THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

A.G. Ocampo, Student, Department of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, Central Luzon State University
D. D. Lorenzo, Instructor, Department of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, Central Luzon State University
M. B. Suba, Instructor, Department of Animal Science, College of
Agriculture, Central Luzon State University
Twelve yearling carabao grazing on Themeda pasture at
different stocking rates were observed for a period of five
months to determine the rumination behavior. The average
duration of rumination of 0.7, 0.5 and 0.3 stocking rate
were 9.52, 9.26 and 9.02 hours, respectively. While the
average frequency of rumination were 9.20, 8.20 and 9.20
of the same order of stocking rate. For all animals, the
average duration of rumination was 9.27 hours and the
average frequency of rumination was 8.93 hours. The
animals carried on their rumination activities mostly while
lying down (59.64%), quietly standing (25.07%), wallowing
(15.20%), and while walking short distances (0.07%).
The percentage duration of rumination during night and
daytime were 74.36% and 35.64%, respectively. On the
other hand, the carabaos grazed for 30.37% and 69.63%
during night and daytime, respectively. Statistical analysis
revealed that there is an inverse correlation between
nighttime grazing and nighttime rumination and daytime
grazing, while frequency of rumination was found to be
positively correlated with frequency of grazing. No other
significant correlation was observed between average
duration of rumination and other variables like average
temperature and average grazing.
Keywords: native pasture grazing, rumination behavior,
yearling carabao
*Abstracts of Completed Researches. 1981-1986. (1981)
PCRDC-PCARRD, CLSU, Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. Also
in OED-PCC-DA Abstracts: Water Buffalo Researches in
the Philippines. 1981–1995. p. 138-139.
F-47
EFFECT OF LIMITED CONCENTRATE SUPPLE-
MENTATION ON THE PERFORMANCE OF
PHILIPPINE CARABAOS AND PHIL-MURRAH
CROSSBRED FED UREA-TREATED RICE STRAW*
B. A. Oliveros, Assistant Professor, Institute of Animal Science, College
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
A. N. del Barrio, Supervising Science Research Specialist, Philippine
Carabao Center, Department of Agriculture, University of the Philippines
Los Baños
A study was conducted to determine the effect of genotype
of animal and level of concentrate supplementation of urea-
118
ABSTRACT OF RESEARCHES ON
THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO
treated rice straw (UTRS) on intake and digestibility of
nutrients and growth rate of water buffaloes. Six Philippine
carabaos (PC) and 6 Phil-Murrah (PM) crossbreds, with
an average weight of 380 and 406 kg, respectively, were
randomly allotted to different treatments following a 2 x 2
factorial in randomized complete block design (RCBD).
The two factors were genotype of animal, PC and PM
and level of concentrate supplement, 1.5 or 2.5 kg per day
(equivalent to 0.4 and 0.6% of body weight, respectively.
The basal diet was UTRS which was fed ad libitum.
Philippine carabao had higher (P=0.30) daily dry matter
intake (DMI) of UTRS than PM. Likewise, DMI of UTRS
increased with increasing level of supplementation indicating
the complementary effect of concentrate on the basal diet.
Total DMI was higher (P0.05). The digestibility of dry matter, organic
matter, crude protein, neutral detergent and acid detergent
fibers was not significantly affected by genotype of animal
and level of concentrate supplement. The result of the
study suggests that PM is more efficient than PC in nutrient
utilization. Likewise, supplementation of UTRS with
concentrate at 0.6% of body weight can provide nutrients
for maintenance and growth of water buffaloes.
Keywords: carabao and crossbred, digestibility, growth
performance, limited concentrate supplementation, urea
treated straw
*Abstracts of Completed Researches. 1981-1995. PCC-
DA, UPLB. Also in OED-PCC-DA Abstracts: Water
Buffalo Researches in the Philippines. 1981-1995. p. 26-
27.
F-48
COMPARATIVE PERFORMANCE OF NATIVE AND
CROSSBRED BUFFALOES UNDER BACKYARD
PRODUCTION*
C. O. Olivo, Professor, Southern Mindanao Agricultural Research Complex,
University of Southern Mindanao
Three different feeding management system (tethering alone,
tethering + concentrate at 0.5% of body weight (BW), and
tethering + napier given ad libitum) using 18 caraheifers (9
native, 9 crossbred Murrah buffaloes ( ½ to 2 years of age,
were evaluated for 18 months. Crossbreed buffaloes
significantly gained more weight than the native carabaos