title: Relationship of prepartum udder and teat measurements with subsequent milk production traits in primiparous Nili-Ravi buffaloes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study was conducted to find out the relationship of prepartum udder and teat measurements with subsequent milk production traits in primiparous Nili-Ravi buffaloes.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 12 Nili-Ravi buffalo heifers were selected from Buffalo Farm, Central Institute for Research on Buffaloes, Regional Station- Bir Dosanjh, Nabha, Patiala, Punjab. The udder length (UL), udder width (UW), udder depth, teat length (TL), teat diameter (TD), and teat distances were measured at fortnightly interval from 60 days prepartum until calving. After calving, 60 days total milk yield (TDMY), peak yield (PY), and days taken to attain PY (DPY) were also recorded. The correlation coefficients of various prepartum udder and teat measurements since 60 days prepartum to calving with 60 days TDMY, PY, and DPY were calculated to find out the relationship between the traits in primiparous Nili-Ravi buffaloes.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The result envisaged that all udder and teat measurements were increased gradually toward the date of calving in primiparous buffaloes. The UL, UW, left fore (LF) and right rear (RR)TL, RRTD, and the distance between LF to left rear (LR) teat were positively correlated with 60 days TDMY. The UL and UW depicted positive but nonsignificant correlation with PY. Fore TLs showed positive correlation where as TDs and teat distances had a negative correlation with the DPY in primiparous Nili-Ravi buffaloes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It was concluded that milk production performance could be assessed on the basis of prepartum udder and teat measurements in primiparous Nili-Ravi buffaloes.
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production and Management, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chandrasekar
authors.affiliation: ICAR - Agricultural Technology Application Research Institute, Bhumi Vihar Complex, Block - III, Salt Lake City, Kolkata - 700 097, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: Kalyan Sundar
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: Das
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production and Management, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Showkat A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Bhat
authors.affiliation: ICAR - Central Institute for Research on Cattle, Meerut - 250 001, Uttar Pradesh, India.
authors.forename: J K
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Singh
authors.affiliation: Division of Cattle Physiology, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Thulasiraman
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Parkunanan
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production and Management, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: K Puhle
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Japheth
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production and Management, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Mayur R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Thul
authors.affiliation: Department of Livestock Production and Management, ICAR - National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal - 132 001, Haryana, India.
authors.forename: Pranay
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bharti
keywords: buffalo heifers; milk yield; peak yield; primiparous buffalo; teat measurements; udder measurements