Test day variability in yield and composition of Surti and Mehsani buffaloes milk at day 15 and 60 postpartum

Aim: To estimate individual test day variability in yield and composition of Surti and Mehsani buffaloes milk at day 15 and 60 postpartum (pp). Materials and Methods: A total of 13 normally calved Surti and Mehsani buffaloes each maintained at Livestock Research Stations of Navsari and Sardarkrushinagar Dantiwada Agricultural Universities, respectively, were selected for the study. Milk sample was collected from each selected buffalo at day 15 and 60 pp to study milk yield and composition variability between these two breeds. Buffaloes were categorized for the ease of data analysis and comparisons into four groups, viz., S15 (Surti buffaloes 15th day pp), S60 (Surti buffaloes 60th day pp), M15 (Mehsani buffaloes 15th day pp), and M60 (Mehsani buffaloes 60th day pp). Results: There were 37.20% and 25.03% significant (p <= 0.05) increase in mean test day milk yield (TDMY) of S60 and M60 as compared to S15 and M15 groups, respectively. The mean TDMY of Mehsani buffalo was 99.19% and 81.53% significantly (p <= 0.05) higher than Surti buffaloes at day 15 and 60 pp, respectively. The mean fat and protein corrected test day milk yield (FPCTDMY) of all the groups was found to be significantly different (p <= 0.05) from each other. There was significant (p <= 0.05) increase of 1.94 and 3.45 kg in mean FPCTDMY with the progression of lactation between day 15 and 60 pp in Surti and Mehsani buffaloes, respectively. Similarly, the mean FPCTDMY of Mehsani buffaloes were approximately double with 103.27% and 96.36% higher yield as compared to Surti buffaloes at day 15 and 60 pp, respectively. Among milk composition, significant differences were observed for solid not fat (SNF) and protein%, whereas fat and lactose% were steady among four groups. The only significant (p <= 0.05) difference was observed for SNF in M60 group, which was 8.29%, 6.85%, and 10.70% higher as compared to S15, S60, and M15 groups, respectively. The mean protein% in milk of Mehsani buffaloes was 21.01% and 33.05% significantly (p <= 0.05) higher than Surti buffaloes milk at day 15 and 60 pp, respectively. However, there was a significant difference in protein% observed with the advancement of lactation in Mehsani buffaloes, but it was not so in the case of Surti buffaloes. Conclusion: Major consistent finding of the present study reveals that milk yield and protein% of Mehsani buffalo was significantly higher than Surti buffalo at day 15 and 60 pp.