There is a large buffalo population in Vietnam, nearly 3 million heads. While the population in the North East, North West and the North Central Coast are steadily increasing, the herd in the two main deltas: Red River Delta and Mekong Delta, has decreased sharply. The decrease of the buffalo population in the delta areas is a subject of concern. It appears to be a consequence of mechanization. There is a need to establish a programme for the development of the buffalo population and to focus on the production of buffalo beef of better quality. Currently, the price of buffalo meat is always low compared with that from cattle due to consumers perception of its low quality and cultural myths. Research to document the quality of buffalo meat will contribute to reduce the consumers’ prejudice. It is necessary to strengthen the research work on buffaloes, especially in reproduction. Appropriate feeding, breeding and health care with better management would help to reach the above goals and also to ensure more profit for farmers.
With the development of agricultural production, the machinery will consequently replace the animal drought power. But it is certain that the buffalo is still an important source of draught power in the rather long term. The economic situation, the natural condition, the agricultural farming and livestock production systems; and the crowded buffalo herds have decided the above tendency. Among the total number of about 7 million buffaloes and cattle, buffaloes number 2.95 million (Table 1).
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Table 1. Livestock and poultry population from 1997 to 1999 (in 1000 head) |
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|
Item |
1997 |
1998 |
1999 |
|
1. Pig: |
|
|
|
|
Population |
17,635 |
18,132 |
18,885 |
|
Growth rate |
4.22 |
2.82 |
4.15 |
|
2. Cattle: |
|
|
|
|
Population |
3,904 |
3,987 |
4,063 |
|
Growth rate |
2.76 |
2.11 |
1.91 |
|
3. Buffalo: |
|
|
|
|
Population |
2,943 |
2,951 |
2,955 |
|
Growth rate |
-0.35 |
0.26 |
0.15 |
|
4. Poultry: |
|
|
|
|
Population |
160,550 |
166,382 |
179,323 |
|
Growth rate |
6.04 |
3.63 |
7.78 |
|
Of which: |
|
|
|
|
- Chicken: |
|
|
|
|
Population |
120,567 |
126,361 |
135,760 |
|
Growth rate |
6.91 |
4.81 |
7.44 |
|
- Duck: |
|
|
|
|
Population |
39,983 |
40,021 |
43,563 |
|
Growth rate |
3.51 |
0.09 |
8.85 |
|
Source: State Statistics Department, 1999. |
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The buffalo is stronger than cattle and can be used in both high and low land. This advantage is preferred by farmers in many areas. In our country, the buffalo has occupied a very high position in that people often call it “the beginning of inheritance” (of course in the small holder agricultural economy). Their value is measured by draught power, amount of manure produced and partially by meat. Buffalo meat is not preferred because of its perception as low in quality (most buffalo meat comes from the culled animals as a result of age and working ability without fattening before slaughter). Actually buffalo meat quality is not lower than cattle beef in any aspect if we raise buffalo for beef. But some prejudices upon buffalo meat still exists. It has greatly affected to the price of buffalo meat in the market.
In the beginning of the mechanization of agriculture, the role of the buffalo has been neglected at times in some regions. But very quickly the real situation has made us reconsider its role.The topography of the fields is poly-sided, small cut, and clogged. The cost of machinery and fuel are high with low efficiency of irrigation and supply of chemical fertilizer. This reduces the speed of mechanization. Even if the soil preparation could be mechanized, the buffalo still plays a large role in the country-side including many things such as transportation. The need for draught power is not tense as before, but the requirement of meat is increasing. The amount of buffalo meat occupied about 35% of the total cattle and buffalo meat hinted under the so called beef meat that puts forward the development of buffalo production. The total number of buffalo herds seems to have remained constant but there has been significant changes in some specific areas.
