Estimation of genetic parameters and variance components for growth traits in Romosinuano cattle in the Colombian humid tropics

(Co)variance components and genetic parameters were estimated for body weights of a Romosinuano herd located in Sinú Valley, Cordoba, Colombia. Restricted maximum likelihood methods were used with a univariate animal model for birth weight, weaning weight (270 days), 16-month weight (480 days), weaning daily gain, and post-weaning daily gain. Models included random animal direct and maternal genetic effects, maternal permanent environmental effect (c2), and sex-year-month of birth and age of dam, as fixed effects. Estimates of direct effect for birth weight, weaning weight, 480-day weight, weaning daily gain, and post-weaning daily gain were: 0.25 ± 0.0001, 0.34 ± 0.063, 0.33 ± 0.066, 0.32 ± 0.062, and 0.17 ± 0.052, respectively. Estimates of direct maternal genetic effects were low and ranged from 0.06 ± 0.003 for birth weight to 0.20 ± 0.054 for weaning daily gain. The genetic correlations between direct and maternal genetic effects were negative and low for 480-day weight (-0.05 ± 0.219) and showed values of -0.37 ± 0.007, -0.34 ± 0.133, -0.33 ± 0.135, and -0.38 ± 0.232 for birth, weaning weight, weaning, and post-weaning daily gain, respectively. Permanent environmental maternal effects were not significant; the highest values were found for weaning weight, and weaning daily gain (0.086 ± 0.031 and 0.078 ± 0.031, respectively). We conclude that direct and maternal effects should be included in a selection program for all of these traits, and also that selection of weaning weights would be the most productive way to improve performance in Romosinuano cattle.

El higado en la porfiria cutánea tardia (PCT) / The liver in porphyria cutanea tarda

Se estudiaron 22 pacientes con PCT, 17 de ellos con biopsia hepática, presentando todos los casos alteraciones histológicas. Predominó la hepatitis crónica persistente. La deficiencia de UPG-asa en hígado tuvo relación directa con el daño hepático