Characteristics of Buffalo Farming Systems in Turkey Based on a Multivariate Aggregation of Indicators: A Survey Study

Abstract

This study aimed to determine the heterogeneity that exists in water buffalo husbandry systems in Marmara Region, Turkey. A questionnaire containing a total of 60 indicators was submitted to 52 farmers. A Principal Component Analysis was performed to reduce original variables into a simplified and latent structure, which was characterized by six orthogonal components: milk productivity, economic efficiency, roughage management, dual-purpose farming, concentrate supply, and fodder production. An ANOVA model was applied to the six components to investigate the effects of the province, investment levels, grazing type, milk production, and profitability. Differences in milk productivity, roughage management, concentrate supply, and fodder management were significant according to the province and grazing type, which indicated a difference in intensification levels among the cities. Economic efficiency and dual-purpose farming differed significantly for milk production levels as well as milk productivity, and economic efficiency differed for profitability levels. We found a tendency regarding the impact of roughage management on profitability. The results conclude that profitability was associated with improving the milking traits of buffaloes and roughage management of the farms.

Evaluation of Anatolian Water Buffalo Carcass Weights Based on a Slaughterhouse Data Collection

“…Therefore, farmers may struggle to supply their animals with highly nutritious feed (especially quality roughage). On the other hand, most of the buffalo farmers in the Marmara region send their animals to pasture during summer, while they continue to supply concentrate feed [ 4 ]. Considering the pasture availability in the area, we may speculate that buffalos slaughtered in the summer seasons show better carcass performance.…”

“…The average slaughter age of female buffalos observed in this study (41.6 months) was found to be similar to the slaughter age of female cattle (44.1 months) [ 13 ]. One potential explanation for this trend could be the buffalo farmers’ adoption of more intensive strategies to enhance milk production, as evidenced by recent studies [ 4 , 31 ]. This may involve the practice of slaughtering females once their milk production starts to decline, similar to methods employed in intensive dairy cattle farming.…”

“…A typical diet for female buffalos consists of concentrate sources supplemented by grains (mainly wheat, wheat shorts, wheat bran, and beet pulp) and roughage sources such as wheat straw, barley straw, alfalfa hay, and corn silage. Buffalo calves and males are reared indoors and fed total mixed rations (grains and roughage) [ 4 ].…”

“…Between 2013 and 2021, there was a significant increase of 136.5% in buffalo meat production [ 3 ]. Ozturk et al [ 4 ] found that dual-purpose farms in the Marmara region of Turkey have been practicing an intensive management system to diversify their economic activity by fattening buffalo calves. Moreover, the buffalo carcass weight improved by 28.8 kg/animal between 2001 and 2021 [ 5 ].…”

“…Buffalo husbandry in Turkey and almost worldwide is generally conducted by small–medium-scale family farms [ 2 , 4 , 9 ]. Although the buffalo meat sector has vast economic potential, these small farms fail to exploit this potential efficiently [ 9 ].…”