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New initiatives in buffalo breeding in Pakistan
Posted by: JimEdwards on May 09, 2006 - 12:03 AM
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Dr. Makhdoom Abdul Jabbar
Associate Professor, UVAS, Lahore
Buffalo is a main dairy animal in Pakistan. About more than 75% milk and 65% meat comes from buffalo. It is playing very important role in the economy of small holders as well as landless people in the rural areas. In the beginning, buffalo was somewhat ignored and most of budget was spent on cattle production. Dairy cattle cross breeding was continuation of that priority. However, with the passage of time the government has come to believe that buffalo is our main dairy animal and maximum effort is being made to improve this animal.
With the recognition of this animal, many schemes were initiated in the public sector which were more buffalo oriented although cattle still remained integral part of those development schemes. Among these efforts strengthening the livestock farms, establishing of calf rearing centers, and establishment of SPUs at various locations are few examples. Buffalo Bull Mother scheme and more recently, the creation of Buffalo Research Institute at Bhuneki, Pattoki are specific efforts which have been made to improve the buffalo production in the country, and more specifically in Punjab.
As a result of these efforts the infrastructure and working capacity has definitely improved but still there is lot of scope of improvement in the research / development work for improving this animal. There are number of issues relating to buffalo production and I will discuss few of them:
Buffalo breeds:
This has been very old issue. In Punjab two buffalo breeds are present, the Nili breed which is found along both the sides of Sutlaj river and the areas include Pakpattan, Arifwala, Sahiwal, Okara, Chichawatni, Bahawal Nagar and Bahawalpur. The Ravi breed is mostly scattered on both sides of river Ravi, Chenab and up to river Jehlum. Although these are two distinct breeds and have specific features and body size but due to free movement and crossbreeding with each other, the body features have been mixed and difficult to identify them on the basis of phenotypic characters. Hence this mixed breed has been officially declared as Nili-Ravi breed.
Now question arises should we go for single breed or we should differentiate them into different breeds. Decision is up to the experts of breeding and the government. However, if we want to develop different breeds then following are the possible measures which could be adopted:
i. Nili breed
This breed is still restricted to lower side of Satluj river in the districts of Bahawal Nagar and Bahawal Pur and the river is still the natural barrier. We should develop this breed in this area. For this purpose the two government livestock farms (Haroon Abad and Chak Katora) which are located in this area, be dedicated to this breed. For breeding of these buffaloes, separate Semen Production Unit should be established in this region. Program for genetic improvement (Buffalo Bull Mother Scheme) be initiated separately in this area for improvement of Nili buffaloes.
Nili buffalo Breeding Societies should be established at farmer level and genetic, nutrition and health services/programs be initiated in the field. Such work can be extended to the district to the north of Satluj and to the interested farmers anywhere in Pakistan. Without directly involving the farmers, improvement cannot be brought in buffalo population.
Due to its smaller body size, refined and beautiful features and high milk production, people like this breed and it will attract the local and international market if developed and propagated in pure form. This animal, due to its lower nutrition requirements fits better in small holder or landless ownership system which is prevalent in our country.
However, black color, resembling features and the free movement of animals across the country will still remain problem. To differentiate this breed from other breeds, some particular phenotypic character will have to be introduced in this animal so that it becomes easy for a farmer and people dealing with livestock to identify this breed.
ii. Ravi breed:
This is the main breed and most of buffaloes in Punjab belong to this breed. When Ravi is crossed with Nili usually the Ravi traits dominate in the resultant cross. Due to black color of animals and similar features/size, it is difficult to differentiate between Ravi and Nili-Ravi cross. The available genetic knowledge indicates that the genetic distance between Ravi and Nili-Ravi is less compared with Nili breed. Recent work in gene mapping which is in progress at Punjab University and University of Veterinary and Animal Science Lahore, indicates that there is difference in Nili and Nili-Ravi breeds and both types of animals can be identified and separated on the basis of gene differences. When this technique is available, this will become excellent tool for identification and characterization of these buffalo breeds.
iii. Development of new buffalo breeds:
I think we should not only restrict to Nili-Ravi, Nili or Ravi breeds. We should look for other breeds as well and look for animals with consistent characters which could be easily identified. One possibility is the brown buffaloes (Bhoori Bhance). These animals are known to be high milk producers with more milk fat percentage. In certain fattening trials it has been observed that brown color calves showed better growth and feed efficiency than the regular black calves. One view about these animals is that it is the result of some abnormal gene. But if these animals prove good milk producers and reproduce normally then why not to develop them into a breed. I would suggest that production potential of these animals be studied and if they prove good may be developed into new breed. Similarly, some animals have drooping horns and these animals are believed to have more butter fat contents. If this characteristic is consistent one, this could be developed into a new breed. Similarly some other phenotypic characters can be identified which are consistent and these animal have some edge over the others, can be developed into new breeds.
2. Summer Infertility in Buffaloes:
Like many other livestock breeds, buffalo is known to be a seasonal breeder. It comes into heat during autumn and during summer the activity goes down. This results in uneven supply of milk to the market during summer and winter seasons. To regularize the milk supply during the year there is need that buffalo should calve during all seasons of year. In spite of seasonality of buffalo it has been observed that there is certain percentage of buffalo which calves outside the calving season. Such buffaloes should be selected from the farms and maintained separately. From these herds breeding bulls should be selected and used in A.I. program. This may help to produce animals which are not strict seasonal breeders and help to provide regular milk supply to the market.
3. Establishment of Breeders Associations:
This is a new concept in our country and not yet being practiced for the improvement of any breed. However this is very common in developed countries and they have improved the breeds through this system. Government alone can not bring the improvement in the productivity of the animals. The animal breeding herds maintained at government livestock farms are small size and due to certain restrictions are not very dynamic. Hence direct involvement of farmers in such programs is very essential. One big constraint in such programs is that government normally does not encourage subsidies or concession to the farmers and as a result, the farmers do not take any interest in such development programs. This has resulted in failure of many efforts to introduce improvement in the field. Most of the developed countries which advise not to give subsidy are giving subsidies to their farmers in agriculture, dairy / meat industry. Even India is heavily subsidizing their farmers. I would suggest that at least in specific situations, the farmers should be facilitated to such extent that the objectives of that program are achieved. This becomes even more important when we talk of small or landless farmers who without financial help cannot improve his system of production.
Any way, establishing of breeders association is very much essential. Under this system the breeders who are interested in developing Nili, or Ravi breeds should be identified. Their animals should be registered and proper production records be maintained. Necessary facility in terms of animals, semen, balanced feed, health cover and marketing facility be provided. Further information can be obtained on this system from the countries practicing this system by sending person for short term assignment. Under the present devolution plan such farmer participating programs have become easier. Research institutes should get the help of DLOs for establishing such associations and later on working of these units. Such methodology can be used for the improvement of other livestock breeds as well.
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