Efficiency to reach age of puberty and behaviour of buffalo heifers (Bubalus bubalis) kept on pasture or in confinement

Abstract

In order to evaluate the influence of rearing system (free-ranging (FR) v. confinement (C)) on buffalo heifer efficiency to reach age of puberty and on behavioural and immune functions, two experiments were conducted from September 2010 to October 2011. In Experiment I, 32 subjects aged 8 to 9 months at the start of experiment were used. A total of 16 animals (group C) were group housed in an indoor slatted floor pen (4 m 2 /animal) with an outdoor paddock (4 m 2 /animal); 16 others grazed on a Mediterranean natural pasture of 40 ha (group FR). Behavioural data were collected and organic matter digestibility, blood metabolites and progesterone were determined. At the end of the experiment, a novel object test and a skin test were conducted, and the avoidance distance (AD) at the manger was measured. Free-ranging animals were able to express natural behaviours such as wallowing and grazing. C animals devoted more time to the novel object than FR animals, whereas AD at manger was lower in group FR than in group C ( P < 0.01). Cellular immune response was higher in FR heifers than in C animals ( P < 0.01). FR animals also showed a higher digestibility of organic matter ( P < 0.01). Heifers from group FR had higher plasma concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids ( P < 0.001) and lower concentrations of glucose than heifers from group C ( P < 0.001). C animals showed higher daily weight gains ( P < 0.01) and weight at the puberty ( P < 0.05), but there were no differences in terms of age of puberty between the two groups. The intakes of dry matter (DM), CP and energy to reach the age of puberty were similar in both groups. In order to verify whether the results obtained in Experiment I could be replicated in different rearing conditions (reduced pasture availability, different location and altitude), a second experiment was conducted on 26 animals, where only onset of age of puberty and metabolic profile were monitored. In Experiment II, 13 heifers grazed on a natural pasture of 5 ha, other 13 received the same space as indicated for Experiment I. Results from Experiment II generally confirmed those of Experiment I. Only the intakes of DM and energy to reach the age of puberty were higher in group C than in FR ( P < 0.001). A lower competition with human nutrition, reproductive performances similar to those shown by confined animals and the indications given by immune and behavioural variables, suggest that a free-range-based system may be conveniently used for buffalo heifer farming purposes.

Application of the Welfare Quality protocol to dairy buffalo farms: Prevalence and reliability of selected measures

“…In our study, 4 farms displayed values higher than 5.2 s, with 2 of them showing values higher than 6.3 s. The prevalence of animals lying partly or completely outside lying area was high with 40% of farms showing values above 33%. Previous results (De Rosa et al, 2009b;Sabia et al, 2014) showed that when available buffaloes tend to spend a high proportion of time in potholes, pools, or ponds. As only few farms had these facilities, we hypothesized that the buffaloes were induced to rest in more humid areas, such as the feeding alley, rather than in the resting area.…”

Feeding, Nutrition and Sustainability in Dairy Enterprises: The Case of Mediterranean Buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis)

“…Conversely, Terzano et al (1996) observed that grazing heifers reached puberty earlier than animals fed corn silage ad libitum, although the latter showed a higher weight at puberty. Similarly, Sabia et al (2014) found no significant differences in terms of age of puberty between buffalo heifers reared in intensive or extensive conditions, although the weights of puberty were higher in confined animals.…”

“…However, these animals show a higher digestibility of protein and fibre as compared with cattle and sheep with lower emissions in the environment. When kept on pasture, buffalo heifers show productive and reproductive performances similar to those shown by confined animals whose diet is based on mixed rations (Sabia et al 2014). They eat a wide variety of plants, although they only occasionally ingest non-herbaceous plants; buffaloes are, therefore, considered grazers rather than browsers (Napolitano et al 2007).…”

“…However, a recent study has shown that grazing may be a valid alternative to intensive rearing systems for growing heifer (Fig. 1), with no significant effects on the age of puberty and with interesting cost savings and reduced environmental impact (Sabia et al 2014).…”

“…Martiniello et al (2010) observed that the use of buffaloes manure increases dry matter yield of forage crops compared to traditional management as the carbonnitrogen ratio in buffalo manure is able to promote biomass production. Sabia et al (2014) suggested that the use of an extensive system based on grazing for some unproductive phases of animal rearing (e.g. heifer growth) could reduce the environmental impact of dairy buffalo farms.…”