Estimates of genetic parameters for fatty acids in brisket adipose tissue of Canadian commercial crossbred beef steers

•Heritability of 25 major fatty acids in beef brisket adipose tissue was estimated.•The heritability estimates ranged from 0.03 to 0.51.•A wide range of phenotypic and genetic correlations was observed among fatty acids.

Heritability and genetic and phenotypic correlations between 15 individuals and 10 groups of fatty acids with a concentration greater than 0.5% in the brisket adipose tissue of 223 Angus and Charolais based crossbred commercial steers were estimated using univariate and bivariate animal models. Individual saturated fatty acids were low to moderately heritable, with heritability estimates ranging from 0.05 (C16:0) to 0.31 (C15:0). Individual monounsaturated fatty acids were low to moderately highly heritable ranging from 0.04 (9c C17:1 and 11c C18:1) to 0.51 (9c C14:1). Polyunsaturated fatty acid C18:2n − 6 was moderately heritable (0.17). Among groups of fatty acids, heritability estimates ranged from 0.03 for branched chain fatty acid (BCFA) and n − 6/n − 3 to 0.16 for n − 6 and Health Index. A range of low (0.00) to high (1.00) phenotypic and genetic correlations was observed among the 25 fatty acids considered in this study. In general, fatty acids such as conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) and 11t C18:1, with potential health benefits, showed significant antagonistic correlations with unhealthy fatty acids such as C14:0 and C16:0. The results from this study provide insight into the direct genetic control of host genes on fatty acid composition of beef tissues and will facilitate designs of genetic selection and/or genetic based diet management to improve fatty acid composition in beef cattle.