THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

DRAFT POWER
D-1
COMPARATIVE TRAINING AND WORK PERSIS-
TENCY OF PHILIPPINE CARABAO AND ITS F 1
CROSS WITH MURRAH BUFFALO (50:50)*
F. A. Adriano, Science Research Assistant, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
R.C. Muros, Student, CVSM, CLSU
C. Jueco, Instructor, CVSM, CLSU
N. Lorenzo, Science Research Aide, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
P. Tubiano, Utility Worker, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
P. Duran, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
L. C. Cruz, Professor, DAS-CA, CLSU and Project Leader, PCRDC-PCARRD,
CLSU
Three female Philippine carabaos (PC) and 3 PC x Murrah
buffalo crossbreds (CB) with average ages of 5.1 years
and 5.0 years and live weights of 322 + 37.85 kg and 383
+ 83.9 kg, respectively were used to compare ease of
training and work persistency under varying load and land
conditions. Animals were trained and set to work in pairs
consisting of one PC and one CB at a time. Training
consisted of taming to point at which animals were able to
pull heavy load and can be led. Comparisons for work
persistency were conducted after changes in physiological
responses such as pulse rate and temperature (PRT) and
hematological values at point of fatigue were determined.
Load equivalent to 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of the body
weight were performed four times each until the point of
fatigued was reached. Likewise, animals were allowed to
pull load equivalent to 25% of the body weight under dry
and wet land conditions. The total time required for taming
to full capacity to pull load for PC and CB were 234.9 min
and 252.4 min, respectively, and were not statistically
different. At 25% min to reach the point of fatigue at which
time, the percent change in respiration rate was 248.00%
and 310.74 + 24.9% for PC and CB, respectively. No
significant differences were noted for percent change in
PRT between breeds although CB covered longer distances
than PC. There was no significant breed difference in
terms of time to reach fatigue and percent change in PRT
and hematological values at various loads and land
conditions. Both breeds reached the point of fatigue at
longer time and traveled significantly longer distance under
wet land than dry land conditions.
Keywords: comparative training, Philippine carabao, Phil-
Murrah, work persistency
*Undergraduate Thesis, DAS-CA, CLSU, 1990. Also in
Abstracts of Completed Studies, 1987-1992. 1993.
PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Also
92
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
in Abstracts of Water Buffalo Researches in the Philippines,
1981-1995 (1996), PCC-DA, p. 107. Also in Phil. J. Vet.
Anim. Sci. 1991. 16(3&4):54-55 (Abstr.). Also in Annotated
Bibliography on Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and
Poultry (Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p.
239.
D-2
HEMATOLOGICAL OBSERVATION OF SWAMP
BUFFALO (Bubalus Bubalis) HARNESSED TO
INCREASING PULLING LOADS*
E. M. Cabana, Associate Professor, CVSM, CLSU
F. A. Adriano, Science Research Analyst, PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU
R. O. Encarcion, Jr., Student, CVSM, CLSU
The hematologic parameters (total red blood cell count,
hematocrit, hemoglobin concentration, erythrocyte
sedimentation rate, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean
corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin
concentration, total white blood cell count, and relative and
absolute differential white blood cell count) were examined
in three (3) male castrated swamp buffaloes aged 3-5
years following harnessing with pulling loads of 100 kg,
200 kg and 300 kg and allowed to travel 1000 meter
asphalt road for 30-day period of each pulling load. Blood
samples were collected and examined every 7 th day of
test period. Results showed that except for blood hemoglobin
concentration, no significant alterations in the values of
most blood parameters examined were observed. The
hemoglobin concentration of the test animals were
significantly decreased after harnessing to 100 kg and 200
kg, but did not significantly different to the pretest values
obtained after harnessing to 300-kg pulling load.
Keywords: increasing pulling load, hematologic
parameters, swamp buffalo
*Abstracts of Completed Researches 1987-1992, (1993).
PCRDC at CLSU, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Also in Abstracts
of Water Buffalo Researches in the Philippines, 1981-1995
(1996) PCC-DA. p. 37-38. Also in Annotated Bibliography
on Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry
(Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p.390.
D-3
DESIGN, CONSTRUCTION AND TESTING OF AN
ANIMAL DRAFT DYNAMOMETER*
E. F. Castro, Jr., Assistant Engineer, IRRI
R. M. Lantin, Professor, DAMET-CEAT, UPLB
C. R. del Rosario, Professor, DAMET-CEAT, UPLB
A dynamometer which can be adopted for measuring the