 2017. Genetic correlation estimates between beef fatty acid profile with meat and carcass traits in Nellore cattle finished in feedlot, Journal of Applied Genetics, 58, 123--132

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ferriani, L., Albuquerque, L.G., Baldi, F.S.B., Venturini, G.C., Bignardi, A.B., Silva, J.A.I. V., Chud, T.C.S., Munari, D.P. and Oliveira, J.A., 2012. Parâmetros genéticos de características de carcaça e de crescimento de bovinos da raça nelore, Archivos de Zootecnia, 62, 123--129

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Font-i-Furnols, M., Fulladosa, E., Prevolnik Povše, M. and Čandek-Potokar, M., 2015. A Handbook of Reference Methods for Meat Quality Assessment. (European Cooperation in Science and Technology (COST), Brussels, Belgium)

  • Gordo, D.G.M., Baldi, F., Lôbo, R.B., Filho, W.K., Sainz, R.D. and Albuquerque, L.G., 2012. Genetic association between body composition measured by ultrasound and visual scores in Brazilian Nelore cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 90, 4223--4229

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Greiner, S.P., Rouse, G.H., Wilson, D.E., Cundiff, L. V. and Wheeler, T.L., 2003. Accuracy of predicting weight and percentage of beef carcass retail product using ultrasound and live animal measures, Journal of Animal Science, 81, 466--473

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hocquette, J.F., Gondret, F., Baéza, E., Médale, F., Jurie, C. and Pethick, D.W., 2010. Intramuscular fat content in meat-producing animals: development, genetic and nutritional control, and identification of putative markers, Animal, 4, 303--319

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hohenboken, W.D., 2002. Guidelines for Uniform Beef Improvement Programs, 8th edition. Beef Improvement Federation (ed), (Athens, GA)

  • Hudson, N.J., Reverter, A., Greenwood, P.L., Guo, B., Cafe, L.M. and Dalrymple, B.P., 2015. Longitudinal muscle gene expression patterns associated with differential intramuscular fat in cattle, Animal, 9, 650--659

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kluska, S., Olivieri, B.F., Bonamy, M., Chiaia, H.L.J., Feitosa, F.L.B., Berton, M.P., Peripolli, E., Lemos, M.V.A., Tonussi, R.L., Lôbo, R.B., Magnabosco, C. de U., Di Croce, F., Osterstock, J., Pereira, A.S.C., Munari, D.P., Bezerra, L.A., Lopes, F.B. and Baldi, F., 2018. Estimates of genetic parameters for growth, reproductive, and carcass traits in Nelore cattle using the single step genomic BLUP procedure, Livestock Science, 216, 203--209

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Magalhães, A.F.B., Schenkel, F.S., Garcia, D.A., Gordo, D.G.M., Tonussi, R.L., Espigolan, R., Silva, R.M. de O., Braz, C.U., Fernandes Júnior, G.A., Baldi, F., Carvalheiro, R., Boligon, A.A., de Oliveira, H.N., Chardulo, L.A.L. and de Albuquerque, L.G., 2019. Genomic selection for meat quality traits in Nelore cattle, Meat Science, 148, 32--37

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Malheiros, J.M., Enriquez-Valencia, C.E., Silva, J.A.I. de V., Curi, R.A., de Oliveira, H.N., de Albuquerque, L.G. and Chardulo, L.A.L., 2020. Carcass and meat quality of Nellore cattle (Bos taurus indicus) belonging to the breeding programs, Livestock Science, 242, 104277

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mateescu, R.G., Garrick, D.J., Garmyn, A.J., VanOverbeke, D.L., Mafi, G.G. and Reecy, J.M., 2015. Genetic parameters for sensory traits in longissimus muscle and their associations with tenderness, marbling score, and intramuscular fat in Angus cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 93, 21--27

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • McAllister, C.M., Speidel, S.E., Crews, D.H. and Enns, R.M., 2011. Genetic parameters for intramuscular fat percentage, marbling score, scrotal circumference, and heifer pregnancy in Red Angus cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 89, 2068--2072

