Effects of birth weight and growth traits on the first lactation milk yield and reproduction characteristics in Anatolian buffaloes

Abstract. This study aimed to reveal the effects of birth weight (BW), 6-month live weight (LW6), and 12-month LW (LW12) on first lactation milk yield and reproduction characteristics and to determine the non-genetic factors affecting these traits of Anatolian buffaloes in Amasya Province. For this purpose, 200 Anatolian buffaloes born between 2014 and 2018 and calved between 2017 and 2021 formed the basis of this study. These animals were divided into two groups with respect to BW (<26.82 and ≥26.82 kg), LW6 (<88.00 and ≥88.00 kg), and LW12 (<138.47 and ≥138.47 kg). The effect of birth year on BW (P=0.044), LW6 (P<0.001), and LW12 (P<0.001) was statistically significant, while there was no significant effect of birth season on BW and LW6 (P>0.05), except LW12 (P<0.001). The effect of dam age on LW6 was significant (P=0.039), except BW and LW12 (P>0.05). In the present study, only the BW groups had a significant effect on lactation length (LL) (P=0.006). The effect of growth traits on the first calving age (FCA) of the LW12 group was significant (P=0.036). Although it was not statistically significant, it can be said that buffaloes with higher LW in terms of BW and growth traits had higher lactation milk yield (LMY), earlier FCA, and shorter calving intervals (CIs). There have been limited studies on the effects of BW and growth traits on milk and reproduction traits in buffaloes, and most of the studies were conducted in cattle. Therefore, more studies are required to reveal the relationships between related traits in buffaloes.