Studies on swamp buffaloes of Assam under farm and field condition

Abstract

The present investigation was conducted to study some of the morphometric, production and reproduction and milk constituent traits of swamp buffaloes of Assam under farm and field condition. Accordingly, the required data for farm animals were collected from the records maintained at the buffalo farm under Network project on swamp buffaloes of Assam, College of Veterinary Science, A.A.U. Khanapara and Government Livestock Farm, Department of A.H. and Vety., Govt. of Assam, Barhampur, Nagaon. The data for field animals were collected from different buffalo khutis located at Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur and Sivasagar districts of Assam through field survey by providing questionnaire as well as through personal interviews with the farmers. For morphometric traits, the measurements were made on adult buffaloes using standard measuring tape at farm as well as at field. For milk constituents milk samples of swamp buffaloes were collected randomly from farm as well as from field and were tested using Milk Analyzer, LAKTAN 1-4 (Model: 220). For morphometric traits 62 numbers of swamp buffaloes from Khanapara buffalo farm, 21 numbers from Barhampur buffalo farm and 224 numbers from field were considered. Out of 224 animals, 146 from Dhemaji and North Lakhimpur districts (north bank) and78 from Sivasagar district (south bank) were measured. For production and reproduction traits 1056 lactation records, of which 208 lactation records pertaining to 52 no. of animals from Khanapara buffalo farm and 848 lactation records pertaining to 212 no. of animals from field (buffalo khutis) covering all the three districts were considered. A total of 172 milk samples, out of which 46 samples from Khanapara farm and 126 from Dhemaji, North Lakhimpur and Sivasagar districts of Assam were tested for various milk constituents. The body measurement traits include body length, height at withers, heart girth and the pouch girth. The overall least-squares means (and#956;) for the body length, height at withers, heart girth and pouch girth were found to be 108.881 ± 1.448 cm, 126.793 ± 1.378 cm, 172.630 ± 2.608 cm and 174.760 ± 2.422 cm, respectively. Significant (Plt0.05) effect of the two locations under study was observed in case of all the body measurement traits viz., body length, heights at withers, heart girth and pouch girth. Significant (Plt0.05) effect of sex was seen for all the body measurement traits viz., body length, heights at withers, heart girth and pouch girth. Male buffaloes were observed to show higher values for all the traits of body measurements than the females. The head measurement traits include head length and eye to eye space. The overall least-squares means (and#956;) for the head length and eye to eye space was found to be 43.746 ± 0.772 cm and 15.125 ± 0.314 cm, respectively. Significant (Plt0.05) effect of the two locations under study was observed in case of head length. Significant (Plt0.05) effect of sex was seen on both the traits of head measurements viz., head length and eye to eye space. Male animals have shown higher values for both the traits of head measurements than the females. The least-squares means (and#956;) for the ear length was found to be 21.498 ± 0.287 cm. The horn measurement traits include circumference of horns at base, horn length, space between two horns at base and space between two horns at tips. The overall least-squares means (and#956;) for the circumference of horns at base and horn length was found to be 18.975 ± 0.491 cm and 43.312 ± 0.934 cm, respectively. While the overall least-squares means (and#956;) for the space between two horns at base and space between two horns at tips were found to be 16.293 ± 0.316 cm and 37.118 ± 0.807 cm. Significant (Plt0.05) effect of sex was observed in case of horn length and space between two horns at base. Male buffaloes newline