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Misztal, I., Tsuruta, S., Strabel, T., Auvray, B., Druet, T. and Lee, D.H., 2002. BLUPF90 and related programs (BGF90). In: Proceedings of the 7th World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production, Montpellier, France, 28, 21--22

  • Misztal, I., Tsuruta, S., Lourenco, D., Aguilar, I., Legarra, A. and Vitezica, Z., 2014. BLUPF90 family of programs

  • Moraes, G.F. de, Abreu, L.R.A., Ferreira, I.C. and Pereira, I.G., 2017. Genetic analysis of residual feed intake adjusted for fat and carcass and performance traits in a Nellore herd, Ciência Rural, 47

  • Mrode, R.A., 2014. Linear models for the prediction of animal breeding values, 3rd ed. (Cabi, United Kingdom)

    Book  Google Scholar 

  • Olivieri, B.F., Mercadante, M.E.Z., Cyrillo, J.N.D.S.G., Branco, R.H., Bonilha, S.F.M., de Albuquerque, L.G., Silva, R.M. de O. and Baldi, F., 2016. Genomic Regions Associated with Feed Efficiency Indicator Traits in an Experimental Nellore Cattle Population, PLOS ONE, 11, e0164390

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Park, S.J., Beak, S.-H., Jung, D.J.S., Kim, S.Y., Jeong, I.H., Piao, M.Y., Kang, H.J., Fassah, D.M., Na, S.W., Yoo, S.P. and Baik, M., 2018. Genetic, management, and nutritional factors affecting intramuscular fat deposition in beef cattle — A review, Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 31, 1043--1061

    Article  CAS  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  • Pedrosa, V.B., Eler, J.P., Ferraz, J.B.S., Silva, J.A.I. de V., Ribeiro, S., Silva, M.R. and Pinto, L.F.B., 2010. Genetic parameters for mature weight and growth traits in Nelore cattle, Revista Brasileira de Saúde e Produção Animal, 11, 104--113

    Google Scholar 

  • Pereira, A.S.C., Baldi, F., Sainz, R.D., Utembergue, B.L., Chiaia, H.L.J., Magnabosco, C.U., Manicardi, F.R., Araujo, F.R.C., Guedes, C.F., Margarido, R.C., Leme, P.R. and Sobral, P.J.A., 2015. Growth performance, and carcass and meat quality traits in progeny of Poll Nellore, Angus and Brahman sires under tropical conditions, Animal Production Science, 55, 1295

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pflanzer, S.B. and Felício, P.E. de, 2009. Effects of teeth maturity and fatness of Nellore (Bos indicus) steer carcasses on instrumental and sensory tenderness, Meat Science, 83, 697--701

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Polizel, G.H.G., Grigoletto, L., Carvalho, M.E., Rossi Junior, P., Ferraz, J.B.S. and Santana, M.H. de A., 2018. Genetic correlations and heritability estimates for dry matter intake, weight gain and feed efficiency of Nellore cattle in feedlot, Livestock Science, 214, 209--210

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Riley, D.G., Chase, C.C., Hammond, A.C., West, R.L., Johnson, D.D., Olson, T.A. and Coleman, S.W., 2002. Estimated genetic parameters for palatability traits of steaks from Brahman cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 89, 955--962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Rossato, L.V., Bressan, M.C., Rodrigues, É.C., Gama, L.T. da, Bessa, R.J.B. and Alves, S.P.A., 2010. Parâmetros físico-químicos e perfil de ácidos graxos da carne de bovinos Angus e Nelore terminados em pastagem, Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia, 39, 1127--1134

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Saatchi, M., Schnabel, R.D., Taylor, J.F. and Garrick, D.J., 2014. Large-effect pleiotropic or closely linked QTL segregate within and across ten US cattle breeds, BMC Genomics, 15, 1--16

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Silva, J., Cônsolo, N.R.B., Buarque, V.L.M., Beline, M., da Silva Martins, T., Lobo, A.A.G., Gómez, J.F.M., Eler, J.P., Leme, P.R., Netto, A.S., Gerrard, D.E., Baldi, F. and Silva, S.L., 2021. Effect of Different Selection Criteria on Performance, Carcass and Meat Quality of Nellore Young Bulls, Agriculture, 11, 294

