Characteristics of Buffalo Production and Research Systems in Southern Mexico

Luis Alberto  de la Cruz-Cruz; Patricia  Roldán-Santiago; Daniel Fernando  Berdugo-Diaz; René  Rodríguez-Florentino; Jesús Alfredo  Berdugo-Gutiérrez

doi:10.6000/1927-520X.2022.11.03

Authors

Luis Alberto de la Cruz-Cruz Escuela de Ciencias de la Salud. Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia. Universidad del Valle de México-Coyoacán, Calzada de Tlalpan 04910, Ciudad de México, México
Patricia Roldán-Santiago Departamento de Reproducción, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Ciudad Universitaria, Av. Universidad 300, C.U., Coyoacán, 04510, CDMX, México
Daniel Fernando Berdugo-Diaz Centro Latinoamericano para el Estudio del Búfalo, Carrera 68 No 42-25 Medellín, Colombia
René Rodríguez-Florentino Posgrado en Ganadería, Recursos Genéticos y Productividad, Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Montecillo, km 36.5, Carretera México-Texcoco, Montecillo, Municipio de Texcoco, Edo. De México
Jesús Alfredo Berdugo-Gutiérrez Profesor, Universidad Nacional de Colombia. Sede Orinoquia, Arauca, Km 9 vía Tame, Arauca. Grupo de investigación BIOGEM, Colombia https://orcid.org/0000-0002-1556-6387

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2022.11.03

Keywords:

Water buffalo, Productivity, Meat, Milk, Health

Abstract

Background: This research aimed to characterize the production units of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) and review the published scientific literature in southeastern Mexico.

Methods: Between May and June 2020, a questionnaire was created in Google forms, distributed through social networks, and emailed to buffalo breeders. In addition, a review of different scientific databases on the experimental studies developed in Mexico on buffalo was performed.

Results: Data was collected from 8,867 animals from 13 producers located in southeastern Mexico; dual-purpose (milk-meat) is the primary zootechnical purpose (69.24%), and the rest is meat production. The buffalo herd is mainly composed of females (72.09%). Females are used primarily to repopulate the herd and males for meat production. Mortality in adults remained between 2 to 5%. 30.76% of the producers produce milk (495 females) with 5.1 L/d on average. 100% of the producers stated that they transform the milk into dairy products, mainly cheeses and other products. In the case of meat production, 31.97% of the males are fattened based on pastures with a weight range between 400-600 kg at the age of 22 months (range 18-30 months). Between 2012-and 2021, 19 studies related mainly to herd health (63.15%) were registered.

Conclusion: It is concluded that this Mexican species has great productive potential with different areas for improvement. Due to sanitary management and rusticity, mortality is low. It is necessary to develop other lines of research associated with the reproduction, production of milk/meat, health, quality of products, safety, and sustainability of buffalo activity in Mexico.

References

Vale WG, Pawan S. Evaluación y manejo reproductivo del búfalo doméstico. In: de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Maitret-Collado E, Roldán-Santiago P, Zava M, editors. El búfalo de agua generalidades y características productivas. 1st ed. México: LID publishing 2021; pp. 202-61.

Zava M. El búfalo, su origen, población e importancia en el mundo. In: de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Maitret-Collado E, Roldán-Santiago P, Zava M, editors. El búfalo de agua: generalidades y características productivas. 1st ed. México: LID publishing 2021; pp. 17-32.

Aguilar-Dominguez M, Romero-Salas D, Sanchez-Montes S, et al. Occurrence of Amblyomma mixtum on the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Mexico. Int J Parasitol Parasites Wildl 2018; 7: 405-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijppaw.2018.10.005

Suazo-Cortez R, Romero-Salas D, Villagomez-Cortes JA, Martinez -Herrera DI. First notification on the presence of Brucellosis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Mexico by serological tests. Afr J Microbiol Res 2012; 6: 3242-7. https://doi.org/10.5897/AJMR11.1630

Maitret-Collado E. Los búfalos de agua en México. In: de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Maitret-Collado E, Roldán-Santiago P, Zava M, editors. El búfalo de agua generalidades y características productivas. 1st ed. México: LID publishing 2021; pp. 67-73.

Romero-Salas D, Pérez de León A. Bubalinocultura en México: retos de industria pecuaria naciente. In: González CS, Madrid-Bury N, editors. Logros y desafíos de la ganadería de doble propósito. 6a ed. México: Ediciones Astro Data S. A 2014; pp. 407-12.

