The first modern buffalo farm in Israel is located in the agricultural settlement "Bizaron". This complex is a combination of a dairy farm with Holstein-Israelian cows and water buffaloes. The dairy cows (80 cows +40 heifers for replacement) produce 9000 liters of milk per lactation, with 3.2% fat and 3.15% protein. In this complex three people work full time, milking twice a day and feeding the animals.
In the farm, there is also a dairy processing plant , producing 40 different dairy products through different techniques. Recently the dairy plant was modified in order to produce buffalo mozzarella cheese according to the rules of the Italian designation of origin for mozzarella cheese.
The buffalo farm started to operate in January, 1995, when 50 female and 4 male buffalo calves (averaging 6 months old) were imported from Italy. Calves were born in three different farms: Agricola Circe, owned by Mr. Benedetti Panici, located at Latina; Torre Paladina, owned by Mr. C. Conforti, located at Salerno, and Istituto Sperimentale per la Zootecnia (research institute of the Ministry of Agriculture located near Rome).
The young buffaloes were fed 80% standard mix for growing (12% crude protein, 50% roughage) and 20% wheat straw. The heifers showed estrus at 14 months of age, and at a weight of 350 kg, having registered an average daily gain of 728 grams/day. Height at withers was 121 cm. At age 14 months, they were mated to the bull, and they were kept with the bull from September 1995 until July,1996.
Calving started in September 1996, at an average age of 25.5 months, and weight of 635 kg. The heifers having registered an average daily gain of 770 grams/day. Height at withers was 130 cm at this time.
One heifer died before calving, 2 buffaloes died at calving as well as 2 calves at birth.
The newborn calves were bottle fed for 2 days with the dam's colostrum, and for 5 more days with dairy cow colostrum. Then they were bucket fed with cow milk until the age of 60 days, having consumed 240 liters milk. A concentrate mix (18% protein) was added ad libitum very early. At the age of 60 days they were weaned.
At 45 days from calving ..i.e. the time at which this report was written.....milked buffaloes produce an average of 7.7 kg. milk per day, with 7.5% fat, 5.8% protein and 17% total solids.
The housing include a wide corral for young buffaloes, one acre area, 25% roofed. The dams are kept in an old cowshed, 0.35 acres area, 30% roofed. The yokes (stanchions) were cut up so that buffaloes did not require horn reduction, which has commercial significance.
A few problems occured at the first calvings, very likely due to the fat buffalo syndrome which caused pernicious parturitions, feet tumefaction and incidence of uterine and vaginal prolapses.
A dramatic correction in the diet was done after the visit of Mr. Alfonso Cutillo, a buffalo owner of Caserta, Italy, who assisted in modifying the composition of the ration and guiding the manufacturing of mozzarella cheese.
The feeding of the buffaloes is now the following: 15 kg. corn silage, 5 kg vicia hay, 2 kg. wheat straw, 2 kg. wheat hay. 0.5 kg. soybean meal, 1 kg. concentrate of barley grain and vitamins+minerals. Globally, the ration includes 15.7 kg dry matter, 11.5% crude protein and 22% crude fiber.
Dry and pregnant heifers are given 12 kg dry matter, 8.15 crude protein and 30% crude fiber.
The milking parlour is new. The milking equipment includes automatic identification which measures and retains daily individual milk yields, electric conduction of milk (test for suspected udder infections) and pedometer (recording abnormal tread activity for heat detection). Buffaloes are milked first, then the Holstein cows. Buffalo milk is kept separate and sent to the dairy plant.
The dairy plant is at present processing 200 liters buffalo milk every day. During three days/week, the 200 liters are all processed into 50 kg of mozzarella cheese. Other dairy products, such as Italian Ricotta or German Quark is then produced from a curd obtained with the whey remaining after making mozzarella (after heating and a further addition of acid whey). During the remaining 4 days of the week, only 100 liters buffalo milk are processed into mozzarella. From the remaining 100 liters, cream is taken and sold in plastic containers of 300 or 500 grams weight. From the skimmed milk various types of cheese are produced (feta type, gouda, etc.). Average yield is 20-24 kg cheese out of 100 kg milk.
Assistance to the farm is offered by a veterinarian, a nutritionist from the feeding center and an extensionist in dairy management.
Ardin G., Management and Dairy Nutrition Specialist, Extension Service, Ministry of Agriculture, Israel, Rubinchick H., Buffalo Farm, Bizaron, Israel