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, B.J., 2007. boa: An R package for MCMC output convergence assessment and posterior inference, Journal of Statistical Software, 21, 1--37

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smith, T., Domingue, J.D., Paschal, J.C., Franke, D.E., Bidner, T.D. and Whipple, G., 2007. Genetic parameters for growth and carcass traits of Brahman steers, Journal of Animal Science, 85, 1377--1384

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tonussi, R.L., Espigolan, R., Gordo, D.G.M., Magalhães, A.F.B., Venturini, G.C., Baldi, F., de Oliveira, H.N., Chardulo, L.A.L., Tonhati, H. and de Albuquerque, L.G., 2015. Genetic association of growth traits with carcass and meat traits in Nellore cattle, Genetics and Molecular Research, 14, 18713--18719

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Torres-Vázquez, J.A. and Spangler, M.L., 2016. Genetic parameters for docility, weaning weight, yearling weight, and intramuscular fat percentage in Hereford cattle, Journal of Animal Science, 94, 21--27

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • USDA, 2022. Livestock and poultry: World Markets and Trade. In: United States Department of Agriculture and Foreign Agricultural Service.

  • Utrera, A.R. and Van Vleck, L.D., 2004. Heritability estimates for carcass traits of cattle: a review, Genetics and molecular research, 3, 380--394

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

The authors thank the National Association of Breeders and Researchers (ANCP, Ribeirão Preto, Brazil) for the support and data provided for this project.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculdade de Ciências Agrárias E Veterinárias, Universidade Estadual Paulista Júlio de Mesquita Filho, Via de Acesso Prof. Paulo Donato Castellane s/n, Jaboticabal, SP, CEP 14884-900, Brazil

    Marisol Londoño-Gil, Daniel Cardona-Cifuentes & Fernando Baldi

  2. Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Goiás (UFG), Goiânia, GO, CEP 75345-000, Brazil

    Ludmilla Costa Brunes

  3. Embrapa Cerrados, BR-020, 18, Sobradinho, Brasília, DF, CEP 70770-901, Brazil

    Claudio Ulhoa Magnabosco

  4. Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária E Zootecnia, Universidade de São Paulo, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225 Campus Fernando Costa Jardim Elite, Pirassununga, SP, CEP 13635-900, Brazil

    Angelica Simone Cravo Pereira & Elisa Peripolli

  5. Associação Nacional de Criadores E Pesquisadores (ANCP), Rua João Godoy, 463, Jardim América, Ribeirão Preto, SP, CEP 14020-230, Brazil

    Raysildo Barbosa Lôbo

  6. Facultad de ciencias Agroindustriales, Universidad del Quindío (Uniquindio), Carrera 15 # 12 N, Armenia, 630004, Quindio, Colombia

    Juan Diego Rodríguez

Authors
  1. Marisol Londoño-Gil
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Daniel Cardona-Cifuentes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Juan Diego Rodríguez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Ludmilla Costa Brunes
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Claudio Ulhoa Magnabosco
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Angelica Simone Cravo Pereira
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Elisa Peripolli
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  8. Raysildo Barbosa Lôbo
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  9. Fernando Baldi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Contributions

MLG, DCC, JDR, LCB, CUM, ASCP, EP, RBL, and FB contributed to the conception and design of the study. MLG, DCC, JDR, LCB, CUM, ASCP, EP, RBL, and FB conducted the preparation of the material, the data collection, and the analysis. MLG wrote the first draft of the manuscript, and DCC, JDR, LCB, CUM, ASCP, EP, RBL, and FB made their contributions on later versions. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Marisol Londoño-Gil.

Ethics declarations

Ethics approval

Not applicable.

Consent to participate

Not applicable.

Consent for publication

Not applicable.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare no competing interests.

Additional information

Publisher's note

Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

Rights and permissions

Springer Nature or its licensor holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Londoño-Gil, M., Cardona-Cifuentes, D., Rodríguez, J.D. et al. Heritability and genetic correlations between marbling in longissimus dorsi muscle and conventional economic traits in Nellore beef cattle. Trop Anim Health Prod 54, 274 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03293-6

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-022-03293-6

Keywords

Search

Navigation