Estimates of genetic parameters were obtained for weight, hip height, heart girth and shoulder to pin length measurements on Thai swamp buffalo, recorded at birth and weaning. Direct heritability estimates were 0·26 for weights at both ages and were low for skeletal measurements, ranging from 0·11 to 0·19. Low values could, in part at least, be caused by inaccuracies in recording. All traits were subject to maternal effects, permanent environmental maternal effects on traits recorded at weaning explaining proportionately up to 0·14 of the total variation. Estimates of genetic (direct and maternal) and permanent environmental correlations between traits recorded at the same time were high throughout, ranging from 0·83 to 0·97 for additive genetic effects and being close to unity otherwise. Except for heart girth measured at weaning, there appeared to be comparatively little genetic association between traits recorded at different times, direct additive correlation estimates ranging from 0·18 to 0·55 in contrast to estimates of 0·38 to 0·65 for correlations with heart girth at weaning.
