Genetic parameters and effect of non genetic factors on lifetime performance traits of murrah buffalo: A review

The success of Indian dairy industry is much dependent on productivity and efficient reproduction performance of Murrah buffaloes. .It is a established fact that first lactation yield is a good indicator of lifetime performance but still there is further need to study the relationship between first, later lactations and lifetime performance traits for overall better evaluation of genetic worth of the female individual’s own performance and for ranking of sires. Economic return from dairy animals depends on lifetime performance. The prediction of expected correlated response to selection based on early performance and development of selection schemes for genetic improvement in lifetime traits are likely to be more beneficial. The impact of any selection programme depends upon degree of accuracy of selection and genetic correlation between early and lifetime performance traits. Keeping in view, the above facts available through the literature on this species of livestock indicated immense opportunities for the evaluation of genetic parameters and devising appropriate selection indices. The literature pertinent to genetic and phenotypic parameters of lifetime performance traits viz. number of lactations completed, herd life (days), lifetime milk yield (kg), productive life (days), milk yield per day of productive life (kg/day) and milk yield per day of herd life (kg/day) and non genetic factors affecting lifetime performance traits were reviewed in Murrah buffaloes.