Genetic analysis reveals increasing heritability of body weight with age in female Murrah buffaloes, indicating genetic selection for growth is most effective at later stages.
Key Points
To estimate genetic parameters for body weight across different growth stages in female Murrah buffaloes raised under tropical conditions.
Analyzed longitudinal body weight data from 1,949 Murrah buffalo females raised in tropical environments.
Fitted random regression models using Legendre polynomials to evaluate genetic variance and growth trajectories across ages.
Heritability estimates for body weight increased with age, ranging from 0.058 at 28 days to 0.244 at 693 days of age.
Genetic correlations declined as the time interval between weighing ages increased, falling to 0.1916 between 30 and 720 days of age.