Estimates of correction factors for lactation length and genetic parameters for milk yield in buffaloes

Abstract

Correction factors for milk yield at 90, 240, 270 and 305 days of lactation of buffaloes and genetic and environmental parameters for milk yield of these lactation periods were estimated. The data used consisted of 3888 lactation records of 1630 buffaloes from 10 herds reared in the State of São Paulo. Genetic parameters were estimated by the derivative free restricted maximum likelihood method, fitting an animal repeatability model. Heritability estimates for milk yield corrected for 90, 240, 270 and 305 days of lactation were 0.17, 0.15, 0.14 and 0.14, respectively. In this same order, repeatability estimates were 0.40, 0.44, 0.41 and 0.41. The genetic correlation estimates between these corrected milk yields ranged from 0.96 to 1.00. The multiplicative correction factors for the different classes of lactation lengths were efficient for adjustment of milk yield at 90, 240, 270 and 305 days of lactation.