Genetic parameters for growth traits of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis Artiodactyla, Bovidae) in Colombia

Objective: to estimate genetic parameters of weaning weight (WW) and weights at 12 (W12), 18 (W18), and 24 (W24) months of age, in buffalo populations of the Colombian tropical lowlands. Methods: both single-trait and multitrait animal models were used for (WW) and weights at various ages. The models included fixed effects for sex, parity, and contemporary groups (farm, season, and year), with the age of calves at weaning as a covariate. Random effects included direct and maternal genetics, permanent environment, and residual effects. Results: direct, maternal, and total heritabilities for WW were 0.45 +/- 0.054, 0.28 +/- 0.070 and 0.33. The genetic correlation between direct and maternal effects was -0.48 +/- 0.089, suggesting there is a negative correlation between genes for growth and genes for maternity. Heritabilities for W12, W18, and W24 were 0.42, 0.42, and 0.41, respectively, showing high positive correlations among the three characteristics. Conclusion: estimated heritabilities suggest that selection for pre and post-weaning growth is feasible in this population.