Salguero-Romero JL, Romero-Salas D, Cruz-Romero A, et al. Serosurveillance and risk factors for Neospora caninum infection in water buffaloes (B. bubalis) from central and southern Mexico. Vet Parasitol Reg Stud Reports 2021; 26: 100631. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vprsr.2021.100631

González-Quintero R, Barahona-Rosales R, Bolívar-Vergara DM, et al. Technical and environmental characterization of dual-purpose cattle farms and ways of improving production: A case study in Colombia. Pastoralism 2020; 10: 19. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13570-020-00170-5

Ferreira FP, Gemaque FJA, Silva CA, Marques MRB, Batista VR. Manejo nutricional adotado em fazendas de criação de úfalos no Brasil. Agroecossistemas 2020; 12: 218-26.

IBM SPSS Statistics (version 27.0). IBM Corp 2020; Armonk, NY, USA.

Hernández-Herrera G, Lara-Rodríguez DA, Vázquez-Luna D, et al. Búfalo de agua (Bubalus bubalis): un acercamiento al manejo sustentable en el sur de Veracruz, México. Agroproductividad 2018; 11: 27-32. https://doi.org/10.32854/agrop.v11i10.1240

INEGI. Instituto Nacional de Estadística y Geografía (INEGI). Marco Geoestadístico Nacional. 2020; 2022 Feb 8; [cited: 9 February]. Available from: http://cuentame.inegi.org.mx/ mapas/

Coronel IS. Aumenta en México la crianza del búfalo de agua México: BM Editores [serial on the internet]. 2020 May 15;[cited 2022 February 9]; 10:[about 5 screens]. Available from: https://bmeditores.mx/ganaderia/aumenta-en-mexico-crianza-del-bufalo-de-agua/

de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Bonilla-Jaime H, Orozco-Gregorio H, et al. Effects of weaning on the stress responses and productivity of water buffalo in different breeding systems: A review. Livest Sci 2019; 226: 73-81. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2019.05.020

de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Bonilla-Jaime H, Orozco-Gregorio H, et al. Effect of three weaning methods on behavioural, cortisol and weight changes in buffalo calves. Anim Prod Sci 2021; 61: 780-9. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN20325

de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Orozco-Gregorio H, Vargas-Romero JM, et al. Physiological responses in weaned water buffalo calves with different separation strategies. Livest Sci 2020; 231: 103892. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livsci.2019.103892

Martínez-Reina AM, Doria-Ramos M, García-Jiménez J, et al. Caracterización técnica y económica del sistema de producción de búfalos Bubalus bubalis en el departamento de Córdoba de Colombia. Arch Zootec 2020; 69: 444-52. https://doi.org/10.21071/az.v69i268.5392

Tovar-Breto LE, Nava-Trujillo H. Sincronización de la ovulación e inseminación en búfalas de agua. In: de la Cruz- Cruz LA, Maitret-Collado E, Roldán-Santiago P, Zava M, edi-tors. El búfalo de agua generalidades y características pro-ductivas. 1st ed. México: LID publishing 2021; pp. 151-99.

Shashikumar NG, Baithalu RK, Bathla S, et al. Global proteomic analysis of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) saliva at different stages of estrous cycle using high throughput mass spectrometry. Theriogenology 2018; 110: 52-60. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.theriogenology.2017.12.046

Sánchez AJ, Romero MP, Suárez VYJ. Estacionalidad Reproductiva de la Hembra Bufalina (Bubalus bubalis). Rev Investig Vet Perú 2017; 28: 606-18. https://doi.org/10.15381/rivep.v28i3.13289

Martínez A, Ray JV, García LR, Benítez D, Guevara O. Comportamiento de algunos indicadores productivos y reproductivos del búfalo de río en la provincia Granma. Rev Cuba Cien Agríc 2009; 43: 127-30.

de León-García RH, Abrego S, Espinoza A, Vega N, González V. Estacionalidad de los partos en búfalos (Bufalypso) en el trópico bajo panameño. Cienc Agropec 2022; 34: 90-103.

Crudeli G. Fisiología reproductiva del búfalo. Producción en Argentina. Tecnol Marcha 2011: 74-81.

Barile VL. Improving reproductive efficiency in female buffaloes. Livest Prod Sci 2005; 92: 183-94. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.livprodsci.2004.06.014

López JR, Elías A, Delgado D. El sistema de alimentación de bucerros. Su influencia en la eficiencia de la especie. Rev Cuba Cien Agrí 2008; 42: 229-34.

Smijisha AS, Kamboj ML. Colostrum intake of weaned Murrah buffalo calves reared under different management practices. Tamilnadu J Vet Animal Sci 2012; 8: 42-4.

