Selectivity of Leguminous Trees by Water Buffaloes in Semi-intensive Systems

Abstract

Water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) manifest different levels of selectivity for different pastures and forages. Knowledge of feed selectivity is important to facilitate the design of efficient production systems that take into account optimal animal welfare. In this study, the selectivity of nine 18-month old female water buffaloes for Leucaena leucocephala, Albizia lebbeck, Gliricidia sepium, and Moringa oleifera was evaluated. After 12 h of grazing Megathyrsus maximum, the animals were housed in individual shelters and 1.2 kg of leaves from each of the four tree species were offered to the animals simultaneously. The selectivity, measured as the intake of dry matter (DM), was highest for A. lebbeck (mean = 0.34 kgDM, SD = 0.05 kg), followed by L. leucocephala (mean = 0.30 kgDM, SD = 0.03 kg), M. oleifera (mean = 0.11 kgDM, SD = 0.05 kg), and G. sepium (mean = 0.10 kgDM, SD = 0.02 kg) (P < 0.01). The crude protein intake was highest for A. lebbeck and L. leucocephala. Notably, the less selected leaves were those of G. sepium and M. oleifera. This study suggests that the inclusion of A. lebbeck and L. leucocephala in silvopastoral systems may increase both the consumption and well-being of water buffaloes in the tropics.

Description of Four Dual-Purpose River Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Farms in Tropical Wetlands in Mexico. Part 1: Social Aspects, Herd Distribution, Feeding, Reproductive, and Genetic Management

“…These conditions increase the potential for successful buffalo-breeding because they allow buffaloes to express their thermoregulation mechanisms (wallowing in mud) while also offering shade trees to protect them from solar radiation [23,[25][26][27]. Finally, the vegetable cover helps preserve the favorable features of the soil; that is, the existing level of vegetable biodiversity is beneficial for both the buffaloes and the ecosystem [28].…”

“…However, the vomeronasal organ (VNO) of male buffaloes allows them to perceive chemical substances that project signals towards the olfactory bulb and diverse structures of the limbic and autonomous nervous systems that trigger recognition of the female's estrus condition [39]. blocked the implementation of certain technologieslike importing embryos-that require zoosanitary permits [28,40,44].…”

Dual-Purpose Water Buffalo Production Systems in Tropical Latin America: Bases for a Sustainable Model

“…Finally, some varieties of arboreal legumes can be added, since they can be exploited in silvopastoral systems. These include acacias and leucaenas [25,28,30]. Recently, certain improved grasses have become available that should be taken into account when planning efficient pasturing systems, especially in flood-prone zones where buffaloes can be especially productive.…”

“…One typical element of dual-purpose systems that produce bovines is the crossbreeding of Zebu cattle with European animals in an effort to combine, and optimize, environmental resilience with productive potential. In the case of the buffalo, this is less of a conditioning factor, because several of the breeds available-Murrah, Mediterranean, Jafarabadi, Nili-Raví and, in some cases, Carabao-satisfy these requirements individually or through crossbreeding [6,28,30]. In addition, buffaloes offer a great advantage over bovines, because they can thrive in wetlands and floodplains thanks to their capacity to effectively utilize the vegetation that grows there, including species of shrubbery and trees.…”

Examination of the Effects of Domestic Water Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) Grazing on Wetland and Dry Grassland Habitats

“…For example, the use of trees as a source of feed for ruminants is limited to understanding of their positive impact on production systems [63]. Galloso-Hernández et al [64] conducted research on the feeding of buffaloes on woody plants, but they only fed the leaves of trees to the buffaloes.…”