Population structure and inbreeding of Holstein cattle in southern Brazil

ABSTRACT The present investigation aimed to evaluate the population structure and inbreeding of Holstein herds in southern Brazil. To carry out the analysis, the Associacao Paranaense de Criadores de Bovinos da Raca Holandesa (APCBRH) in Brazil provided the data, which consisted of a pedigree file of 206,796 animals born between 1970 and 2014. Results regarding the following parameters were determined: pedigree integrity, effective number of founders, effective number of ancestors, generation interval, inbreeding coefficient, realized effective population size, and average [...]