Ojeda-Robertos NF, Torres-Chablé OM, Peralta-Torres JA, et al. Study of gastrointestinal parasites in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) reared under Mexican humid tropical conditions. Trop Anim Health Prod 2017; 49: 613-8. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-017-1237-4

Villanueva MA, Mingala CN, Tubalinal GA, et al. Eds. Emerging Infectious Diseases in Water Buffalo: An Economic and Public Health Concern. Philippines: IntechOpen 2018.

Dominguez AG, Romero-Salas D, Martínez-Herrera DI, García-Vázquez Z. Los búfalos de agua y las enfermedades infecciosas. Revista de divulgación científica y tecnológica de la universidad Veracruzana [serial on the Internet]. 2013 May-Aug 1;[cited 2022 February 5]; XXVI:[about 10 screens]. Available from: https://www.uv.mx/cienciahombre/revistae/ vol26num2/articulos/bufalos.html

Romero-Salas D, Alvarado-Esquivel C, Dominguez-Aguilar G, et al. Seroepidemiology of infection with Neospora caninum, Leptospira, and bovine herpesvirus type 1 in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Veracruz, Mexico. Eur J Microbiol Immunol 2017; 7: 278-83. https://doi.org/10.1556/1886.2017.00029

Pinheiro Machado Filho LC, Seó HLS, Daros RR, et al. Voisin Rational Grazing as a Sustainable Alternative for Livestock Production. Animals 2021; 11: 3494. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11123494

Angulo RA, Noguera RR, Berdugo JA. The water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): an efficient user of nutrients; aspects of fermentation and ruminal digestion. Livestock Research for Rural Development 2005; 17.

Joele M, Lourenco JD, Faturi C, et al. Traditional and silvipastoral system on Eastern Amazon - production and carcass and meat quality from buffalo. Semin-Cienc Agrar 2013; 34: 2457-64. https://doi.org/10.5433/1679-0359.2013v34n5p2457

Lambertz C, Panprasert P, Holtz W, et al. Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality of Swamp Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) Fattened at Different Feeding Intensities. Asian Australas J Anim Sci 2014; 27: 551-60. https://doi.org/10.5713/ajas.2013.13555

Fundora O, Quintana FO, González ME. Comportamiento y composición de la canal de búfalos de río alimentados con una mezcla de pasto estrella, pastos naturales y leguminosas nativas. Rev Cuba Cienc Agríc 2004; 38: 43-6.

Cifuni GF, Conto M, Amici A, Failla S. Physical and nutritional properties of buffalo meat finished on hay or maize silage-based diets. Anim Sci J 2014; 85: 405-10. https://doi.org/10.1111/asj.12152

Das GK, Khan FA. Summer Anoestrus in Buffalo – A Review. Reprod Domest Anim 2010; 45: e483-e94. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1439-0531.2010.01598.x

Yañez-Pizaña AS, de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Tarazona-Morales AM, et al. Physiological and Behavioral Changes of Water Buffalo in Hot and Cold Systems: Review. J Buffalo Sci 2020; 9: 110-20. https://doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2020.09.13

Bracke MBM. Review of wallowing in pigs: Description of the behaviour and its motivational basis. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2011; 132: 1-13. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2011.01.002

Al-Jubury A, Jarullah B, Al-Jassim K, Badran M, Mahmmod Y. Prevalence and diffusion of gastrointestinal parasite infections in swamp water buffalo (Bubalus Bubalis) popu-lations from marshlands of Iraq. J Buffalo Sci 2020; 9: 38-47. https://doi.org/10.6000/1927-520X.2020.09.06

Galloso-Hernández MA, Soca-Pérez M, Dublin D, et al. Thermoregulatory and feeding behavior under different man-agement and heat stress conditions in heifer water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in the tropics. Animals 2021; 11: 1162. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11041162

Thomas CS, Editor. Efficient dairy buffalo production [monograph on the Internet]. DeLaval International AB; [cited 2022]: Available from: http://www.delavalcorporate.com/ globalassets/our-products/milking-solutions/efficient-dairy-buffalo-production.pdf

Gusmão-Couto A. Ed. Ordenha sem bezerro ao pé em bubalinos. Brasil: Gráfica Jaraguá 2019.

Pérez-Rojo AF, Solano-Suárez DC, de la Cruz-Cruz LA. Manejo zootécnico y buenas prácticas en la actividad bufalina. In: de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Maitret-Collado E, Roldán-Santiago P, Zava M, editors. El búfalo de agua generalidades y características productivas. 1st ed. México: LID publishing 2021; pp. 134-78.

Ahmad S, Anjum FM, Huma N, Sameen A, Zahoor T. Composition and Physico-chemical characteristics of buffalo milk with particular emphasis on lipids, proteins, minerals, enzymes, and vitamins. J Anim Plant Sci 2013; 23: 62-74.

