REVIEW ARTICLE Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.

GENETIC RESOURCES AND DIVERSITY IN DAIRY BUFFALOES OF PAKISTAN

M. SAJJAD KHAN, NAZIR AHMAD1 AND MUQARRAB ALI KHAN2

Department of Animal Breeding and Genetics, University of Agriculture Faisalabad;

1
Department of Animal Reproduction, University of Agriculture Faisalabad;
2
Department of Livestock and Dairy Development, NWFP, Peshawar, Pakistan

ABSTRACT

Buffalo is the main dairy animal in Pakistan. There are five known buffalo breeds in the country
namely: Nili, Ravi, Nili-Ravi, Kundhi and Azi Kheli (or Azakhale). Population trend is available for Nili-
Ravi and Kundhi breeds and is positive. Azi-Kheli breed was included in 2006 livestock census for the first
time. General production system is low-input extensive system but high input intensive system prevails
around most cities in the form of buffalo colonies for supplying fresh milk. Buffaloes are seasonal breeders.
Vast diversity exits both at phenotypic and genetic level. Economic traits have a wide variation and genetic
control is moderate for production traits but very low for reproduction traits. Inbreeding is inimical to
genetic diversity and has been reported to deteriorate productivity. Efforts to improve productivity of the
species are needed alongwith sustainable utilization of existing resources.

Key words: Pakistani buffaloes, diversity, production system, sustainable utilization.

INTRODUCTION mixing was acknowledged officially. Nili and Ravi,

however, still exist as separate breeds, also. This is true
There are approximately 27.3 million buffaloes in especially for the Nili breed which has a sizeable
Pakistan (GOP, 2006) which puts Pakistan at 2nd population and is being raised as a separate breed. The
position after India with 98 millions and before China fifth breed is Azi-Kheli, which is mainly localized in
with 23 millions (FAO, 2006). Buffalo population in the Swat valley in the North West Frontier Province
2006 was 1.6 times that of the population of 1986 (Fig. (NWFP) (Khan, 2003). It has for the first time been
1). Increase in buffalo population in Sindh has been 2.3 included in the 2006 livestock census. It may also be
times, while in Balochistan it is 5.1 times (63 vs 320 recorded that a large segment of buffalo population
thousands) during the last two decades. Nili-Ravi and (about 37%) in the country is considered as non-
Kundhi are the main breeds with 10.4 and 6.7 million descript because animals do not fulfil the phenotypic
heads, respectively. Population of non-descript attributes of any specific breed. Buffalo breeds are
buffaloes (animals that can not be ascribed to any endemic to the country with the exception of Nili,
breed) is 10.13 millions (37%) in the country. Irrigated which has been reported in India as well.
Punjab has major concentration of buffaloes with most
population in the central Punjab. Top three most Production systems
populated districts are Faisalabad, Jhang and Rural subsistence and rural-market oriented set ups
Sheikhupura. are the most common production systems of raising
buffaloes in Pakistan. Less than 3% buffaloes are also
Buffalo breeds raised under commercial set up mainly around big cities
Pakistani buffaloes belong to river type with to meet the demand of fresh buffalo milk. About half of
characteristic chromosome number of 50. The other the buffaloes are raised in herds without cattle, while
type i.e Swamp buffaloes, found mainly in China and other half are mixed with cattle. Herd size in buffaloes
other South East Asian countries, have 48 is small. When raised as buffaloes, 46% are raised in
chromosomes (Borghese, 2007). There are five herds of size 1-2, while 82% in herds of size 1-10. Only
recognized breeds of buffalo in the country (Table 1). 3% buffaloes are raised in herds of size greater than 50
Nili-Ravi and Kundhi are the two main breeds, while a (GOP, 2006).
sizeable population of Nili, Ravi and Azi Kheli (also Most of the buffaloes in buffalo colonies around
spelled as Azakhali) breeds also exit. Nili-Ravi is breed the country belong to Nili-Ravi breed (Nili and Ravi as
of riverine Punjab, while Kundhi is inhabitant of separate breeds as well) with the exception of colonies
irrigated Sindh province (Fig. 2). Nili and Ravi were in Sindh province, where local Kundhi has about one
distinguished as separate breeds until 1963 when their fourth (or less) of the share. Kundhi is also raised in

201
 202 Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.

