Application of test-day model of sire evaluation in Murrah buffalo

摘要

Buffalo is a triple purpose animal, beingsuitable for milk, meat and draught. Indian buffalo holds the greatest promise and potential for production. Indian buffalo contributes 17% of world milk production and 48% of Asian milk production (Food and Agriculture Organization, 2012). Among the various buffalo breeds available in India, the Murrah buffalo is the cynosure for dairy type. Murrah buffalo produces good quantity of milk and it is now well established that it represents a unique breed in terms of feed conversion ability with low grade feeds, ability to sustain under adverse climatic conditions, resistance to diseases and production of high value milk containing a higher fat percent. Keeping the importance of buffalo in India, Network Project on Buffalo Improvement was initiated in 1993with the objective to envisage and undertake progeny testing for improvement of buffalo breeds at various farms in different parts of the country.