Fit of different linear models to the lactation curve of Italian water buffalo

Mathematical modelling of lactation curve by suitable functions of time, widely used
in the dairy cattle industry, can represent also for buffaloes a fundamental tool for management and breeding
decision, where average curves are considered, and for genetic evaluation by random regression models, where
individual patterns are fitted. Average lactation curves of Italian Buffalo cows have been fitted with good
results (Catilloet al., 2002) whereas there is a lack of information on individual fitting.Aim of the present work
is to check performances of some of the most currently used empirical models in fitting both average and individual
lactation curves of Italian water buffaloes.