GENETIC ANALYSIS OF PRODUCTON AND REPRODUCTION TRAITS IN SURTI BUFFALO ON AN ORGANIZED FARM

Abstract

Estimation of genetic parameters for production traits is important to know the genetic basis for production performance as well as help the breeder in planning of breeding programs for genetic improvement. The data pertaining to milk production and other records of Surti buffalo for the present study were collected from breeding and production records of Livestock Research Station, Navsari from 1988 – 2002. Total there were daily milk production records (morning and evening) for 298 lactations from 130 buffaloes were collected under 15 sires. Maximum data up to four lactations were collected of each animal. Other records i.e. Age at First Calving (AFC), lactation length, Service period (SP), Dry Period (DP), Gestation Period (GP), Calving Interval (CI) were collected for animals under study. The records were analyzed using least squares analysis procedures. The Harvey (1990) programme was used to estimate the genetic parameters i.e. heritability (h²), genetic and phenotypic correlations by Paternal Half sib method. The h² estimates for first lactation yield, AFC, first gestation period and first calving interval were found to be high. h² estimates for other traits i.e. first lactation length, first service period and first dry period could not be calculated on account of negative sire component of variance. The first lactation yield and age at first calving, and age at first calving and first gestation period were found to be negatively correlated.