Journal of Buffalo Science

Cost-Benefit Analysis of Buffalo Milk Production in India

Napinder Kaur — 2024-01-09

Context: The vast resource of Indian livestock played an important role in improving the socio-economic conditions of people in rural areas. Dairying has provided strong support to stabilise the Indian economy by ensuring a certain degree of diversification and flexibility.

Aim: The present study aims to analyse the costs and returns from buffalo milk production in the Punjab state of India to know about the viability of the dairy business.

Methods: The present study is based on primary data collected through a detailed schedule from 420 dairy farmers belonging to different farm size categories (landless households, large, medium, small, and marginal farmers) from 21 villages situated across three different agro-climatic zones of Punjab state in 2019. A multi-stage sampling technique has been used to select the villages and dairy farmers in the study area.

Key Results: The study has revealed that the total costs of buffalo milk production are ₹180.16 per day per milch buffalo. The sale of fluid milk constitutes a major component of gross returns. The net returns are calculated as ₹6.42 per litre from buffalo milk production in rural Punjab.

Implications: Economic analysis of dairy farming is very important to know about the economic viability of dairy enterprises. The profitability from dairying depends upon the milk yield of dairy animals, the sale price of milk, and the cost involved in dairying. Adequate knowledge of the cost involved in dairying is important as it can be used for policy-making and also for providing incentives to dairy farmers.

Influence of Dietary Cation-Anion Differences (DCAD) on Nutrient Intake, Milk Yield and Metabolic Parameters of Transition Buffaloes

Harneet Kour — 2024-01-18

The study was divided into 2 phases. During 1^st phase, 20 pre-partum buffaloes were divided into two groups, given -100 (high negative; HN) and -50 (low negative; LN) mEq/kg of dry matter (DM) diets. In the second phase, +200 (low positive; LP) and +400 (high positive; HP) mEq/kg of DM diets were formulated for postpartum buffaloes. Buffaloes that received LN DCAD were divided into 2 groups (LN-LP and LN-HP), and those that received HN DCAD were also divided into 2 groups (HN-LP and HN-HP). In the first phase, the group fed the HN DCAD diet had significantly lesser DM, nutrient intake, and urine pH (p<0.05) but higher ME intake and ADF digestibility. Also, higher serum phosphorus levels (p<0.05), fewer cases of hypocalcemia and ketosis, and a relatively smaller decrease in body weight were reported with the HN group. In the second phase, DM, organic matter, and NDF intakes were higher (p<0.05) in HN-HP and LN-LP groups, whereas ME intake and nutrient digestibility were higher in HN-LP and LN-HP (p<0.05). Daily milk, solid not fat (SNF), fat, protein, lactose yields, and plasma total protein, urea, and cholesterol concentrations were the highest in the HN-HP group (p<0.05), but the highest fat content and fat yield were recorded in the HN-LP group (p<0.05). Better efficiency of milk production and the lowest cases of hypocalcemia and ketosis were observed for both groups. In conclusion, for transition buffaloes, the HN and LN DCAD (-100 and +200 mEq/kg of DM, respectively) diets showed a beneficial impact.

Milk Production, Quality Parameters, and Bacterial Colony Counts of Raw Milk from Murrah Buffaloes Reared in Mixed Crop-Livestock Systems

Eli Ratni — 2024-02-15

This research aimed to assess the quantity and quality of raw Murrah buffalo milk in a mixed crop-livestock farming system in North Sumatra, Indonesia. The study was conducted at the Sumber Ternak Abadi livestock farm in Pagar Merbau District, North Sumatra, Indonesia, established in 2012 within an oil palm plantation. The study observed 40 lactating Murrah buffaloes. Variables included milk production and quality metrics such as total plate count in colony-forming units per ml, water content percentage, total solids, fat content, and pH. Results demonstrated a milk yield standardized to 305 days ranging from 1,200.78±490.25 to 1,505.71±589.73 kg/head/lactation. The total plate count was 2.1 x 10⁵ ± 0.32 CFU/ml, total solids were 16.87% (w/w), fat was 5.7% (v/v), and pH was 6.73. The results confirmed that the raw Murrah buffalo milk from the observed farm meets the Indonesian National Standard for milk quality. A significant positive correlation was found between water content and total bacterial colony count (r = 0.82, p < 0.01), suggesting that higher water content in milk correlates with increased bacterial colonies.

