Estimation of factors influencing the monthly test day milk yields in Mehsana buffaloes under field condition

The present research work was carried out using data of first lactation monthly test day milk yield records of 7113 Mehsana buffaloes sired by 173 bulls spread over a period of 20 years from 1993 to 2012, collected from the Dudhsagar Research and Development Association (DURDA), Dudhsagar Dairy, Mehsana. The data were classified according to season, period and age of calving groups to study the effect of genetic and non -genetic factors. The overall least square means of different monthly test day milk yields (MTDMY) obtained as 6.32 +/- 0.32, 7.84 +/- 0.31, 7.92 +/- 0.31, 7.57 +/- 0.317, 08 +/- 0.30, 6.54 +/- 0.30, 5.98 +/- 0.30, 5.33 +/- 0.30, 4.64 +/- 0.30, 3.99 +/- 0.31, 3.42 +/- 0.33 liters for MTDMY1 to MTDMY11, respectively. There were significant effects of all the non genetic factors taken in the study on almost all the monthly test day milk yields in Mehsana buffaloes. The heritability estimates for monthly test day milk yields viz. MTDMY1 to MTDMY11were 0.08 +/- 0.02, 0.12 +/- 0.02, 0.27 +/- 0.04, 0.18 +/- 0.03, 0.16 +/- 0.03, 0.44 +/- 0.05, 0.22 +/- 0.03, 0.25 +/- 0.03, 0.30 +/- 0.04, 0.28 +/- 0.04, 0.18 +/- 0.04, respectively. The low to moderate heritability estimate of MTDMYs indicates that these traits were influenced more by environmental factors than by genetic factors and could be improved by efficient management, proper care and feeding during pregnancy and lactation.