Spatial dynamics of the Girolando breed in Brazil: analysis of genetic integration and environmental factors.

Brazil is one of the world's largest milk producers. Several scientific studies have been developed related to landscape analyses that combine genetic with landscape structure data. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the relationship between genetic, environmental, and socioeconomic aspects of production in Girolando cattle in Brazil, as well as verify the spatial patterns of its genetic diversity. Genetic values and accuracy of 46,289 animals were used as well as information from DNA of 310 Girolando animals. Canonic, discriminant, and cluster analyses were conducted in SAS® and K-means method in ArcGIS 10.3 software. The relationship between genetic and geographic distance was analyzed using different methods in software Alleles in Space®. Clusters with animals with higher genetic values for milk production are located in municipalities with lower gross domestic product, fewer family-based establishments, and lower human development index. These clusters are associated with regions with higher area planted with crops, lower percentage of pastures that were less degraded, higher humidity, lower temperature range, and lower normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values. The greater the geographical distance between groups of animals, the greater the genetic distance between them with a significant distinction over 504 km. There is high genetic heterogeneity among animals. From these results, it will be possible to develop methodologies for better evaluation of the animals within the production systems.

Dynamics of Cattle Production in Brazil.

Movement of livestock production within a country or region has implications for genetics, adaptation, well-being, nutrition, and production logistics, particularly in continental-sized countries, such as Brazil. Cattle production in Brazil from 1977 to 2011 was spatialized, and the annual midpoint of production was calculated. Changes in the relative production and acceleration of production were calculated and spatialized using ARCGIS®. Cluster and canonical discriminant analyses were performed to further highlight differences between regions in terms of cattle production. The mean production point has moved from the Center of Minas Gerais State (in the southeast region) to the North of Goiás State (in the Midwest region). This reflects changes in environmental factors, such as pasture type, temperature and humidity. Acceleration in production in the northern region of Brazil has remained strong over the years. More recently, "traditional" cattle-rearing regions, such as the south and southeast, showed a reduction in growth rates as well as a reduction in herd size or internal migration over the period studied. These maps showed that this movement tends to be gradual, with few regions showing high acceleration or deceleration rates.