Investigation of response to selection for milk traits in dairy buffalo of Iran based on three sale situations

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to estimate the index and individual responses to selection for milk, fat percentage and protein percentage for different breeding goals in three buffalo milk sale situations in Khuzestan State of Iran characterized by: 1) selling just milk, 2) selling milk and Sarshir cream and 3) selling milk and Mozzarella. The current payment policy is based exclusively on milk volume. Index responses to selection were calculated for three different breeding goals (BG): 1) milk yield (MY) exclusively; 2) milk yield and milk fat percentage (MY+FP), 3) milk yield and milk fat and protein percentage (MY+FP+PP), 4) fat percentage (FP) exclusively and 5) fat and protein percentage (FP+PP). Index responses for the milk sale situation were US$102.85 (BG1 ), US$103.30 (BG2 ), US$103.52 (BG3 ), US$5.26 (BG4 ) and US$5.94(BG5 ). For the Sarshir (local cream of the region) sale situation, index responses were US$143.99 (BG1 ), US$143.97 (BG2 ), US$144.12 (BG3), US$2.78 (BG4 ) and US$2.80(BG5 ) and for Mozzarella sale situation, index responses were US$185.13 (BG1 ), US$185.08 (BG2 ), US$ 184.59 (BG3 ) US$4.54 (BG4 ) and US$9.22(BG5 ). The results suggest that for the present circumstances, selection for milk components is not advantageous when milk is produced for sale only milk. However, when Sarshir cream or Mozzarella making is added to the production, the selection for components and milk volume is economically beneficial.