Relationship Between Peak Milk Yield and Udder Parameters of Dehong Crossbred Dairy Buffaloes

To determine the relationship between udder traits and peak milk yield, udder parameters of 203 Dehong crossbred dairy buffaloes were measured. The average peak milk yield (kg/day) of buffaloes was 9.60 +/- 2.73, with average udder dimensions of 16.51 +/- 10.05, 8.07 +/- 3.26, 8.68 +/- 3.92, 50.74 +/- 8.82, 11.38 +/- 3.08, 7.18 +/- 2.18 and 7.73 +/- 2.15 cm for udder depth, rear udder width, rear udder height, udder length, distance of fore teats, distance of rear teats, and distance of fore-rear teats, respectively. The peak milk yield was negatively correlated with udder depth (r=-0.28, P<0.01) and positively correlated with other mammary parameters (rear udder width, r=0.24, P<0.01; rear udder height r=0.32, P<0.01; udder length r=0.34, P<0.01; distance of rear udder r=0.20, P<0.01; distance of fore-rear teats r=0.40, P<0.01; left fore teat length r=0.25, P<0.01; left rear teat length r=0.29, P <0.01; right fore teat length r=0.22, P<0.01 and right rear teat length r=0.25, P<0.01). However, no significant correlation was found between peak milk yield and mammary vein and teat conformation. The results of the current study indicated that udder length has the greatest association with peak milk yield. Due to udder parameters fitting a normal distribution, it is valid to build evaluation procedures for the early selection of high yielding dairy buffaloes based on the experiences of Holstein cows scoring rules.