27335
1986 1996 2006
30000

20273
17747

15705
20000

13101
11150

7340
10000

5615
3220

1927
1395
1271

320
161
63
0
P unjab S indh NW F P B aloc his tan P ak is tan

Fig. 1: Province-wise buffalo population (thousands) in Pakistan in the last three census.

Table 1: Buffalo breeds of Pakistan

Breed Synonym Utility⊥ Geographic distribution Population Population Other
size* trend countries
1. Azi-Kheli Albino Milk, meat Swat valley of NWFP 107 Decreasing Endemic
2. Kundhi Sindhi Milk, meat Mainly in Sindh, but also in Punjab 6686 Increasing Endemic
Murrah & Balochistan provinces
3. Nili - Milk, meat Mainly in Punjab but also in metro 124** NA India
colonies of other provinces
4. Nili-Ravi - Milk, meat Mainly in Punjab but also in metro 10417 Increasing India
colonies of other provinces
5. Ravi Sandal Bar Milk, meat Mainly in Punjab 171** Decreasing Endemic
*Thousand heads (GOP, 2006), if not available, estimates** are given from DAD-IS [http://dad.fao.org]
⊥
milk is the primary objective while meat is a by-product.
adjoining Balochistan but number of Kundhi buffaloes weaning is difficult. Animals under commercial setups
in buffalo colonies when compared to Nili-Ravi, is very are milked using oxytocin. Use of bovine somatotropin
small. Buffaloes in their 2nd to 5th lactation are is also very common in these colonies.
purchased mainly from central and southern Punjab and Seasonality of calving has been established in
taken to the colonies all over the country including buffaloes (Hassan et al., 2007). Seasonality of calving
State of Azad Jammu and Kashmir but are rarely bred index was highest (85.9) in buffaloes, followed by
for next lactation. This is because feeding for the dry Sahiwal (76.6) and crossbred cattle (60.3). For any
period is uneconomical. In some buffalo pockets such three consecutive months, highest frequency of calving
as Districts Okara, Sahiwal, Pakpattan and Vehari, (45.9%) was recorded for August-October and
buffalo production is actually targeted for dairy minimum (9.3%) for March-May.
colonies. It is not just for big colonies around Lahore Majority of the buffalo producers use natural
and Faisalabad in Punjab, but they continuously methods for breeding their animals (Qureshi et al.,
produce replacements for Karachi and Hyderabad (in 2003). Only 14% of the buffalo producers use Artificial
Sindh province) and Peshawar and other cities in Insemination (AI). The main sources of natural
NWFP. Even Pakistani controlled Kashmir gets breeding include neighbours’ bull (43%), own bull
buffaloes from Punjab on regular basis. The culled (33%), bull with other service provider (19%) or bull
buffaloes (mainly because of low milk yield, with some relatives (5%). Reasons for using natural
reproductive failures and old age) and surplus males are service include AI centres being far away (3%), AI is
continuously taken to NWFP from Punjab and even to expensive (6%), not available (18%), conceptions with
Afghanistan for meat purpose. Buffaloes have very AI are low (27%) or farmers perceive that their own
strong instinct to own their young ones and therefore bulls are superior (46%) to those used for AI.
 203 Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.

Fig. 2: Home-tracts of buffaloes breeds in Pakistan.

