Assessment of sires for first lactation traits using best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) method in Tharparkar cattle

Abstract

The research utilized performance data from 91 cows, descendants of 10 sires, monitored over an 11-year period (2006 to 2016) at LRS, Beechwal, Bikaner, to assess sire performance. The study focused on several first lactation traits, including age at first calving, first lactation milk yield, first lactation period, first dry period, first calving interval, and first service period. Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) was applied to estimate breeding values (EBVs) of the sires, revealing substantial genetic variability across all first lactation traits. Importantly, the use of BLUP resulted in changes in the ranking of top sires, highlighting that sire rankings can differ based on the specific trait under evaluation.