THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
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Water Buffalo Researches in the Philippines. 1981-1995.<br />
(1987) PCC-DA. p. 140-141. Also in Annotated<br />
Bibliography on Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and<br />
Poultry (Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p.<br />
331-332.<br />
D-9<br />
COMPARATIVE EVALUATION OF <strong>THE</strong> WORK<br />
ABILITY OF <strong>PHILIPPINE</strong> CARABAO AND ITS<br />
CROSSES, PHIL-RAVI AND PHIL-MURRAH, IN<br />
TERMS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES*<br />
E. B. de los Santos, M. S. Student, IAS-CA, UPLB<br />
V. G. Momongan, Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRDC-<br />
PCARRD, UPLB<br />
A total of 12 animals, four each of Philippine Carabao, Phil-<br />
Ravi crossbred and Phil-Murrah crossbred consisting of<br />
two males and two females in each genotype, were used<br />
in a 2 x 2 x 3 factorial experiment in complete randomized<br />
design (CRD) to compare the draftability of the three<br />
genotypes in terms of physiological responses. Results<br />
indicated that F1 crossbreeds are comparable to the<br />
Philippine Carabao as draft animals in terms of resistance<br />
to work stress and docility. There were no significant<br />
differences in the PRT of the three genotypes, in response<br />
to work stress. Wallowing significantly lowered initial<br />
respiration and body temperature of the buffalo. It also<br />
caused a minimal but significant increase in body<br />
temperature, which consequently resulted in higher<br />
coefficient of heat tolerance (CHT) for wallowed animals.<br />
Wallowed animals had the tendency to walk faster and to<br />
have higher increase in white blood cells (WBC) and<br />
eosinophil count. Differences in diurnal pulse, respiration<br />
and body temperature (PRT) were highly associated with<br />
the differences in weather conditions during the morning<br />
and afternoon periods of the day, with body temperature<br />
and respiration rate being closely related with air<br />
temperature; while negatively correlated with relative<br />
humidity. All buffaloes, generally, exhibited distress<br />
symptoms such as excitement, excessive salivation,<br />
panting, mucus excretion from the nostrils, lack of leg<br />
coordination and tongue protrusion especially during the<br />
second hour of working .<br />
Keywords: carabao, crossbred carabaos, coefficient of<br />
heat tolerance, distress symptoms, physiological<br />
responses, wallowing<br />
*Abstracts of Completed Researches 1981-1996. 1996.<br />
PCC-UPLB, College, Laguna. Also in Abstracts of Water<br />
Buffalo Researches in the Philippines 1981-1995. (1996)<br />
PCC-DA. p. 108. Also in Annotated Bibliography on<br />
DRAFT POWER<br />
Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry<br />
(Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos 2002) p. 370<br />
D-10<br />
WORK PERFORMANCE AND PHYSIOLOGICAL<br />
RESPONSES TO WORK STRESS OF <strong>THE</strong><br />
<strong>PHILIPPINE</strong> CARABAO, CAMBODIAN <strong>BUFFALO</strong><br />
AND <strong>THE</strong>IR CROSSES WITH MURRAH <strong>BUFFALO</strong><br />
UNDER UPLAND CONDITION*<br />
A. S. Sarabia, University Researcher, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB<br />
V. G. Momongan, Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRDC-<br />
PCARRD, UPLB<br />
The study compares and evaluates the work performance<br />
and physiological responses of the four buffalo breedtypes;<br />
Philippine Carabao, Cambodian buffalo, Philippine Carabao<br />
x Murrah buffalo, and Cambodian buffalo x Murrah buffalo,<br />
under upland condition. A total of 16 male buffaloes which<br />
ranges from five to eight years and weighing 350 to 580 kg<br />
were used in the plowing operations by four plowers during<br />
the 16- day experimental period. Work performance in<br />
terms of field capacity, pull, draft force, speed and draft<br />
power showed no significant differences between the four<br />
buffalo breedtypes. The draft developed by the buffaloes<br />
ranged between 11.5 and 14.5% of their body weights.<br />
The minimum and maximum recorded increase in pulse<br />
rate, respiration rate and body/rectal temperature, above<br />
normal resting levels when the buffaloes were subjected to<br />
one-hour continuous plowing, were 28 to 41%, 94 to 243%<br />
and 1.55 to 2.24 0 C, respectively. The pulse rate, respiration<br />
rate, rectal temperature (PRT) was unable to reach “steadystate”<br />
or return to normal resting levels after an hour or rest.<br />
Further more, the results revealed that the crossbreds,<br />
particularly the Philippine carabao x Murrah buffalo showed<br />
comparable or better work efficiency or draft ability and<br />
physiological responses to overcome work stress with<br />
that of their draft breed counterparts, the Philippine carabao<br />
and Cambodian buffalo.<br />
The data, therefore, strongly uphold the continuity of the<br />
carabao crossbreeding program being implemented by the<br />
Philippine Government through the Philippine Carabao<br />
Research and Development Center (PCRDC), Philippine<br />
Council for Agriculture Resources and Development<br />
(PCARRD) and Department of Agriculture (DA).<br />
Keywords: Cambodian buffaloes, carabao, crossbred<br />
carabaos, physiological responses, work performance<br />
*Abstracts of Completed Researches, 1981-1996, PCC-<br />
UPLB, College, Laguna. Also in Abstracts of Water Buffalo<br />
Researches in the Philippines 1981-1995, (1996), PCC-<br />
95