Precision Sire Evaluation in Murrah Buffaloes via BLUP Model Optimization
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Authors
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Supriya Chhotaray
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Pankaj Chayal
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Akshata Patil
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Vikas Vohra
ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute - Karnal (132001) Haryana
http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7581-4939
Abstract
Evaluation of buffalo bulls under progeny testing program to estimate their breeding value is a cornerstone of genetic improvement programs. For Murrah buffalo such an effort was initiated in 1993 under the Network Project for Buffalo Improvement (NPBI). The objective of this study was to outline the best suited model to evaluate the test Murrah bulls under associated herd progeny testing program. Breeding value was estimated based on the daughter’s 1st lactation milk yield. Four different Best Linear Unbiased Prediction – Sire Model (BLUP-SM) with varying fixed effects were evaluated via the software Wombat using AIREML approach. The Sire families and the data from 14th set of Progeny Testing (PT) Bulls generated under ICAR-NPBI was used for precision breeding of Murrah buffaloes. The primary objective was to optimize the BLUP-SM model to be used for future sire evaluation within India's progeny testing programs.
