Factors affecting milk minerals and constituents in indigenous vis-à-vis crossbred cattle and buffaloes.

The present investigation was conducted to compare milk minerals and constituents in different bovine species and breeds. The genetic and non-genetic factors affecting milk fat, protein and milk mineral composition in crossbred cattle were investigated. The effect of breeds was highly significant on copper (Cu), zinc (Zn), manganese (Mn), sodium (Na), potassium (K), fat and protein, significant (p≤0.05) on calcium (Ca) and non-significant on phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) content. The Ca, Cu, fat and protein were significantly higher in Murrah buffalo followed by Tharparkar cattle and crossbred cattle. However, Mn and Zn were higher in Tharparkar cattle followed by Murrah buffalo and crossbred cattle. Tharparkar milk was also rich in Na and K followed by crossbred cattle and Murrah buffalo. The effect of parity was highly significant only on Mn, whereas, effect of lactation stage (LS) was significant on Fe and Cu in milk of crossbred cattle. The effect of Test Day Milk Yield (TDMY) was significant on Fe and Cu. The product moment correlation was highest (0.414) between Zn and Fe and lowest (-0.347) between Cu and Zn. Among milk minerals, the estimates of heritability for Fe, Ca and Mn were moderate, whereas it was low for other minerals in crossbred cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]