Standardizing pregnancy rate of Indian Murrah buffaloes for higher milk yield

Abstract

Study revealed that increase in milk production has lead to decline in fertility performances of Murrah buffaloes. Data pertaining to 1224 lactation records of Murrah buffaloes spread over a period 19 years were analyzed in the study. It was observed that pregnancy rate (fertility) depicted negative phenotypic association with 305 days or less milk yield (-0.08±0.04), wet average (-0.12±0.02) and test day five milk yield (-0.09±0.03). It was observed that to achieve around 2000 kg MY, 7.5 kg WA and 7.7 kg in TD 5 MY, the level of pregnancy rate varied between 30-50%. Under the present study an attempt was made to quantify the decline of fertility with the increase of milk production in Murrah buffaloes. The per unit change in fertility with respect to milk yield in Murrah buffaloes, were studied using multiple regression analysis. Increasing one kilogram milk yield in test day five (125th day) pregnancy rate reduced by about 1.3%, and increase in one kilogram milk yield per day in 305 days or hundred kilogram in 305 days of Murrah buffaloes pregnancy rate reduced by 0.9%.