MILK PRODUCTION

566
MILK PRODUCTION
Main morphological defects in
Mediterranean Italian buffalo
Coletta A. 1 , Amante L. 1 , Fezza C. 2 , Neri M. 1 , Caso C. 1
1 ANASB, Via Cesare Battisti, Caserta, Italy 2 Dottore in Scienze e Tecnologie delle Produzioni Animali ed Esperto di Razza Bufala
Mediterranea Italiana Corresponding author: C. Caso. ANASB, Associazione Nazionale Allevatori della Specie Bufalina, Via C.
Battisti, 68, 81100 Caserta, Italy. Email: espertidirazza@anasb.it
Abstract
From the end of the 2004, the morphological evaluation system of the Italian Mediterranean Buffalo population have
been changed from a subjective assessment of animal’s strengths and weaknesses, to a linear evaluation system. This new
system take into account animal morphological defects to assess the real impact of those defects on the buffalo population
for selection purposes. In fact, the new form for recording the scores of the linear evaluation system, contains a
blank for reporting various defects. The linear system is an objective method of assessment that allows to picture the
animal indicating and quantifying the degree of biologic measures. The main purpose of this study was to identify the
frequency of each alteration or obvious morphological defect of the animal. It was studied the incidence of each defect
on the buffalo population. Moreover, any other possible defect, that may influence negatively the morphology of the
animal, was also analyzed.
INTRODUCTION
Key words: morphology, morphological defects
From its introduction in Italy, buffalo have had significant morphological changes, which are the result of farm management
changes and selective pressure improvement. Those changes are responsible for the buffalo breed evolution. In fact,
at the beginning of its introduction, buffalo were animals with three attitudes (milk, meat and draft), but through their
good milk yield, along with geographical, social and economic changes in our country, buffalo expressed their productive
potential, and became dairy animals. Upon to few decades ago, morphological defects were common in the buffalo
species. It was because farmers did not consider important aspects of animal nutrition and wellness. Whereas, in the last
few years, farmers put more attention on buffalo’s morphological selection. From 1980 to 2004, the Italian Mediterranean
buffalo breed has been morphologically evaluated more as a dairy animal. At first, buffalo were evaluated by a subjective
criterion that did not referred to a defined biological value. In the last few years, because of the economic importance
of buffalo species, a more objective method of observation in the morphological evaluation became necessary to ensure
the scientific assessment of the animal structure and, in the same time, to correct important morphological defects.
Defects often cause early culling of cows (also if very good cows) from the herds. In the 2005, after a transaction period,
the “linear” type evaluation has been adopted by the Italian Buffalo Breeders Association, to describe the animal by its
morphological measures. This is the best method to use for scientific and selective purposes.
Proceedings 9 th World Buffalo Congress