THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

animal draft power was designed and fabricated for testing.
For draft testing of work animal, two Philippine female
carabaos, regardless of age, weight, conformations and
work experience were used. Each animal was made to
pull horizontal load ranging from 20-110 kg over a concrete
test tract. A more or less constant pull was provided by
means of the draft dynamometer. Operating speed of the
animal and draft dynamometer corresponded to the normal
animal speed when pulling a cart or tillage implement.
Speed of travel range from 0.90–1.10 m/second. The
ability of the animal to pull an implement was affected by
efficiency of steering and straightness of forward motion.
The test effectivity of harness used depends on the
curvature of the yoke fit, and contour of the respective
neck and shoulder muscles of the carabao. Draft animals
development power ranged from 0.30-1.50 hp in pulling a
load of 24 and 110 kg, respectively, on a concrete tract.
Keywords: carabao, draft animal power, dynamometer
*Abstract of Completed Researches, 1981-1995. 1996.
PCC-DA, UPLB. Also in Abstracts of Water Buffalo
Researches in the Philippines. 1981-1995 (1996) PCC-
DA. p. 107. Also in Annotated Bibliography on Philippine
Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry (Agrobiodiversity)
1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p. 236.
D-4
THE EFFECT OF WORKLOAD ON THE LEUKOGRAM
OF PHILIPPINE SWAMP BUFFALO (Bubalus
Bubalis)*
R. O. Encarnacion, Jr., Student
Three apparently healthy carabaos (PCs) with ages ranging
from 3 to 6 years of age, without pulling experience, were
used to study the hematological changes particularly the
leukocyte values after work. Castrated animals were
used to limit the possible hormonal influence on the
performance of the animals under test. The animals were
subjected to pulling different load gradients of 00 kg, 200 kg
and 300 kg everyday for a succeeding 30 day period for
each load gradient, respectively, covering a 1,000 m asphalt
road everyday for each animal under test. Blood samples
were collected every after seven days starting on the first
day of the trial. The total white blood cell (WBC) relative
and absolute different WBC counts were determined and
recorded. Results of the study showed that workload do
not alter the leukogram of the experimental animals used in
this study under the described test conditions.
Keywords: leukocyte value, hematological changes,
Philippine carabaos
DRAFT POWER
*Undergraduate Thesis, CVM-CLSU, Muñoz, Nueva
Ecija (1998). Also in Abstracts of Water Buffalo Researches
in the Philippines 1981-1995. (1996) PCC-DA. p. 84.
Also in Annotated Bibliography on Philippine Biodiversity:
Livestock and Poultry (Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997,
Carabaos (2002) p. 341.
D-5
DRAFTABILITY OF CARABAO AND CROSSBRED
STEERS (MB X PC) UNDER WET AND DRY LAND
TILLAGE OPERATION*
E. P. Garillo, M. S. Student, DAS-IGS, CLSU
S. K. Ranjhan, PCRDC Project Manager and FAO-UNDP Consultant
S. P. Neric, Professor, DAS-CA, CLSU
C. G. Salas, Sr., Professor, CAE, CLSU
O. D. Quines, Assistant Professor, CVSM, CLSU
Two treatment groups consisting of four Philippine carabao
(PC’s) and four crossbred Murrah buffalo (MB x PC steers)
were subjected to two types of plowing work in order to
evaluate their draftability on wet and dry field conditions.
Results indicate no significant variations between breeds in
so far as their draft-force, drawbar horsepower, body weight
changes and physiological responses in terms of pulse rate
and temperature (PRT) values and eosinophil level of the
blood were concerned. The average drawbar horsepower
of the PC and crossbred during wet plowing were 0.365 PS
and 0.354 PS, respectively, and 0.300 PS and 0.338 PS,
respectively, with dry plowing. There was no significant
correlation between drawbar horsepower on draft-force and
live body weight. PRT values were influenced by
atmospheric conditions prevailing during the study. These
results suggest that the PC and its crossbred have familiar
performance under wet paddy conditions.
Keywords: draftability, Philippine carabao, Phil-Murrah,
physiological responses
*Indian Journal of Animal Science, 57:575-580. Also in
Abstracts of Water Buffalo Researches in the Philippines.
1981-1995, (1996) PCC-DA. p. 108. Also in Annotated
Bibliography on Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry
(Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p. 201.
D-6
PERFORMANCE OF DRAFT CARABAOS UNDER
TWO DOMINANT CROPPINGS SYSTEMS IN
CAGAYAN VALLEY*
G. D. Lasam, Regional Director, MA II
C. A. Cabaccan, Researcher, MA II
Twenty-four Farmer-cooperators in Solana, Cagayan (rice-
93