Genetic evaluation of Surti sires for part and complete lactation milk yield

Abstract

First lactation records (1976–2004) of 554 farm bred Surti buffaloes, sired by 51 bulls maintained at Network Project on Buffaloes Vallabhnagar were utilized. The peak monthly milk yield was attained in second month and thereafter it declined. Period and season of calving and sire had significant effect on all the components of monthly milk yield. The heritability estimates for MMY3 to MMY5 were moderate, significant and varied within a narrow range. The genetic and phenotypic correlations of MMY1 with TMY and 305 FLMY were positive and moderate to high, which were lower than genetic correlations of MMY2 to MMY5 with TMY and 305 FLMY. The relative efficiency of selection on the basis of monthly milk yield records from month first to fifth were 0.339, 0.745, 0.782, 0.755 and 0.748 over TMY and 0.450, 0.927, 0.917, 0.897 and 0.847 over 305 FLMY, respectively. The product moment and rank correlations between breeding value of sires for 305 FLMY and part lactation milk yield (MMY2 and MMY3) were 0.900,0.936 and 0.881, 0.913respectively.

Keywords

• Genetic evaluation
• Monthly milk yield
• Part lactation
• Sire
• Surti