THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

L.S. Castillo, Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of Agriculture,
University of the Philippines Los Baños
S. K. Ranjhan, Former FAO Consultant
D. B. Roxas, Associate Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College
of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
A. N. del Barrio, Supervising Science Research Specialist, Philippine
Carabao Center, Department of Agriculture, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
R. M. Lapitan, Supervising Science Research Specialist, Philippine
Carabao Center, Department of Agriculture, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
F. Sd. Pascual, Former University Research Associate, Institute of
Animal Science, College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines
Los Baños
A. R. Obsioma, Project Development Officer, Office of the Executive
Director, Philippine Carabao Center, University of the Philippines
Los Baños
V. G. Momongan, Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
E. E. Abenir, Former University Research Associate, Dairy Training
and Research Institute, College of Agriculture, University of the
Philippines Los Baños
J. M. Matias, Director, Dairy Training and Research Institute, College
of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
L. P. Palo, Associate Professor, Dairy Training and Research Institute,
College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
Nineteen mature female carabaos were used in four
treatments holding digestible protein (DP) “constant”
at 100% based on Ranjhan’s feeding standards for
Riverine buffaloes and cattle. The four levels of total
digestible nutrients (TDN) were 80, 90, 100 and 100%.
Digestion trials were conducted on the corn stover
silage and concentrate mixtures. The animals were
individually confined in elevated stalls. The ration
with 90% TDN and with small amount of concentrate
mixture no. 2 had higher digestion coefficients for cell
walls, acid detergent fiber (ADF), cellulose and lignin
compared to the other rations. The average digestible
energy values obtained were 2330, 2090, 2225 and
2215 Kcal/kg for treatments I-IV, respectively. Animals
in treatments I-III lost weight in 63 days of feeding
while they maintained their weights in treatment IV
(100% TDN). The DP requirements of carabaos were
about 20% higher than the Indian Riverine buffaloes.
However, for dry matter (DM) and TDN requirements,
both animals had almost similar needs, the carabaos
requiring only about 5% more. The blood parameters
examined did not show any significant variation due
to various treatments.
Keywords: concentrate digestibility, confinement, corn
stover silage, maintenance requirements, mature
carabaos, protein and energy
*Abstracts of Completed Researches, 1981-1985.
PCC-DA, UPLB. Also in OED-PCC-DA Abstracts:
Water Buffalo Researches in the Philippines. 1981-
106
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
1995. p. 13-14 and in Phil. J. Vet. Anim. Sci. 1985. v.
11 (3 and 4). p. 40.
F-19
EFFECTS OF CONCENTRATE SUPPLEMENTATION
ON MATURE TETHERED CARABAOS*
L. S. Castillo, Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of Agriculture,
University of the Philippines Los Baños
D. B. Roxas, Associate Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
I.C. Romero, Jr., Supervising Researcher, Philippine Carabao Center,
Department of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
V. G. Momongan, Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
To study the advantage of supplementation of concentrate
mixture to tethered mature carabaos, six carabaos were
allotted to a feeding systems, namely: tethering without
concentrate supplement and tethering with two kilograms
of supplement. Tethering was conducted at four areas
within the compound of the Institute of Animal Science. A
system of rotation was followed to allow the grasses/
legumes to regrow. An 8-meter rope constrained each
animal while grazing. Results showed that the age-old
practice of farmers in tethering their carabaos apparently is
a sound feeding system.
Keywords: concentrate supplementation, grazing, tethering
carabaos
*Abstracts of Researches, 1981-1995. PCC-DA, UPLB.
Also in OED-PCC-DA Abstracts: Water Buffalo
Researches in the Philippines, 1981-1995. p. 12-13.
F-20
THE EFFECT OF CONCENTRATE SUPPLEMENT
AND CHOPPING AND SOAKING RICE STRAW AND
ITS VOLUNTARY INTAKE BY CARABAOS*
L. S. Castillo, Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of Agriculture,
University of the Philippines Los Baños
D. B. Roxas, Associate Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
M. A. Chavez, Former Research Assistant, Institute of Animal Science,
College of Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
V. G. Momongan, Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, University of the Philippines Los Baños
S. K. Ranjhan, Former FAO Consultant
Nine carabaos were confined individually; three were
tethered with a nose rope, three housed in box stalls (2x3
m) and three in elevated metabolism stalls. In experiment
1, long rice straw was given to each animal for two months
with water given three times a day in concrete water
troughs. A salt lick and a bone-meal-limestone mixture
were accessible at all times. The daily dry matter intake