Prediction of milk production traits from prepartum body measurements in primiparous crossbred dairy cows

Abstract

An experiment was carried out on 36 primiparous crossbred dairy cows to find out the correlation between the prepartum body measurements and first 150 days total milk yield, days taken to attain peak yield and peak yield. Almost all the body measurements during last trimester of gestation were positively and significantly (P&lt 0.01) correlated with first 150 days milk yield as well as peak yield. Days taken to attain peak yield showed higher association during 190 to 205 days of pregnancy which gradually decreased towards the end of pregnancy. The best prediction was developed during last trimester of pregnancy for first 150 days total milk yield, days taken to attain peak yield and peak yield having 92,953 and 65.4% precision, respectively.