An Approach for Dairy Buffalo Development through Investment in Genetic Improvement

: Dairy products are an essential source of animal protein, particularly for nutritional vulnerable groups and vegetarians in Asian countries. Therefore, the approach towards increasing the domestic supply of milk is to raise the buffalo milk yield via genetic improvement from the semen of the selected buffalo sire that possesses a high predicted milk difference. Data were collected from Artificial Insemination Centers in Egypt, as a case study, to apply a dynamic mathematical investment model for estimating the rate of return (IRR) to genetic investment. The effective variables in IRR, besides the economic variables, are the reproductive traits and feed efficiency. The estimated most probable level of IRR was feasible, i.e., 19.71%. A worse change in the reproductive efficiency variables, i.e., the aggregate of 10% increase in the number of conception services, age at the First Calving, and the service period, would decrease the IRR by 7.51%. A decrease in feed efficiency by 10% would decrease the IRR by 9%. A worse change by 10% in the feed costs, price of semen, and milk price would decrease IRR by 7%. To import buffalo sires' semen of high predicted milk difference at moderate prices till establishment, domestic genetic merit is required.