Buffaloes are shy in their reproductive behaviour. A general perception is that buffaloes are mostly
Homosexual behaviour in females in oestrous is almost grazed on communal lands with some fodder offered in
non-existent and other oestrous symptoms are also not the evening. However, a recent survey in Punjab
very pronounced. Therefore, determination of the (Qureshi et al., 2003) has indicated that most of buffalo
optimum time for artificial insemination is sometimes producers (84%) offer some form of concentrate to the
difficult. Private semen production units have emerged buffaloes, while 16% keep them only on fodder or
in the recent past and legal framework is urgently grazing. The households involved in buffalo rearing by
needed before these units become source of diseases
stall feeding, grazing and combination of both were 68,
and further deterioration in productivity of buffaloes.
Bulls in these units are brought on the basis of false 5 and 27%, respectively.
reputation and other than the physical appearance, Organized recording and genetic evaluation
records are disappointingly missing. programmes are not in place at field level except a
 204 Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.
limited progeny-testing programme in Nili-Ravi estimated that 15% of the buffalo population is
buffaloes that was started in 1985 in the central Punjab. vaccinated against important diseases in the country
More than 300 bulls have been tested in the programme (Malik and Ahmad, 1997).
(Chaudhry, 2002). The accuracy of these evaluations
has been low and evaluations have been delayed (Khan Utilization of buffaloes
et al., 1999). Bull selection also needs modifications, as Buffalo is the main dairy animal of Pakistan. About
categorizing buffaloes into A, B, C and D categories 65% of milk produced in the country is contributed by
needs changes (Parveen, 2007). Such institutionalized this species. Their estimated share in the red meat
efforts can only be initiated in other breeds if technical supply is about 32% and in draught power it is about
and other capacity building assistance is provided. 2%. Total milk and beef produced in the country is 33.2
Buffalo Research Institute (BRI) established at Pattoki and 1.2 millions tonnes, respectively (GOP, 2007).
(Distt. Kasur) in 2005 is expected to be major step in Buffalo milk is more concentrated than cow milk.
buffalo recording and improvement, in general at least Higher fat (more than 6.5%) and solids-not-fat (10.5%)
in Punjab, while other provinces may benefit from it contents of buffalo milk are one of the major reasons
both in terms of establishment of the system and in the for its popularity. The culture of taking tea and ‘lassi’
form of improved germ plasm. also makes buffalo milk a better choice. Cheese such as
Government farms and experiment stations have a mozzarella specially made from buffalo milk (Moioli et
few thousand breeding buffaloes (along with their al., 2006) is not a norm in Pakistan.
calves and young stocks) intended for experimentation Buffalo milk and milk products are white because
and production of males for AI. Annual semen of lack of carotene. These are however, rich in vitamin
production in Punjab (less than half a million doses) A. Tradition of giving buffalo in the dowry of a
indicates that at present, AI is available to less than 5% daughter has been a long tradition.
of buffalo population in Punjab. In Sindh province, it is Buffalo meat, although not preferred over cow
much less than these figures. Semen production units meat, is also consumed in the country. The buffaloes
taken from Punjab to Sindh are mostly slaughtered after
(SPUs) of Qadirabad, Kalurkot and Kiraniwala collect
completion of lactation. Calves from such freshly
Nili-Ravi semen and SPU at Karachi (and Rohri)
calved buffaloes are either left with the producers or
collect Kundhi buffalo semen. None of the Government
slaughtered in the first week of their age at the
farms, however, has Nili, Ravi or Azi-Kheli breeds. As
destinations. Similarly, dry buffaloes are slaughtered
such, there in no conservation programme for any of
only if they had been poor producers or if they have
these breeds. Although such efforts might be needed for
some reproductive or other problems. Surplus male
Azi-Kheli, Ravi and Nili breeds in the given order of calves (Table 2) are thus an important source of meat in
priority. the country. Young males are also used as sacrificial
Buffaloes are affected by the same diseases that animals at occasions such as Eid-ul-Azha. Due to some
affect cattle. The control, prevention and the treatment cultural preference, buffalo meat is less preferred in
also follow the same lines (Khan, 2002). The most Punjab but is eaten in NWFP and is taken to
important diseases include mastitis, haemorrhagic Afghanistan as well.
septicaemia (HS), foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) and As indicated in the 2006 livestock census, of the
rinderpest. Symptoms of diseases such as FMD may be total buffalo population of 27.3 millions, 19% are males
less severe and recovery quicker than cattle. Buffalo and 81% females (Table 2). Among males, major
vaccination is restricted to HS and FMD with restricted category is less than 1 year old calves (70.5%),
vaccination for anthrax and black quarters. It is followed by the 1-3 years old young stock (18.0%).

