Effect of functional traits on subsequent reproduction performance of Murrah buffaloes in India

Abstract

ABSTRACTA study was conducted on calving records of Murrah buffaloes to study the influence of various functional traits on subsequent reproductive performance. The effects of calving abnormalities, uterine health problems, female fertility problems and udder health problem on calving to first service (CFS), service period (SP), dry period (DP) and calving interval (CI) were studied by the least-squares method using the SAS package. The increase in CFS, SP, DP and CI was 27.07%, 18.71%, 96.74% and 6.70%, respectively. Subsequently, the average milk yield per day of calving interval was found to be reduced (from 4.91 to 2.10 kg/day) in these animals in comparison with the normal calvers. A highly significant increase in average CFS, SP, DP and CI was found among animals susceptible to metritis (16.93%, 73.88%, 53.92% and 20.04%, respectively). The decrease in average milk yield per day of calving interval (MY/CI) was 18.55% in comparison with the animals not affected by metritis. The average MY/CI was observed to be 16.47% lower in the anoestrus-affected animals in comparison with normal animals. The increase in average SP, DP and CI associated with repeat breeding cases was 162.63%, 87.58% and 50.15%, respectively. The increase in average DP and CI due to incidence of mastitis was 10.48% and 4.26%, respectively. The increase in average dry period associated with the incidence of mastitis during early stage of lactation (1–60 days) was 13.63%. The incidence of mastitis during early stage of lactation significantly reduced the average MY/CI by 5.50 and 14.20%, respectively.