Problems of water buffalo breeding in Turkey and suggestions for its development

Abstract

-The objective of the study was to present the current situation of water buffalo breeding in Turkey, determine the relevant problems, and propose suggestions for its improvement. The research data were collected at the "Focus Group Interviews" with the sector actors from the cities engaged in buffalo breeding between July and September of 2015. The cities included Afyonkarahisar, Bitlis, Diyarbakir, Istanbul, Muş, Samsun, and Tokat, where buffalo breeding was usually practiced by small-scale family enterprises that used traditional husbandry methods. The variables chosen as indicators of yield included milk yield, meat yield, and lactation period, which were found to be below global averages. The study revealed lack of adequate record-keeping of enterprises raising water buffalo. Buffalo breeders should take necessary steps to improve their strategies to increase buffalo milk yield, while government agencies should protect wetlands and prevent their unintended use, making relevant legal arrangements where necessary. Buffalo meat and milk should be promoted with an emphasis on their superior nutritional values. For the development of buffalo breeding in Turkey, necessary steps should be taken on both national and local levels.

Genomic studies of milk-related traits in water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) based on single-step genomic best linear unbiased prediction and random regression models

“…Consequently, buffalo milk is economically attractive for making specialized dairy products such as mozzarella cheese and ghee (Tonhati et al, 2008;Michelizzi et al, 2010;Warriach et al, 2015;Liu et al, 2018). The individual productivity of dairy buffalo is still well below the desired levels (Karli et al, 2018), which can be increased through genetic and genomic selection, as well as better management practices (Britt et al, 2018).…”