Boro P, Debnath J, Das TK, et al. Milk composition and factors affecting it in dairy Buffaloes: A review. J Entomol Zool Stud 2018; 6: 340-3.

Khan IT, Nadeem M, Imran M, et al. Triglyceride, fatty acid profile and antioxidant characteristics of low melting point fractions of Buffalo Milk fat. Lipids Health Dis 2019; 18: 11. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12944-019-0995-6

Zava M. Developments of Buffalo Industry in America. Buffalo Bull 2013; 32: 75-82.

Zava M. The buffalo in Southern South America. Ital J Anim Sci 2007; 6: 172-8. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.s2.172

Landi N, Di Giuseppe AMA, Ragucci S, Di Maro A. Free amino acid profile of Bubalus bubalis L. meat from the Campania region. R Bras Zootec 2016; 45: 627-31. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1806-92902016001000008

Ilavarasan R, Abraham RJJ, Rao VA, Ruban SW, Ramani R. Effect of age on meat quality characteristics and nutritional composition of toda buffalo. Buffalo Bull 2016; 35: 215-23.

Ferranti P, Gualtieri L, Sacchi R, Quarto M, Chianese L. Molecular characterization of water buffalo meat by proteomic techniques. Ital J Anim Sci 2007; 6: 1182-6. https://doi.org/10.4081/ijas.2007.s2.1182

Atencio-Valladares O, Huerta-Leidenz N, Rodas-González A, Jerez-Timaure N. Predicción del rendimiento en cortes, hueso y grasa en búfalos de agua en Venezuela. Pesq Agropec Bras 2007; 4212: 1801-9. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2007001200019

Joele MR, Lourenço LF, Lourenço Júnior JB, et al. Meat quality of buffaloes finished in traditional or silvopastoral system in the Brazilian Eastern Amazon. J Sci Food Agric 2017; 97: 1740-5. https://doi.org/10.1002/jsfa.7922

Rebak G, Jauregui G, Capellari A, Prester N. Determination of Muscularity and Correlation with Body Weight in Buffalo in the Northeast of Argentina. Buffalo Bulletin 2013; 32: 1274-6.

Di Luccia A, Satriani A, Barone CMA, et al. Effect of dietary energy content on the intramuscular fat depots and triglyceride composition of river buffalo meat. Meat Sci 2003; 65: 1379-89. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0309-1740(03)00060-3

Kandeepan G, Anjaneyulu ASR, Kondaiah N, Mendiratta SK, Lakshmanan V. Effect of age and gender on the processing characteristics of buffalo meat. Meat Sci 2009; 83: 10-4. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2009.03.003

Tateo A, De Palo P, Quaglia NC, Centoducati P. Some qualitative and chromatic aspects of thawed buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) meat. Meat Sci 2007; 76: 352-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2006.12.003

Desta TT. Introduction of domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) into Ethiopia would be feasible. Renew Agric Food Syst 2012; 27: 305-13. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170511000366

Naveena BM, Sen AR, Muthukumar M, Babji Y, Kondaiah N. Effects of salt and ammonium hydroxide on the quality of ground buffalo meat. Meat Sci 2011; 87: 315-20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2010.11.004

Andriguetto C, Mendes JA, de Oliveira RR, et al. Características fisico-químicas e sensoriais da carne de bubalinos Murrah abatidos em diferentes períodos de confinamento. R Bras Zootec 2008; 37: 2179-84. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1516-35982008001200015

Zhang Y, Wang H, Gui L, et al. Profile of muscle tissue gene expression specific to water buffalo: Comparison with domestic cattle by genome array. Gene 2016; 577: 24-31. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gene.2015.11.015

Kiran M, Naveena BM, Reddy KS, et al. Understanding tenderness variability and ageing changes in buffalo meat: biochemical, ultrastructural and proteome characterization. Animal 2016; 10: 1007-15. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1751731115002931

Soares GJD, Arêas JAG. Effect of electrical stimulation on post mortem biochemical characteristics and quality of Longissimus dorsi thoracis muscle from buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Meat Sci 1995; 41: 369-79. https://doi.org/10.1016/0309-1740(94)00058-F

Luz PACd, Jorge AM, Francisco CDL, et al. Chemical-physical characteristics of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) meat subjected to different aging times. Acta Sci Anim Sci 2017; 39: 419-28. https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v39i4.36799

Marrone R, Salzano A, Di Francia A, et al. Effects of Feeding and Maturation System on Qualitative Characteristics of Buffalo Meat (Bubalus bubalis). Animals 2020; 10: 10. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani10050899

