Effect of parity and calf gender on milk yield and composition of buffalo, Bubalus bubalis inhabiting southern Iraqi wetlands

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of birth sequence and gender of newborns on milk production and its components in Iraqi buffaloes. A total of 210 raw milk samples were used from 70 female buffaloes at different ages, breastfeeding young of different sexes. The result showed a significant effect of the birth sequence on daily milk production, where the group of mothers with the fourth birth sequence and more was significantly had higher production. The mothers with the second birth sequence significantly outperformed the mothers with the first birth sequence. The highest daily milk production was in the fourth birth sequence group and more and the lowest in the first birth sequence group (11.14±0.165 vs. 3.74±0.198kg). The effect of the birth sequence was significant (P 0.05) on the percentage of total solids, fat percentage, and milk density. The results showed a significant effect of the newborn gender on daily milk production, total solids, and the density of milk, where the mothers of male births had the higher daily milk production (8.74±0.328 vs. 6.40±0.328kg), while the mothers of female births had a significantly higher percentage of total solids and milk density.