THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

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