Breeding value evaluation for milk production in Murrah buffaloes: Combined information on individual and its female relatives

Information on 305-day (or less) milk yield records of 832 Murrah buffaloes spread over 26 years (1970-1995), maintained at the National Dairy Researc h Institute. Karnal, were analyzed to predict the breeding value of female based on its own information in combination with its Other female relatives . The prediction of breeding value based only on individual's first lactati on and average of first 2 lactations had the accuracy of 0.5991 and 0.7621 respectively. The accuracy of prediction increased as first lactation of da m and average of 2 paternal half-sisters' first lactation records were comb ined with individual's information, In that case, the accuracy of predictio n of breeding value was 0.6340 and 0.7995 for combined relatives' informati on along with first lactation and average of first 2 lactation records of i ndividual respectively. Considering the time, effort and resources spent an d the accuracy obtained from the combined information, it was concluded tha t only individual's own information was ideal for evaluation of breeding va lue in Murrah females.