Abstract
Data in this study were collected from live body weight records and milk yield for the first three lactations of Egyptian buffaloes maintained at the Mahallet Mousa Experimental Station of Animal Production Research Institute, relying on 987 records of Egyptian buffaloes spread over 16 years. These data were analyzed to estimate genetic parameters using animal model. Overall means in kilograms of BW, WW, W18, WFC, 1stMY, 2ndMY and 3rdMY were 36.56, 96.95, 322.02, 462.09, 1561.53, 1755 and 1837.71, respectively. Direct additive heritability (h2a) for mentioned traits were 0.31, 0.22, 0.24, 0.27, 0.23, 0.23 and 0.17, respectively. Corresponding computation of maternal heritability (h2m) for same traits were 0.39, 0.34, 0.22, 0.40, 0.29, 0.31 and 0.21, respectively. Evaluation of genetic correlations among different all studied traits were positive and ranged from 0.07 to 0.83, while phenotypic correlations were positive and ranged from 0.02 to 0.55. Accuracy of (PBV's) varying from 62 to 76, 62 to 83 and 41 to 77% for sires, cows and dams, successively; pointing out the genetic improvement could be achieved through any pathway of them. Higher direct and maternal heritability for BW and WFC and genetic correlations between first three lactations milk yield and each of BW and WFC higher than genetic correlations between first three lactations milk yield and WW and W18. Therefore, it is appropriate to select buffalo female calves for live body weight at birth than for live body weights at other ages.
Highlights
Buffalo is the more important dairy cattle in Egypt
Data collected from weight records and milk production in first three lactations of lactating Egyptian buffalo herds maintained at the Mahallet Mousa Experimental stations of Animal Production Research Institute (APRI), Ministry of Agriculture, using the records of 16 consecutive years from 2001 to 2016
The actual estimation of weight at first calving higher than (397.11) that obtained by ElBramony (2014) in Egyptian buffaloes
Summary
Buffalo is the more important dairy cattle in Egypt. Buffalo is adapted animal to the small-holder conditions and is raised under semi-extensive production systems. It plays an important role in Egyptian agriculture. The Egyptian buffaloes are nearly to 3.9 million. 45.5% of total milk in Egypt (FAOSTAT 2013). The genetic parameters of growth efficiency traits will support in delicacy selection to improve the genetic ability of the breed for meat production in Murrah buffaloes (Thiruvenkadan et al 2009). In Egyptian buffaloes Awad & Afify (2014) cleared that all growth traits from birth until weight at year and half age effectual for improvement through direct genetic
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