Sen AR, Muthukumar M, Naveena BM, Ramanna DBV. Effects on colour characteristics of buffalo meat during blooming, retail display and using vitamin C during refrigerated storage. J Food Sci Technol 2014; 51: 3515-9. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13197-012-0882-x

Nguyen HTH, Ong L, Lopez C, Kentish SE, Gras SL. Microstructure and physicochemical properties reveal differences between high moisture buffalo and bovine Mozzarella cheeses. Food Res Int 2017; 102: 458-67. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foodres.2017.09.032

Kapila R, Kavadi PK, Kapila S. Comparative evaluation of allergic sensitization to milk proteins of cow, buffalo and goat. Small Ruminant Res 2013; 112: 191-8. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2012.11.028

Cutrignelli MI, Calabro S, Tudisco R, et al. Conjugated Linoleic Acid and Fatty Acids Profile in Buffalo Meat. Buffalo Bull 2013; 32: 1270-3.

Li ZP, Lu SY, Cui KQ, et al. Fatty acid biosynthesis and transcriptional regulation of Stearoyl-CoA Desaturase 1 (SCD1) in buffalo milk. BMC Genet 2020; 21: 10. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12863-020-0829-6

Barboza GJ. Bondades ecológicas del búfalo de agua: camino hacia la certificación. Tecnol Marcha 2011; 24: 82-8.

Barboza G. Bondades del búfalo de agua para la producción ecológica. In: de la Cruz-Cruz LA, Maitret-Collado E, Roldán-Santiago P, Zava M, editors. El búfalo de agua: generalides y características productivas. 1st ed. México: LID publishing 2021; pp. 385-411.

Alvarado-Esquivel C, Romero-Salas D, Garcia-Vazquez Z, et al. Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in Veracruz State, Mexico and its association with climatic factors. BMC Vet Res 2014; 10: 232. https://doi.org/10.10.1186/s12917-014-0232-5

Romero-Salas D, Mira A, Mosqueda J, et al. Molecular and serological detection of Babesia Bovis- and Babesia

bigemina-infection in bovines and water buffaloes raised jointly in an endemic field. Vet Parasitol 2016; 217: 101-7. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.vetpar.2015.12.030

Torres-Chable OM, Ojeda-Robertos NF, Chay-Canul AJ, et al. Hematologic RIs for healthy water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) in southern Mexico. Vet Clin Pathol 2017; 46: 436-41. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12508

Romero-Salas D, Cruz-Romero A, Aguilar-Domínguez M, et al. Seroepidemiology of Bovine Herpes Virus-1 Infection in Water Buffaloes from the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Trop Biomed 2018; 35: 541-52.

Ojeda-Robertos NF, Aguilar-Marcelino L, Olmedo-Juarez A, et al. In vitro predatory activity of nematophagous fungi isolated from water buffalo feces and from soil in the Mexican southeastern. Rev Bras Parasitol Vet 2019; 28: 314-9. https://doi.org/10.1590/S1984-29612019011

Hernandez-Velasco A, Sanchez-Montes S, Romero-Salas D, et al. First record of natural infection with Anaplasma marginalein sucking lice infesting the water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Mexico. Parasitol Res 2020; 119: 3853-6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00436-020-06772-7

Reyes-Sandoval R, Romero-Salas D, Cruz-Romero A, et al. Frecuencia serológica de Neospora caninum en Unidades de Producción en zona central de Veracruz, México. Rev MVZ Córdoba 2021; 26: e2135. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.2135

Herrera-Pérez J, Velez-Regino L, Sánchez-Santillán P, et al. Fermentación in vitro de consorcios bacterianos celulolíticos ruminales de búfalos de agua en sustratos fibrosos. Rev MVZ Córdoba 2018; 23: 6860-70. https://doi.org/10.21897/rmvz.1374

Torres-Salado N, Sánchez-Santillán P, Rojas-García R, et al. Producción de gas in vitro y características fermentativas de consorcios bacterianos celulolíticos ruminales de búfala de agua (Bubalus bubalis) y vaca Suiz-bu. Agrociencia 2019; 53: 1-16.

Peralta-Torres JA, Torres-Chable OM, Segura-Correa JC, et al. Ovarian dynamics of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) synchronized with different hormonal protocols. Trop Anim Health Prod 2020; 52: 3475-80. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11250-020-02381-9

García-Hernández A, Castillo-Zamudio RI, López-Ortíz S, et al. Production, physicochemical characteristics and sensory profile of buffalo milk supplemented with silage of devil fish (Pterygoplichthys sp.). Trop Subtrop Agroecosystems 2020; 23: 1-13.