BREEDING BUFFALOES IN THE NEW VALLEY DESERT AREA OF EGYPT (PATTERN OF REPRODUCTION AND PRODUCTION)

As a first successful trial to breed buffaloes in the desert. the pattern of reproduction and milk production was investigated in a local farm, from 1974 - 1983, at El-Kharga oasis of the New Valley Governorate of Egypt. Natural breeding was practiced but the farm complained from low fertility and high incidence of calf mortality. Routine gynaecological and medical care was applied after 1981 to resolve both problems. The clinical examination of the 2 breeding buffalo bulls revealed their normal enitalia and semen picture. After care the incidence of pregnancy increased from 50.2% to 78.6% while the calf mortality decreased from 19.2% to 1.5%. The age of first calving and the calvin intervals decreased from 49 to 44 months and from 582 to 472 days respectively. The first calvin interval was the shortest among consecutive calvings (442 days). The incidence of ovarian inactivity and chronic endome teritis was 1.3% and 14.3% respectively. Dibasic sodium phosphate and P.N.F. gave good results for the treatment of both conditions respectively.
The total milk yield increased gradually till the 4th lactation (1864 kg) while the lactation length reached its maximum average value at the 5th lactation (311 days). After care the milk yield per day and per 305 days increased from 5.1 to 5.5 kg and from 1564.6 to 1970.5 kg respectively. The maximum daily milk yield reached 14 kg in few individuals.
The weight of male and female calves at birth averaged 32.0 and 31.5 kg respectively. The calculated gain in live weight for growing males averaged 0.56, 0.45 and 0.34 kg till the age of 2, 2.5 and 3 years respectively. The adult male and female buffaloes weighed 620 and 594 kg in average respectively. The elder bull aged 11 years and still active while the elder cows aged 13 years 6 months with 6 previous calving and still pregnant.