Prediction of phenotypes for lifetime milk yield,lifetime average daily yield and lifetime milk yield per day of productive life in Indian buffaloes

Abstract

Data on 200 Indian buffaloes maintained at Military Dairy Farms located at Ferozpur and Jalandhur, spreading over a period of 31 years (1939-1969) were used for the prediction of lifetime milk yield (LMY), lifetime average daily yield (LADY), and lifetime yield per day of productive life (LMY/PL). LMY could be predicted by using a linear combination of age at third calving, third lactation yield and peak yield with an accuracy of 72.06%. A prediction equation having 69.54% accuracy involving a linear combination of age at fourth calving, fourth lactation yield, lactation length and peak yield could be used for the prediction of LADY. Similarly an equation of linear c.ombination of fourth calving interval, fourth lactation yield, 300-days yield and peak yield could be used for prediction of LMY fPY with an accuracy of 65.10%.