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Table 2. Buffalo population and meat production in 1999 |
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Population |
Meat production |
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Ecological regions |
% of country |
1000 head |
Growth rate (%) |
1000 tonnes |
Growth rate (%) |
|
North west |
45.5 |
1345 |
2.16 |
14.4 |
1.78 |
|
North east |
12.3 |
365 |
4.14 |
4.1 |
4.99 |
|
Red river delta |
5.86 |
173 |
-5.01 |
3.9 |
5.87 |
|
North central coastline |
22.6 |
668 |
1.82 |
7.0 |
2.23 |
|
South central coast |
4.31 |
127 |
0.37 |
1.7 |
3.63 |
|
Central highlands |
1.75 |
51.8 |
2.62 |
1.1 |
12.3 |
|
North east South |
4.99 |
147 |
-2.53 |
9.5 |
8.70 |
|
Mekong river delta |
2.56 |
75.8 |
-13.83 |
4.4 |
-6.21 |
|
Whole country |
100 |
2955 |
0.39 |
46.2 |
1.42 |
|
Source: State Statistics Department, 1999 |
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The most
important might be the problem of reproduction. For a very long time, swamp
buffalos were developed not for milk production but for draught power. Milk
production closely links with reproduction, because of regular giving birth can
produce more milk. The dairy buffalo breeds have been selected and improved for
the suitability of milking. The shape of horn, the development of skin, hair
are clearly different from its original, while it is nearly the same with as in
the wild buffalo’s in our country (swamp one).
The silent heat-the outstanding feature of buffalo is also a
disadvantage for implementing appropriate technologies for increasing
reproduction such as artificial insemination. The low reproductive rate has
caused a slow growth of population. The reason can be realized that for a long
time the reproduction was not considered as an important index in buffalo
breeding selection. In the past, all the experiences are drawn to the
exploitation of draught power (horn of cross bow, belly likes lime pot ).
Actually, the reproduction performance of our buffalo is not very low. As our
investigation data (October, 1980): among 2080 reproductive buffaloes
investigated in Ha Bac province, the calving interval is mainly located in 3
years/2 calves to 2 years/1 calf (62%). But the actual birth rate is not more
than 20% in many regions. The following factors can be considered to understand
the reason for a low rate of reproduction:
More than
99% of buffaloes belong to the small household sector (small farm system).
There are only two state farms, where there are a few dozen to one hundred
dairy buffaloes.
All the swamp buffaloes are rearing extensively. Each farmer keeps one or two buffaloes and maintains them by grazing on roadside grass or on common land. Rice straw and crop residues are supplemented feed.
It concerns
the dairy buffaloes in this system, they are raised mainly for milk production
and are stall fed. In these farms, forage and grasses are cut, carried and fed
at stall. Crops by-products used to mix with concentrate to feed the animal.
Not so often, the buffaloes are supplied by urea molasses block or rice straw
urea treatment.
Vietnamese buffalo is a small sized breed. The weight of
the adult is 339.55kg, new born calf: 22-23kg. In the post weaning period from
6-12 months of age, the calves grow slowly, the growth speed become faster
after 12 months of age. Normally, the body weight of calf at 12 months is
150kg. It can be taken use of this figure to feed the calf growing faster
reaching 250-300kg at 24 months of age. It means that we can develop a
technology of fattening heifers for beef.
The
fertility rate of buffalo herd is low in general, it is around 30%. In some
hilly and mountainous areas where buffalo have to do less work, the
reproductive rate may reach up to 36%, while it is only 20% in the delta areas,
where its very tense in animal traction supply.
The first calving age is about 48-52 months of age. The
oestrus circle normally is 22-25 days. The oestrus time after calving depends
on the season. If the buffalo gives the birth at the end of spring, then the
next oestrus will come very late. Calving interval is from 27 to 30 months.
Heating season in concentrated in the months of 10 and 11 that means the
calving season is located in the months of 9 and 10 next year.
Much attention has been made in better utilization of agricultural and industrial by-products (rice straw, maize stove, ground nut, vines etc...). The sugar cane recently has become an important crop because its harvesting is in dry season, deficient of feed. Sugar cane tops and bagasse can be supplied for buffalo at least 3-4 months in dry season from December to March. The use of urea molasses block for buffalo is done during the rush season (Winter crop) in Red river delta and Mekong river delta areas. The supplement of feed helps to increase the draught power and decrease mortal rate in dry season.
It is clear that a big
population of buffalo concentrated in the North East,
There are many reasons which
can be considered such as socio-economic factors, government policies,
institution factor and also technical constraints. Everyone talks about the
government policies such as mechanization and modernization of agricultural
production. In this paper let us consider more about the technical aspect. Why
do farmers prefer cattle over buffalo when the poor feeding conditions are the
same in the delta? The answer seems to be
simple. The livestock men say that they need to have a calf for sale
each year. This allows their household economy to be kept in balance. The cow
can supply this demand, but it seems very difficult for a female buffalo due to
the fact they can only produce one calf each year and a half or two years in most cases. But why is the
reproduction of the swamp buffalo so low and how can this constraint be resolved?
