Lactation persistency in buffalo herds in Granma province, Cuba. Preliminary results

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Mildred M?ndez
Luis Mateo Fraga
Marta Orta

Abstract

A study was developed in Granma province, Cuba for analyzing 1484 monthly records of daily milk production of 500 lactations corresponding to 150 buffaloes of Buffalypso breed between 1997 and 2005. The statistical package SAS (2007), version 9.1.13 was used with the application of a mixed model including six herds, nine calving years (1997-2000) and two calving seasons as fixed effects and as random, each animal dwelling in each herd. Accumulated milk yield was calculated up to 100 (M100) and 200 d (M200). From there, the relationships between these periods PI = (M200-M100)/L100)*100 and P2 = (M200-M100)/M200)* were evaluated. Means were 81.62 and 43.60 %, respectively. The factors herd, year and calving season affected the persistency measurements 1 and 2. The correlations between persistency and production traits were medium and negative. These results are preliminary, since only Granma data were considered. However, the calculated measurement of persistency by the method I showed the best results and showed high variability (57 %). Further studies are necessary on this trait with higher number of observations for allowing the adoption of practical decisions and its possible inclusion in selection programs.
Key words: persistency, buffaloes, milk yield, environmental factors

Article Details

How to Cite
M?ndez, M., Fraga, L. M., & Orta, M. (2013). Lactation persistency in buffalo herds in Granma province, Cuba. Preliminary results. Cuban Journal of Agricultural Science, 47(3). Retrieved from https://cjascience.com/index.php/CJAS/article/view/347
Section
Genetics
Author Biographies

Mildred M?ndez

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado Postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Luis Mateo Fraga

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado Postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba

Marta Orta

Instituto de Ciencia Animal, Apartado Postal 24, San Jos? de las Lajas, Mayabeque, Cuba