Feeding and management practices, physical characteristics and uses of carabao in five provinces of Luzon [Philippines]

70% of the farmers-carabao raisers in Luzon are over 40 years old, 77% had less than 10 years of formal education and almost all of them owns the carabao he raised. Ilocano and Pilipino are spoken by 84 and 70 percent of the farmers, respectively. Radio and field technicians were utilized by 82 to 70% of the farmers, respectively, as sources of information to improve crop and livestock farming. Rice straw was the most utilized of all cereal by-products and a close second are corn stover, ipil-ipil, green corn, sweet potato vines and soilage. The combination of tethering, soiling, communal pasture and grazing was practiced by all farmers. Majority of the farmers did not provide concentrate. Salt was the only source of mineral supplement provided by 60 percent of the farmers. Only 37% provided housing to their carabaos. Pre-and post-weaning mortalities totalled 19% in Luzon. Calving interval for 69% of the caracows was at least 2 years, with infertile. Hoof and mouth disease and liverfluke infection are the most prevalent; however, 38 percent of the farmers in Luzon never had a sick carabao. Carabulls are castrated at 3.3 years. Slit method was the most preferred, however, in Isabela and Cagayan pounding and "binurbor" method of castration was still very common. 99% of the farmers used natural breeding. The mean age of caraheifers at first breeding was 3.8 years. Only 19% of the farmers raised cattle. 70% of the farmers did not believe in the influence of color, cowlicks, horn shape, forms and marking and tail length of carabaos on their performance and in luck of the owner. 63% of the draft carabaos raised by farmers were males and 37%, females; 94% of which were native and only 6% were crossbreeds. Male draft carabaos were bigger than the females. The mean age, weight, heartgirth, body length 1 and body length 2 and height of male draft carabaos in Luzon are 9.3 years; 470.5 kg; 192.0; 123.5; 183.0; and 131.3 cm, respectively, while female draft carabaos are 9.0 years; 402.6 kg; 183.4; 115.2; 173.9; and 125.4 cm, respectively. Carabaos are raised primarily for draft purposes, usually males (82%). 78% of the farmers used carabao manure as fertilizer; 73% of them consume the skin as food; and at least 87% of the farmers used the carabao horn for farming related activities or for decorative arts and house use