This study was conducted at the Institute of Research and Development for Buffalo Breeding Sercaia,

Fagaras area, on a group of 93 milk buffalos, with lactations between 1 and 14. The aim of this work

was to analyse the parameters of buffalos milk production in this farm, in the context of a sharp decline

of this species in Romania. The research data resulted from the official control of production; they were

recorded and statistically analysed. The average values obtained were compared with literature data in

the field. Thus, the average of lactation period was 274.74 days, with variation between 137-356 days.

The average value for the quantity of milk was 1669.03 kg milk, with limits ranging from 2549 to 600

kg. The dynamics milk quantity was sinuous, so that maximum of production was obtained from

mature buffalos that completed the eighth lactation (1913.1 kg). The average value of fat percentage in

the whole lot of animals analysed was 7.65%, with limits between 8.13 to 7.21% and 4.30% protein

percentage. For Romania, buffalos represent an important genetic resource, that provide raw materials

for many specific foods and traditional ones.

The buffalo is a species perfectly integrated in the climatic conditions of Romania. The growth area of

buffalos in Romania is characterized by specific habitat conditions that differ from the cattle. The relief

is variable depending on the growth centre (relief of hill in Transylvania and relief of plain and even

swamps along the Danube). The soils are poorly evolved, clay-iluvional structure (of acid reaction) and

hydromorphic soils. The natural fertility of the soil is generally low. The natural vegetation has low

nutritional value, it comes from low productive pastures, on the edge of rivers or on communal

pastures.

The evolution of buffalo herds within 9 decades revealed the following: in 1920, in Romania they were

raised 145,856 buffaloes, if we look at the size of herds in the first quarter of the twentieth century the

stock is large; in the period 1920-1980 the growth had a sinuous curve that registered two peaks, in

1946, when growth was 37% and in 1980 the number of buffaloes increased by 56.3% from 1920, the

higher growth rate was in the 8th decade of the last century; the largest decline has occurred in the last

25 years when the number has dropped from 228,000 to 22,400 heads today, the decrease was of 9.84

times. This decrease in the number of buffaloes in Romania was caused by the unfavourable

agricultural policy for buffalo breeders, increased exports of live animals to countries in North-West

Europe and slaughter youth buffalo at an uneconomic age (Figure 1).

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The study was conducted on a herd of 93 milk buffalo that completed lactation between January 2012

and November 2013. The animals were aged between 1-14 lactation (figure 2). The data of production

were obtained by performing the official control for milk production. The data on quality indicators of

milk production resulted from analyses performed in laboratory of Research Institute for buffalo. The

data were statistically analysed and were interpreted in accordance with the literature.

central Romania, Fagaras area in Transylvania. At present the farm of Research Institute has 458

buffaloes, of which milk buffalos and heifers are 35%. The buffalo husbandry is done differently

according the seasons, the summer at the pasture and the winter in shelters. Milk buffaloes fed forages

on own land. The land surface is 335 ha which are cultivated for grain and pasture for grass and hay.

The growth system of the buffaloes is based on the use in buffalo rations of feed volume only during

the summer, and in winter, when temperatures are very low, buffaloes fed concentrates forages as

supplements.

Our study aimed to highlight some parameters of milk production and reproduction parameters that

influence the total milk production. We determined the following parameters: duration of lactation

(days), total quantity of milk per lactation (kg milk / total lactation), the fat (kg fat/ total lactation), the

protein (kg protein / total lactation), % fat and protein (table 1), calving interval and age at first calving.

reproductive activity.

In buffaloes analysed during 14 lactations we have observed the following: the average of lactation

period was 274.74 days, with variation between 137-356 days. The longest lactation was found from

which was observed in averages analysis. Also, individual variability was very high. The values found

by us in 2008 had a similar distribution, so the lactation average of milk buffaloes in southern Romania

was 275 days, and in the North West 272 days (Georgescu and Vidu, 2008). The average value of

lactation is comparable to the European average, with values of 240 days in Greece, 270 days in Italy

and 278 days in Bulgaria (Borghese, 2005).

lactations in the analysed period was 1669.03 kg milk, with limits ranging from 2549 to 600 kg. And

for this character is observed a large heterogeneity. The evolution was sinuous, being achieved

milk buffalos in Research Institute Sercaia is superior to that found by us in 2008 from Romania

buffaloes, respective 1356.33 kg milk, with 1320 kg in the south, in the valley of the Danube and 1420

kg in the North-West of Romania. Pucheanu (2000) determined an average of 1109.27 kg milk per

normal lactation in buffaloes in the Fagaras area with limits between 1047 kg in buffaloes at the first

lactation and 1130 kg of milk for multiparous ones. Romanian buffalo breed has a level of milk

production by 1.4 to 2 times lower compared to other worldwide breeds. If we compare the mean value

recorded for the European breeds, we see that the values found by us ranks after Italy (2223 kg,

Borghese, 2013) and Bulgaria (1870 kg).

in the production of buffalo milk, because they determine the performance of milk processing in

different preparations. We have noticed that the highest percentage of fat was recorded at the 9th

lactation of milk buffaloes (7.82%, table 1). The average value of the whole lot analysed was 7.65%,

40

ranging between 8.13 to 7.21% (table 1). Regarding the average percentage of fat distributed in

populations from Romania, we noticed that in southern Romania average was 7.65%, in the North West

7.72% and in the central area 7.9%. In Bulgarian Murrah breed fat percentage is 7.04% at a quantity of

1800 kg milk, and in Italy it increased from 7.09% in the period 1977-1981 to 8.31% in 2001 and to 8.

47 in 2010 (Borghese, 2005, 2013). The protein content, in the buffalos lot analysed by us, realized an

average of 4.30%, varying between 4.68 and 3.83% (table 1). In 2008, in southern Romania there has

been registered the highest percentage of protein, 4.96%, while 4.52% was registered in the buffalo

population from North West Romania. Comparing with the specialty literature data, these values are

respective 431.6 and 450, 77 days (Figure 4). For Romania, Velea and Marginean (2006) calculated an

average of 447.18 days.

Regarding the age of the first calving, the value obtained by us is on average of 43.92 months. The

previous researches conducted in Romania showed values between 41.82 and 48 months. (Georgescu

& Vidu, 2008). For this indicator the values are different depending by the area and breed of buffalo.

The dairy buffaloes had good longevity of production, moderate precocity for reproduction and for

milk production. Milk quantity recorded (1669.03 kg) is above the national average, range between

2549 and 600 kg milk, the fat content has a high value in comparison with many buffalo populations in

Europe. We observed a large heterogeneity of individual values, which impose the used levers of

amelioration in the analysed population.

Borghese, A. 2005. In “ Buffalo production and research”, Ed. Borghese A. and FAO, Rome, REU

Technical series 67: 1- 315.

Borghese A., 2013. In “Buffalo Livestock and Products”. Ed. Borghese A. and C.R.A.:1-511.

Georgescu Gh., Vidu L., 2008. The monograph buffalos in Romania and worldwide, Ceres 7

Publishing House, Bucharest.

Pucheanu C., 2000. Research on knowledge of morphological, physiological and productive parameters

at buffaloes, depending on various factors of influence, PhD thesis, University of Agricultural Sciences

and Veterinary Medicine, Bucharest.

Velea C., Marginean G., 2006. Actuality and perspective in raising buffalos, Agrotehnica Publishing

House, Bucharest.