THE PHILIPPINE WATER BUFFALO

INSEMINATION OF PHILIPPINE CARABAO (SWAMP
BUFFALO) RAISED BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS*
V. G. Momongan, Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRDC-
PCARRD, UPLB
O. A. Palad, Associate Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
M. Singh, FAO-UNDP Consultant for PCRDC
A. S. Sarabia, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
R. D. Chiong, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
Z. M. Nava, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
A. R. Obsioma, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
A. N. del Barrio, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
There is an urgent need to improve size, and meat and milk
productivity of the Philippine carabao, a swamp type of water
buffalo (Bubalus bubalis), through crossbreeding with the riverine
type. Studies were conducted to asses the reproductive status
of carabaos raised by smallholder farmers, determine
conception rates of buffaloes to artificial insemination (A.I)
through oestrous synchronization, and examine the patterns of
plasma progesterone in cyclic and acyclic carabao heifers.
Approximately 20% of carabaos raised by smallholder farmers
were diagnosed pregnant by rectal palpation. This low
pregnancy rate may be due to a combination of factors such
as the failure to submit for examination carabaos exhibiting
external signs of pregnancy, the deliberate postponement of
breeding for working females, the inability of bulls to gain
access to carabaos in oestrus which are tethered at night, or
the high incidence of anestrus or sub-estrus. The reproductive
problems in non-pregnant animals were cystic (19.5%), infantile
(25.7%) and dormant ovaries (51.3%), and pathology of the
uterus and cervix (3.5%). Both feeding and management
practices in different locations influenced the nutritional status of
female carabaos examined. Animals in good body condition
were either cycling or pregnant. A 30-40% conception rate
was achieved by synchronization of oestrus and insemination
with frozen semen at 71 and 96 h later. Based on progesterone
radioimmunoassay and rectal palpation of the ovaries, anoestrus
in carabao heifers was due to either to a failure of cycling
animals to exhibit oestrus or those with inactive ovaries.
Keywords: conception rate, estrus synchronization,
plasma progesterone, predetermined AI, reproductive
status, swamp buffalo
* Abstracts of Completed Researches 1981-1995. PCC-
UPLB, College, Laguna (1983). Also in Abstracts Water
Buffalo Researches in the Philippines 1981–1995. (1983)
PCC-DA. p. 58-59. Also in Annotated Bibliography on
Philippine Biodiversity: Livestock and Poultry
(Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997, Carabaos (2002) p. 253.
R-28
REPRODUCTIVE STATUS OF CARABAOS RAISED
BY SMALLHOLDER FARMERS IN SELECTED AREAS
IN THE PHILIPPINES *
REPRODUCTION
V.G. Momongan, Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB & Proj. Leader, PCRCD-
PCARRD, UPLB
O. A. Palad, Associate Professor, IAS-CA, UPLB
A. S. Sarabia, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
Z. M. Nava, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
R. D. Chiong, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-IAS, UPLB
A. N del Barrio, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
A. R. Obsioma, Science Research Specialist, PCRDC-PCARRD, UPLB
M. Singh, FAO-UNDP Consultant for PCRDC
To determine the reproductive status of animals raised by
smallholder farmers in Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Quezon,
368 female carabaos were used in the study. Each was
rectally palpated to determine the physiological status of the
ovaries and uterus. Historical data of each were collected;
and nutritional status was determined by a body scoring system
ranging from 1 to 6 with “1” as very poor, “5” as excellent and
“6” as over fat. Of the 368 carabaos palpated, 42% were
heifers with a mean age of 5.1 year, the 50% cara-cows had
a mean age of 9.4 years with an average calf crop of 2.1
heads. Only 20% were found pregnant and 85% of these
were in the stage of 1-6 months stage of gestation. The
reasons for the low pregnancy rate were stated. Forty-two
percent of the pregnant carabaos were caraheifers with a
mean age of 4.7 years and the calculated age of first calving
was 5.2 years. For the pregnant cows, the estimated calving
interval was 24.2 months with a range of 11.5-56 months. Of
the 80% non-pregnant carabaos, 42.5% were caraheifers,
52.5% were caracows, and 3.4% were in heat at the time of
palpation. Of the females that were not in heat, 60% had
active ovaries and 40% appeared to have reproductive
problems. Of these with reproductive problems, 19.5% had
cystic ovaries, 25.7% had immature ovaries (all in caraheifers),
51.3% had inactive ovaries, and 3.5% had other reproductive
disorders. The nutritional status of carabaos as reflected by
the body condition showed that it is influenced by location,
pregnancy and reproductive cyclicity.
Keywords: carabaos, reproductive and nutritional status,
reproductive disorders, smallholder farmer
*Philippine Journal of Veterinary Animal Science.
10(3&4):44-45 (Abstr.). Also in Animal Production
Technology 1985. 1(1):36 (abstr.). Abstract of Completed
Researches 1981-1995. (1985) PCC-UPLB, College,
Laguna. Also in Abstracts of Water Buffalo Researches in
the Philippines 1981-1995. (1996) PCC-DA. p. 56. Also
in Annotated Bibliography on Philippine Biodiversity:
Livestock and Poultry (Agrobiodiversity) 1949-1997,
Carabaos (2002) p. 327.
R-29
THE ONSET OF PUBERTY IN FEMALE PHILIPPINE
CARABAO AND PHIL-MURRAH CROSSBRED*
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