Estimates of phenotypic correlations of visual and ultrasonographic carcass characteristics in Nellore breed

Abstract

The aim was estimate phenotypic correlations of characteristics for animal breeding for beef carcass. Therefore, we employed the method of visual scores and the ultrasound method. Three criteria in the visual scores method, where: musculature (1 to 6), frame (1 to 5) and depth (1 to 5). In the ultrasound method was captured images of live animal carcass. Thus, they were considered: the Rib Eye Area (REA), the backfat thickness (BF); ribs and fat thickness measured in croup (RF). The results were divided into management of tropical pastures with and without food supplementation. Correlation estimates obtained in the management of tropical pastures for REA were 0.15 (muscles), 0.17 (frame) and -0.09 (depth) for BF were 0.22, 0.07, 0.24 and for RF were 0.11, 0.04, 0.18, respectively. Since the estimates obtained in the management of tropical pastures with food supplementation for REA were 0.30, -0.06, 0.17, for EG were 0.24, 0.01, 0.24 and RF were 0.20, 0.03 and 0.14, respectively.