Table 2: Distribution of various classes of buffaloes (thousands) in Pakistan*

Males Females
Class Number % Class Number %
For breeding 330 6.2 In Milk 10222 46.4
< 1Year 3748 70.5 Dry 3381 15.4
1-3 years 958 18.0 Not yet calved 1959 8.9
Others 280 5.3 < 1 Year 4277 19.4
1-3 Years 2180 9.9
Total 5316 100.0 Total 22019 100.0
*GOP (2006)
 205 Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.
About 6% of the males are categorized as breeding yielding 15 or more litres (Table 3). Lactation length in
males. On the other hand, 46.4% of females are in milk these buffaloes is around 10 months. Actually, 55%
and 15.4% are dry, while 8.9% did not calve yet. Less buffaloes have lactation of less than 10 months. The dry
than one year old calves are 19.4%, while 9.9% fall in period has been reported to be around 6 months.
the category of young stock (1-3 years). On overall Studies on institutional herds do not tally because
basis, actual male:female ratio of less than 1 year of differences in data sets and methodology. Average
category is 47 to 53% (Table 2). values for various parameters for Pakistani buffaloes
from some recent review reports (including that of
Phenotypic diversity Bashir, 2006) are given in Table 4.
Buffaloes in Pakistan are generally black in colour. The above values do not mean that better animals
Light and darker shades of black have also been are not available in the population. Just for lactation
observed. Brown (Bhoori) buffaloes are also found both milk yield, for example, the average buffalo produce
in Nili-Ravi and Kundhi breeds but their percentage in 2500 litres in a lactation under commercial set ups on
the population is less than 10% and colour seems to be the average but buffaloes producing more than 6000
controlled by a single gene pair, similar to red colour in litres per lactation have been encountered. The daily
Holsteins which is recessive to the black colour. Partial maximum yield of 38.7 litres has also been reported
albinism also exists but is not liked by the farmers. The (Tahir, 2004). Age at first calving under improved
small white patches in the forehead and lower hind feeding such as that of military farms has been reported
limbs, alongwith white switch of tail are breed
to average 42 months (Naqvi and Shami, 1999), while
character of Nili, Ravi and Nili-Ravi breeds. Colour
under government livestock farms average is quite high
variation in Azi-Kheli is quite pronounced, varying
(48 months or more). Services per conception data from
from complete albino animals to piebald to even black.
Presence of horns is considered important in buffaloes. institutional setups are not very reliable and average
Tightly curled horns are preferred in Kundhi, Nili, Ravi such as 1.6 services per conception is lot lower than the
and Nili-Ravi breeds. Loose and hanging horns are also actual services under artificial insemination
found in all breeds. One loose and one tightly curled programme.
horn may also be seen. Azi-Keli however, have horns
more similar to Mediterranean buffaloes. Attempts to Genetic diversity
dehorn buffaloes in the 80’s at Livestock Experiment Genetic parameters of various economic traits
Station, Bahadurnagar (Okara) failed because of indicate the extent to which these traits have genetic
farmers’ perception that buffaloes should be with horns. and environmental variation. Many studies exit but data
Performance for economic traits is limited to sets are very limited and methodology very
institutional reports. It has been reported that about compromising. For generalization, report of Bashir
1.2% buffaloes calved under the age of 3 year, 60.9% (2006) is being used along with some adjustment based
between 3 and 4 years and 34.7% when they were 5 on other studies (Table 5).
years or older (GOP, 2006). Milk yield has been The genetic control of various production traits in
estimated around 8 litres a day with 2.6% of population Table 5 may be different from or lower than the
Table 3: Performance of buffaloes for different production traits* (GOP, 2006)
Milk yield Lactation length Age at 1st calving Dry period
% % % %
(litres) (months) (years) (months)
<2 1.3 ≤6 0.8 <3 1.2 <2 1.4
2-4 5.9 6-7 4.4 3-4 60.9 2-3 7.9
4-6 15.8 7-8 10.6 4-5 34.7 3-4 16.9
6-8 28.2 8-9 24.9 ≥5 3.2 4-5 18.4
8-10 24.2 9-10 14.3 5-6 19.9
10-12 14.7 10-11 18.0 6-7 14.2
12-15 7.3 11-12 8.0 7-8 6.4
≥ 15 2.6 12-13 12.8 8-9 5.3
≥ 13 6.1 9-10 3.7
10-11 3.3
11-12 2.8
*Upper bound means less than the value, % means percentage of buffaloes falling in the respective class interval
in the left adjacent column.
 206 Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.
expected values especially for production traits in genetic distance was found between Ravi and Nili-Ravi
buffaloes. But inaccurate recording and lack of (0.075). Nili-Ravi and Ravi clustered together having
