The performance of fortnightly test day milk yields and factors affecting fortnightly test day milk yields in Surti buffaloes

Abstract

In the present study, first lactation fortnightly test day milk records of 192 Surti buffaloes progeny of 46 sires; calved during the year 2001 to 2020 and maintained under Network Project on Buffalo Improvement (NPBI) Surti Unit at Livestock Research Station (LRS), Vallabhnagar (Udaipur), Further, 3387 fortnightly test day records were obtained from daily milk recording registers during the same period for performance of test day milk yields and to see the effect of non-genetic factors the year was divided into three seasons of calving based on temperature, humidity, and rainfall. The period was divided into four groups. Overall least squares means for 21 fortnightly test day milk yields ranged from 1.56±0.06 kg (TD21) to 7.00±0.12 kg (TD4). The season of calving had significant (p≤0.05) effect on fortnightly test day milk yield TD20 and non-significant effect was observed on the rest of test days. The period of calving had highly significant (p≤0.01) effect on fortnightly test day milk yield TD20 and significant (p≤0.05) effect was found on fortnightly test day milk yields namely TD1, TD2, TD3 and TD21. However, non-significant effect was observed on rest of test days in Surti buffaloes.