Genetic Analysis of 305-Day Milk Yield in Mehsana Buffaloes of Banaskantha and Mehsana Districts of Gujarat

Abstract

Buffaloes play a vital role in Indian dairy economy, contributing more than half of the nation’s total milk production. Among indigenous  breeds, the Mehsana buffalo is a high-performing dual-purpose breed predominantly found in Gujarat. The present study was aimed to  estimate the genetic parameters and evaluate the 305-day milk yield (305DMY) of Mehsana buffaloes maintained under field conditions  in Mehsana and Banaskantha districts. A total of 18,888 buffaloes (15,418 from Mehsana and 3,470 from Banaskantha) with 305DMY  records were analyzed using data retrieved from the NDDB’s INAPH–MIS (Information Network for Animal Productivity and Health -  Management Information System) database. The mean 305DMY was 1962.75 ± 3.19 kg. Fixed effects, such as tehsil, year-season of  calving, and age at calving significantly influenced milk yield, highlighting the role of environmental and management factors. Genetic  variance was higher in Mehsana district (58,181) compared to Banaskantha (10,015), indicating greater genetic variability. Heritability  of 305DMY was moderate in Mehsana (0.36) but appeared low in Banaskantha (0.051) mainly because of very high residual variation  using BLUP model. Field data indicate that Banas animals show higher variability than Mehsana. This suggests that pedigree and  phenotypic records alone are not sufficient to capture the true genetic variability, which results in underestimated heritability. Therefore,  combining data from both Banaskantha and Mehsana for joint evaluation may improve genetic linkage and comparability between  herds and lead to more accurate breeding value estimation. Using Random Regression Model (RRM), the overall heritability estimates  were 0.2611 for Mehsana and 0.1436 for Banas buffaloes. The heritability estimate was observed as higher using random regression  model than routine 305DMY BLUP model.