Evaluating the Usability, Perceived Performance, and Perceived Effects of KBGAN iHealth© and KBGAN iFeed© Mobile Apps for Buffalo Management in Selected Municipalities in the Philippines

Eric Parala Palacpac — 2024-02-19

This study evaluates the KBGAN iHealth© and KBGAN iFeed© mobile apps designed for buffalo health and feeding management, particularly for agricultural extension professionals (AEPs) in selected Philippine municipalities. These apps aim to address challenges in buffalo management, such as limited access to veterinary expertise, personalized recommendations, organized data, communication channels, and difficulties in calculating ideal feed compositions and meeting the distinct needs of smallholder farmers and AEPs. Despite System Usability Scale (SUS) scores indicating marginal acceptability for both apps, weighted mean scores by AEPs for statements assessed on a 5-point Likert scale (1 as strongly disagree and 5 as strongly agree), demonstrate that AEPs reported high confidence in the accuracy of buffalo health diagnostics (Mean of 4.20) and health management recommendations (Mean of 4.17) provided by KBGAN iHealth©. Similarly, KBGAN iFeed© received favorable ratings, with AEPs expressing agreement on the accuracy of feeding recommendations (Mean of 3.89) and the facilitation of feeding ration computations (Mean of 4.00). These positive perceived performance outcomes, coupled with increased confidence (Mean of 4.03) and motivation (Mean of 4.00) among AEPs, suggest the potential for frequent and consistent app usage despite usability concerns. Chi-square tests examining the relationship between AEP characteristics and SUS scores for the apps reveal significant associations between AEPs' education and experience levels and SUS scores for KBGAN iFeed©. The choice of IT device also influences KBGAN iHealth© SUS scores. Proposed enhancements by AEPs include refining algorithms, improving the user interface for navigation, speed, and efficiency, and incorporating features such as photo uploads and geotagging.

Intradermal Tuberculin Test in Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis): Experimental use of Mycobacterial Antigens for the Diagnosis of Bovine Tuberculosis

Alessandra Martucciello — 2024-02-28

The study aims to evaluate the potential use of mycobacterial ESAT6 and CFP10 antigens, Early Secretory Proteins (ESP) in the Skin Test used for bovine tuberculosis (TB) diagnosis in Water Buffalo.

A pilot study was performed on 21 buffaloes from a TB outbreak and 11 buffaloes from a TB-free herd. Three concentrations of ESAT6-CFP10 (10, 20, and 30 mg) and two of ESP (50 and 100 µg) were inoculated in the Skin Test, along with PPDB, PPDA, and PBS as a negative control. Skin thickness was measured with calipers before the test and every 24 hours for 4 days. Then, to evaluate the specificity of the antigens, a field study was conducted, and 100 buffaloes from a TB-free herd were inoculated using the best antigens concentration derived from the pilot study.

In the positive buffaloes, the strongest skin response was to PPDB at 24h, with some subjects becoming inconclusive at 72 and 96 h. A peak response to PPDA at 48 hours was detected, followed by a slight decrease. The response to ESP-100 µg remained high at 24 and 48 h, then decreased, remaining positive at 72 h. In the 100 TB-free buffaloes, the best specificity was observed using ESAT6-CFP10 and ESP.

ESP yielded the best results, showing higher reactivity in infected animals and no reactivity in the healthy ones at 72 h. Therefore, ESP could be an excellent candidate for further extensive studies in the buffalo species to improve Skin Test performance.

Bovine Tuberculosis Testing in Colombia: Comparative Histopathological, Microbiological, and Molecular Biology Findings

Paula Palomino Cadavid — 2024-03-26

Introduction: Bovine tuberculosis (bTB) is a zoonotic infectious disease present in Colombia, caused by Mycobacterium bovis, and causes tuberculosis in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). Diagnosis of bovine tuberculosis through the intradermal test is difficult; evaluating and understanding the behavior of other diagnostic tests is necessary.

Objective: To describe the behavior and results of different diagnostic methods for bovine tuberculosis in water buffalo positive for the Purifed Proteic Derivate (DPP) intradermal test.

Methodology: In water buffaloes positive for comparative cervical tuberculin test, different diagnostic methods were applied, described, and compared: Ziehl-Neelsen staining, microbiological culture, histopathological analysis, and PCR-HRM.

Results: Histopathological tests showed that 26 water buffalo positive for DPP (52%) had histological lesions compatible with bovine tuberculosis. 37% of the evaluated samples from tuberculin-positive Buffalo's lungs and secondary lymph nodes showed acid-alcohol-resistant bacillus with Ziehl-Neelsen staining. Four samples of Mycobacterium bovis from tuberculin-positive buffalo were isolated and identified, with two of these isolates confirmed from tissues with PCR-HRM, and three buffalo with microbiological isolates presented granulomatous lesions through histological analysis. Seventeen tuberculin-positive buffalo (34%) tested positive for real-time PCR HRM, and nine of these buffalo did not have histological lesions compatible with bTB and were confirmed with the molecular test.

Conclusion: Our results provide positive evidence of histological findings, microbiological isolation, and molecular diagnosis of tuberculin-positive water buffalo in the lowlands of Colombia. None of the complementary tests performed showed 100% concordance with the comparative cervical tuberculin test results for bTB.