authentic pedigrees may be more responsible than 0.928 similarity coefficient and Nili appeared to be
buffaloes themselves. In reality, production traits may distant breed with 0.877 and 0.878 similarity
be moderately controlled and reproduction traits weakly coefficients with Nili-Ravi and Ravi, respectively. The
controlled by genetics, similar to cattle studies in the similarity coefficient of the Nili-Ravi and Ravi cluster
advanced production set ups. Accurate recording of with Nili was 0.8781. Recently, Azi-Kheli and Kundhi
performance and pedigree needs no emphasis for have also been included for their relationship with the
improvement of the situation (Khan, 2000). breeds mentioned above (Abbas, 2007). Nili, Ravi and
Nili-Ravi clustered together with 84% similarity
Table 4: Production parameters of Pakistani coefficient. Kundhi was not distantly related but Azi-
buffaloes Kheli was quite distant genetically from these breeds.
Performance trait Value
First lactation milk yield (litres) 1800 Loss of diversity
Overall lactation milk yield (litres) 2100 Inbreeding, the mating of relatives, causes loss of
Average lactation length (days) 290 heterogeneity. When animals are artificially bred and
Age at first calving (months) 48 admired sires are a few, it is unavoidable. Yet, planned
Service period (days) 230 mating can help keep it to a minimum level so that
Dry period (days) 250 economic traits are not deteriorated. A recent study in
Calving interval (days) 540 Nili-Ravi (Bashir, 2006) indicated that inbreeding
Gestation period (days) 310 adversely affected milk yield and fertility traits. Every
Fat % in milk (%) 6.5 one percent rise in inbreeding increased age at first
Total solids in milk (%) 17 calving by 1.13 days; first lactation milk yield
decreased by 6 kg and lactation length also decreased.
Table 5: Genetic control (heritability, h2) for various On the other hand, dry period and calving interval
economic traits in buffaloes increased with increased inbreeding. Productive life
Traits h2 (%) decreased @ 4 days, while reduction in lifetime milk
305-day milk yield (kg) 20 yield was @ 27 kg. For an animal (with 12.5%
Lactation length (days) 10 inbreeding), having dam and sire who were first
Dry period (day) 3 cousins, the deterioration can be multiple of 12.5 which
Age at first calving (days) 10 can cause a pronounced reduction in performance.
Calving interval (days) 5 These deleterious effects, although different in
Service period (days) 5 magnitude, are similar to many of the planned cattle
Services per conception (number) 3 studies. At farmer level, therefore, extension workers
Gestation period (days) 3 must be educated regarding the adverse effects of
Lifetime milk yield (kg) 15 inbreeding. Farmers should also be advised to change
Herd life (days) 5 their bulls every 2-3 years if natural mating is being
Productive life (days) 20 practised.
Breeding efficiency (%) 3
Wild relatives of buffaloes
At molecular level, studies on Pakistani buffaloes There are no wild or feral population of buffaloes
are lacking except for a few preliminary studies. Sajid in Pakistan. Yak (Bos gruniens) is sometimes confused
(2005) studied genetic relationships among Nili, Ravi with buffaloes due to its black colour and long hair but
and Nili-Ravi breeds using RAPD-PCR technique. The it is more relative of cattle than buffaloes. It can
results indicated that the level of DNA variation was crossbreed with cattle as well.
low among the three breeds. Nili-Ravi buffalo produced
the maximum number of DNA amplified fragments Conclusions
(135), while minimum number (122) was recorded for Buffaloes are the main stay of dairy industry of
Nili breed. Two primers (GLA-08 and GLA-15) were Pakistan. There is lot of diversity in phenotypic and
recognized as breed specific markers which could other attributes, making them survive well against high
potentially identify the three breeds. Genetic distance profile imports of exotic cattle but taking them
among these breeds was very low in the range of 0.075 guaranteed is not going to help their sustained
to 0.131. The maximum genetic distance was found utilization. Not only should better genetics be utilized
between Nili and Nili-Ravi (0.1312), while minimum efficiently, ability of buffaloes to produce efficiently
 207 Pakistan Vet. J., 2007, 27(4): 201-207.
also needs to be improved so that poor farmers and Khan, M. S., M. A. Chaudhary and N. M. Bhatti, 1999.
consumers can benefit equally. We must, therefore, Progeny testing Nili-Ravi buffalo - Ranking of
realize that we should leave the available buffalo bulls for first six batches. Buffalo Newsletter, 13:
genetic resources in a better form than what we 1-5
inherited, to the coming generations. Khan, M. S., 2000. Animal recording for improved
breeding and management strategies of buffalo in
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