Growth Curves and Genetic Parameters in Colombian Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis Artiodactyla, Bovidae) Curvas de crecimiento y parámetros genéticos en búfalos (Bubalus bubalis Artiodactyla, Bovidae) en Colombia Curvas de crescimento e parâmetros genéticos em búfalos (Bubalus bubalis Artiodactyla, Bovidae) na Colômbia

Non-linear mathematical functions proposed by Brody, Gompertz, Richards, Bertalanffy and Verhulst were compared in several buffalo production systems in Colombia. Herds were located in three provinces: Antioquia, Caldas, and Cordoba. Growth was better described by the curves proposed by Brody and Gompertz. Using the datasets from herds from Caldas, heritabilities for traits such as weaning weight (WW), weight and maturity at one year of age (WY and MY, respectively), age at 50% and 75% of maturity (A50% and A75%, respectively), adult weight (β0), and other characteristics, were also estimated. Direct and maternal heritabilities for WW were 0.19 and 0.12, respectively. Direct heritabilities for WY, MY, A50%, A75% and β0 were 0.39, 0.15, 0.09, 0.20 and 0.09, respectively. The genetic correlation for β0 and WY was -0.47, indicating that selection for heavy weight at one year of age will lead to lower weight at adult age. These data suggest that selection based on maturity traits can generate changes in characteristics of economic importance in beef-type buffalo farms.Funciones matemáticas no lineales propuestas por Brody, Gompertz, Richards, Bertalanffy y Verhulst fueron utilizadas para describir el crecimiento en búfalos provenientes de tres regiones de Colombia (Antioquia, Caldas y Córdoba). Las funciones que mejor describieron el crecimiento fueron Brody y Gompertz. Con la base de datos de la región de Caldas, fueron estimadas las heredabilidades para las características peso al destete (PD), peso y madurez al año de edad (PA y MA, respectivamente), edad al 50% y 75% de madurez (I50% y I75%, respectivamente), peso adulto (β0), y otras características. Las heredabilidades directa y materna para PD fueron: 0.19 y 0.12, respectivamente. Las heredabilidades directas para PA, MA, I50%, I75% y β0 fueron 0.39, 0.15, 0.09, 0.20 y 0.09, respectivamente. La correlación genética para β0 y PA fue -0.47, indicando que al seleccionar animales por peso al año, tendríamos animales con mayor peso adulto. Las características de madurez pueden ser utilizadas en programas de mejoramiento genético en procura de búfalos mas eficientes en sistemas de producción colombianos.Funções matemáticas não lineares propostas por Brody, Gompertz, Richards, Bertalanffy e Verhulst foram utilizadas para descrever o crescimento em búfalos provenientes de três regiões da Colômbia ( Antioquia, Caldas e Córdoba). As funções que melhor descreveram o crescimento foram Brody e Gompertz. Com a base d