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Productive and Reproductive Performances of Indigenous Lime and Parkote Buffaloes in the Western hills of Nepal
Pages 14-17
M. K. Shah, Y. Hayashi and H. Kumagai

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2016.05.01.2

Published: 06 April 2016

 


Abstract: Livestock is an integral part for the most rural livelihoods in Nepal. A very high proportion of poor and marginalized farmers depend on livestock as main or supplemental resources for their income. Cattle and buffalo contribute to more than 70% of the livestock sector. The Lime, Parkote and Gaddi are the indigenous buffalo breeds of Nepal. The productive and reproductive performances of indigenous buffalo breeds, Lime and Parkote, were studied in Regional Agricultural Research Station (RARS), Lumle in Nepal. The lactation data of the indigenous buffaloes recorded by RARS livestock farm for 14 years (from 2000 to 2014) was collected and analyzed to assess the production and reproduction traits. The productive performance was 964.0±33.0 litre/lactation in Lime and 878.5±66.3 litre/lactation in Parkote, while a daily milk yield of Lime was 3.2±0.1 litre/day and that of Parkote was 2.9±0.2 litre/day. The milk constituents of Lime were 9.0% fat, 9.2% solids not fat (SNF) and 3.8% protein. The milk contents of Parkote were 8.9% fat, 9.8% SNF and 4.0% protein. The maximum mating was found in October (30%), while the minimum mating was in June (1%) in both the breeds. The calving time of Lime and Parkote was maximum in September (36%). The Lime and Parkote buffaloes are high potential milking animals in the western hills of Nepal. Furthermore, the value chain and organic production approaches would be very useful for the conservation and utilization of these indigenous buffaloes.

Keywords: Buffalo, Lime, Parkote, production, reproduction.
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jbs-product-logo-main 1331898601

Effect of Calving Interval on Milk Yield in Italian Buffalo Population
Pages 18-22
E. Parlato and L. Zicarelli

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2016.05.01.3

Published: 06 April 2016

 


Abstract: The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the previous calving intervals (CI) on milk yield (MY) in the current lactation for the Italian buffalo breed population.

Data for 86,585 lactation records from the Italian Buffalo Breeders Association database, were analyzed. MY BLUP-estimates were obtained by including in the Animal Model the fixed effects of age-parity, previous CI, and herd-contemporary-group. The MY solutions for the months of CI were analyzed with the linear regression model where CI in months was the explanatory variable. 59.66% of the lactation records had CI between 11 and 14 months. 37.91 % of the lactation records were distributed between 15 and 24 months. The smaller percentage of records showed CI greater than 24 months. This CI distribution may be, in part, the result of herd management strategies. Dairy producers try to shorten the CI of their herd in order to get the most profit from early conceptions of the buffalo. The regression model and its parameters were statistically significant. The coefficient of determination was equal to 0.58. The intercept was equal to 72.42 kg; and the linear coefficient (b) was equal to -3.43. The negative value of b denotes a negative effect of CI on MY. This result indicates that there is a negative linear relationship between previous CI and MY in the current lactation. Therefore, shorten the CI may increase the profits of the farm through higher MY, because it has less of a negative effect on MY than longer CI.

Keywords: Italian Mediterranean Buffalo, milk yield, calving interval.
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Journal of Buffalo Science

The Incidence of Postpartum Metritis and Retained Placenta in Cattle and Buffalo Cows in some Villages Around Baghdad
Pages 59-63
Al-Saed Abbas H. Naief, A.A.H. Al Khazraji, N.N. Al-Anbari, Hameed Hasson Al-Saeidy and Hasan Abid Hasan

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2015.04.03.1

Published: 28 December 2015

 


Abstract: This survey aimed to investigate the incidence rate of some reproductive problems especially retained placenta and metritis in cattle and buffalo cows to design appropriate manners for correction and treatment of such disorders of those two important animals in Iraq. A field survey was carried out on 257 cattle cows during 2011 and 290 during 2012 and 383 local water buffalo cows (Bubalus bubalis), during 2011 and 404 during 2012 in some villages around Baghdad (Al-Fudalia, 7 Nisan and Basmaia) where animals were reared. A complete data about case history, owner complains, clinical examinations for reproductive status, were documented by private clinics during 2011 - 2012. Results revealed that retained placenta percentage in cattle was 12.84, 12.41% during 2011, 2012 respectively, whereas it was 12.53, 12.62% during 2011, 2012 respectively in buffalo cows, in the case of uterine infections percentages, buffalo exhibited the highest percentages (40.46,37.87 %) during 2011, 2012 respectively in the comparison with cattle which showed 35.40, 35.17 % during 2011,2012 respectively. Highly significant differences (p ≤ 0.01) between species were observed yearly and during some months during the years of study. We concluded that management programs differences and environmental changes may lead to monthly and yearly differences in reproductive disorders capability.

Keywords: Iraqi cattle, buffalo, reproductive disorders.
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Journal of Buffalo Science

Genetic Parameters and Sire Ranking for the Adjusted Estimate of Mozzarella Cheese Production in Italian Mediterranean Buffalo
Pages 64-68
E. Parlato and L. Zicarelli

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2015.04.03.2

Published: 28 December 2015

 


Abstract: The objectives of this study were to investigate the effect of adjusting mozzarella cheese production (APKM) compare to the unadjusted PKM on genetic parameters and sire ranking in Italian buffalo. 337,158 lactation records at 270d, from years 1997 to 2014, up to fifth parity, of 136,525 animals were analyzed. Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) for APKM and PKM were predicted by BLUP-Animal Model with the fixed effects of age-parity, days-open, and contemporary-group; and the random factors of animal, permanent environmental and residuals. APKM showed lower heritability (0.23) than that of PKM (0.31) which might be due to the lower genetic correlation between APKM and milk yield (MY) (0.09) compared to that of PKM with MY (0.25). APKM positively changed sire ranking with increasing rank of sire with positive EBVs of Protein and Fat percentage, and decreasing rank of sire with negative EBVs of Protein and Fat percentage. Due to the larger correlation between PKM and MY, by selecting through the PKM, one risk is to increasing the number of buffalo that produce more milk, not optimal for making mozzarella cheese. Whereas, genetic selection through the APKM will increase the number of high-yielding buffalo with positive EBVs for Protein and Fat percentage.

Keywords: Mozzarella cheese production, Italian buffalo, milk yield.
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