Sire evaluation using conventional methods and animal models in Sahiwal cattle

Abstract

Sire evaluation is one of the most important aspects of dairy cattle genetic improvement programme which involves the estimation of breeding value of the bulls on the basis of first lactation 305-day milk yield. The present study was undertaken to evaluate the Sahiwal sires on the basis of observed and predicted first lactation 305-days milk yield. The study was conducted utilizing 19 Sahiwal sires with three or more daughters per sire which were evaluated and ranked on the basis of first lactation 305-day milk yield. Three different sire evaluation methods, viz. Simple daughter average, Least squares method (LSM), Best linear unbiased prediction method(BLUP) were compared. The BLUP method was found to be superior followed by LSM and Simple Daughter Average Method for evaluating the sires for first lactation 305-day milk yield