Effects of seasonal fluctuation and parturition on body weight of swamp buffalo [in Thailand]
1984
Charan Chantalakhana | Pakapun Bunyavejchevin | Prachan Veerasit (Kasetsart Univ., Bangkok (Thailand). Dept. of Animal Science)
The study examined changes in the body-weight of mature buffaloes at the Surin Buffalo Breeding Center due to seasonal fluctuation in feed supplies. It also investigated the effect of parturition on buffalo cow body-weight. The effect of feed scarcity started to show in January when the buffalo body-weight began to decline, and continued to decline to the lowest average in April, the hottest and dryest month of the year. The monthly weight change of the mature buffaloes could well be explained by the annual rainfall pattern. The data on monthly records of the body-weight of buffalo cows during the five months before calving and the four months after indicated that the animals gained 33.1 kg during the five-month pre-partum and lost 34.5 kg from one month after, with the average calf birth weigth of 30.8 kg. The nursing cows continued to lose weight during the four-month post-partum. The cows calved from May to October and regained their body-weight faster than those calved from November to April
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