Let us have a look at the swamp buffalo development in the
world. A big surprise we must consider
is that among 130 million heads of buffalo, 97 percent of them in Asia are
still being used in ways much like their ancestors were used 1,500 years ago.
Recently the experts have been increasingly turning their attention to the
buffalo as they realize that its full potential has been seriously under
exploited.
During the eighties of the last century the American scientists intended to bring swamp buffalo from Asia to Florida by using embryo transfer (The International Herald Tribune, 29th March, 1984). They believed that this technology would bring success to America. One of the scientists- Dr.Vietmeyer even said in an interview that: “The quickest way to get something accepted in developing countries is to get it accepted in America- It is psychological”.
I do not know how many people believe this hypothesis, but we only know that after a long effort the Americans have failed to bring the buffalo to America by doing embryo transfer on cattle. Instead of importing the buffalo embryo, they have brought the living animals from Trinidad. Obviously, until now the biotechnology has done very little for buffalo development. Perhaps a universal measure should be applied including breeding (providing enough of good bull), feeding (improving nutritional level), health care and management (better service). But one of the important strategies to develop the buffalo production is to create an effective feeding technology to increase beef carcass and also its quality. It will bring more profits to the farmers who manage the buffalo raising. Obviously the mechanization of agriculture will be continued and the need for animal traction will gradually be decreased. The buffalo should be a good potential for meat supply. To develop an appropriate technology for fattening buffalo is an urgent task. The increase of productivity in both quantity and quality would make buffalo husbandry profitable, which would be a big push to this brand of economy.
The appropriate technologies would improve the market system
and help to eradicate the prejudice that exists in the consumers about buffalo
meat.
The factors that are
constraining the development of the buffalo population in
Increase mechanization is reducing the need of animal draught power.
The expanding programme of reforestation is reducing the grazing potential of mountainous areas.
The shortage of forage during dry season affects severely the growth of buffalo and lowers the rate of reproduction
The technical service (feeding, breeding and health care) is very poor. The credit always is a big problem especially in mountainous areas, where there is plenty of grazing land but the farmers are very poor.
Little research work is being done with buffaloes due to shortage of funds for this purpose.
There are large herds of buffalo in mountainous and North
Coastal area, where the ecological condition is favorite to buffalo.
A large area in the
The consumption of the red meat in
There is a huge volume of the crop by-products in
Due to the population pressure, there is an urgent need to
create more jobs in rural areas.
The following
measure are proposed:.
Selecting the good breeding stocks:
Selection and develop the local good female buffaloes for breeding and create a
nuclear herd.
Selection and better use of the breeding buffalo bulls, these can be solved
through the buffalo compete. Carrying a plan to produce the good breeding bulls.
Castration of the low quality of buffalo bulls (small size, old bulls).
Improving the feeding system to breeding buffaloes.
Improving grazing system, creating a chance for the contract of bulls, and
female buffaloes during the oestrus season to increase the fertility of
buffalo.
The
health care should be considered as an effective measure especially on calves
rearing. Applying vaccination for buffalo annually.
To
include buffalo raising as a part of the project of the poverty alleviation in
the mountainous areas, as supplying credit to the poor managed with buffalo
raising
The decrease of the buffalo
population in the delta is an event worthy to be concerned. It seems that this
tendency happened as a consequence of
the mechanization of agriculture.
The main opportunities for
expansion of buffalo rearing are in the mountainous areas. It is suggested that
attention is concentrated on the three ecological zones:
There is a need to establish
a programme for the development of the buffalo population and to focus on
production of buffalo beef of better quality.
Appropriate fattening technologies would help to reach the
above goals and also to ensure the
profit for farmers.
It is necessary to
strengthen the research work on buffalos, especially in reproduction. The
farmers are more likely to promote buffalo raising if the calving interval can
be shortened. A universal measures on breeding, feeding, health care and
management should be improved to support this goal.
Research to document the
quality of buffalo meat will also contribute to reducing the prejudice that
exists in the consumers, which makes the price of buffalo meat always low
compared with that from cattle. A better market system will stimulate the
buffalo raising.
Buniavejchewin P and Chantalakhana C 1991
Devendra
C 1993
Sustainable animal production
from small farm systems in south-east
Dat
D H 1994 The history of the agriculture of
Le
Viet Ly Ly and
Bui Van Chinh 1996
Development of animal
production on the base of sustainable agriculture. Agricultural Publishing
House.