Selection criteria for feed efficiency-related traits and their association with growth, reproductive and carcass traits in Nelore cattle

Context. Livestock feed costs have a higher impact on the profitability of beef production systems and are directly related to feed efficiency. However, these traits are hard and have high costs to measure, reducing the availability of phenotypic records and reliability of genetic evaluations. Thus, the use of genomic information can increase the robustness of genetic studies that address them. Aims. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters for feed efficiency, growth, reproductive and carcass traits in Nelore cattle and the correlated response among them, using genomic information. Methods. Residual feed intake (RFI), dry-matter intake, feed conversion ratio, feed efficiency (FE), residual average daily gain (RG), residual feed intake and average daily gain (RIG), birthweight, weight at 120, 240, 365 and 450 days of age, scrotal circumference at 365 and 450 days of age, rib-eye area, backfat thickness and rump fat thickness were evaluated. The genetic parameters were estimated using the single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction approach. Key results. The FE-related traits showed low to moderate heritability ranging from 0.07 to 0.23. Feed efficiency-related traits showed low genetic correlations with reproductive (-0.24 to 0.27), carcass (-0.17 to 0.27) and growth (-0.19 to 0.24) traits, except for growth with dry-matter intake (0.32-0.56) and weight at 365 days of age with FE (-0.40). Conclusions. The selection to improve growth, reproductive and carcass traits would not change RFI, RG and RIG. The choice of the most adequate selection criterion depends on the production system, that is, RFI might be used for low-input beef cattle systems, and RIG would be used for more intensive and without-any-dietary-restrictions beef cattle systems. Implications. The estimates of heritability and genetic correlations suggest that genetic selection for feed efficiency using RFI, RG and RIG in Nellore cattle leads to higher genetic gain than does that using FE and feed conversion ratio without affecting other profitability traits.