Multivariate analysis of milk yield, lactation length and calving interval in female buffaloes

• Published in: Revista Colombiana de Ciencias pecuarias Vol. 31; no. 2; pp. 103 - 109
• Main Authors: Bezerra Junior, Jailton S, Silva, Fabiane L, Hongyu, Kuang, Couto, Alberto G, N Medeiros, Rosália B, T Araújo, Filipe C, Lima, Luciano G, Fraga, Angelina B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Medellín Universidad de Antioquía 01.04.2018; Universidad de Antioquia
• Subjects: análise de cluster; análisis de conglomerado; Breastfeeding & lactation; Breeding; Bubalus bubalis; Buffalo; Byproducts; búfalas mestiças Murrah; búfalas Murrah mestizas; Cluster analysis; Clustering; componente principal; componentes principales; Control programs; crossbred Murrah buffalo; Culling; dendrogram; dendrograma; Global marketing; Lactation; Milk production; Multivariate analysis; principal component; Principal components analysis
• ISSN: 0120-0690; 2256-2958
• DOI: 10.17533/udea.rccp.v31n2a03

Background: The global market has an increasing demand for buffalo by-products due to their unique nutritional characteristics. Many buffalo herds lack suitable breeding control programs, hindering the implementation of selection programs. Objective: To evaluate milk production per lactation (MP), lactation length (LL), and calving interval (CI) of a herd of crossbred Murrah buffaloes to support buffalo clustering according to their potential. Methods: Data from 543 lactations between 2002 and 2014 from 105 crossbred Murrah female buffaloes were used. Data were subjected to principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. Results: The first components (PCs) were responsible for 92.32% of the total variation, of which 61.45 and 30.87% were explained by the first (PC1) and second (PC2) components, respectively. The cluster analysis allowed three female buffalo groups according to their potentials. Conclusion: Buffalo farmers can make decisions on nutritional, reproductive management and cow culling based on grouping.