Estimates of the genetic covariance component by Newton-type methods.Analyses by MC NR REML (Figure A), MC AI REML (Figure B) and MC BM REML (Figure C) with 20, 100 and 1000 MC samples (green, blue and red line, respectively). MC EM REML with 20 MC samples is plotted as a reference (grey line). The straight lines in the figures are the estimated genetic covariance (solid line) and plus/minus one standard deviation (dashed lines) based on standard errors by analytical AI REML.