[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Jabbar Khliaf Alsaedy*, Khalid Al-Fartosi**
* Former Manager of Buffalo Department, Ministry of Agriculture, Iraq delegate in IBF
** College of Science, University of Thi-Qar, Iraq delegate in IBF
Buffaloes in Iraq (Mesopotamian buffaloes) are considerable reality with 300 thousands heads mainly concentrated since third millennium before Christ, within old home tract in Mesopotamian marshes in three southern governorates (Basrah, Thi-Qa, and Missan), but this important genetic resources have been neglected by officials and researchers till 2008 when buffalo department was established by Ministry of Agriculture to involve Iraqi buffaloes development. Many projects and ideas was achieved, annual congress for buffalo development, one of these ideas that presented by Jabbar Alsaedy (manager of buffalo department (2008-2010), and accepted by officials in Ministry of Agriculture.
Mesopotamian Buffaloes Congress
Under the slogan to develop Mesopotamian buffaloes, sponsored by Ministry of Agriculture/ Director for Livestock Service, annual congress for Mesopotamian buffaloes were held in the 7th floor of MOA building in central of Baghdad from 2010 by one conference for each year. Latest 4th congress was held on 22 December 2013 with participation of over than 150 researchers, Veterinaries, technicians, NGO, and buffalo breeders (Mada’n), key of buffalo productions in Iraq.
The main topics of congress were:
- Buffalo nutrition.
- Buffalo diseases.
- Buffalo production.
- Buffalo Management.
- Buffalo uterine and ovary problems.
On behalf of the Minister of Agriculture, Deputy of Minister, Dr. Mahdi Al-Qaisi, opened the congress in speech that the Ministry should take care of scientific conferences and sponsored national buffalo missions and kept attach with global development, also highlights on importance of the buffalo breeding because of its great economic return.
Khalid Al-Fartosi, Iraqi delegate with other two delegates of IBF, read the message of Prof. Antonio Borghese (General Secretary of IBF) that underlined the importance of buffalo development in Iraq by crossbreeding with other super breed such as Mediterranean from Italy and by the achievement of all modern tools in buffalo farm management. After that two sessions were held and a great number of researches related to the topics of Congress were discussed: Jabbar Alsaedy, also presented his paper about registration of Iraqi buffaloes as independent breed according his study entitled Mesopotamian buffaloes: the origin.
In nutrition of buffalo Prof. Tallal Abudalkarim, Iraqi delegate in IBF, presented his study about scientific buffalo rations, economic and more available, also suitable for Iraqi environment. Raddi Aljamass, the oldest researcher of buffalo in Iraq, reviewed his ideas about types of buffalo management and problems all around the country and gave some solutions to avoid obstacles.
Bagadsar Grabet Oadess from Agriculture college, University of Baghdad, showed the results of two studies on Baghdad buffalo dimensions of body and udder, resulting that Iraqi buffalo is large type with well udder size and attachments.
Osama Azawi from University of Mosul, northern part of Iraq, presented a study of uterine changes in Nineveh Buffaloes, concentrated on role of traditional management especially after delivery, and unsanitary conditions inside buffalo farms. At the end, Buffalo breeders (Mada’n), presented their problems, highlighted on feed shortage and lack of free Vet. services, as well as they need long loans, supported by government.
In the evening the congress found out several recommendations including:
- Genetic improvements of Iraqi buffaloes herds, that suffered from inbreeding since thousands of years without cross breeding, through A.I and Embryo transfer techniques achievement, and established a Buffalo genetic bank to retain the genetic resources of Mesopotamian Buffaloes.
- Supporting of buffalo breeders (Mada’n) through rich ration by providing them by concentrates, minerals and free Vet. Services, as well equipping with machines for breeding buffaloes such as tractors, milk processing equipment etc….
- Rehabilitation of milk collection Centres to avoid the problem of milk marketing especially in remote marshes in summer season.
- Advocacy to facilitate external and internal investment procedures in the field of modern buffalo farms for dairy and fattening purposes.
- International registration of Iraqi buffalo as independent breed under Mesopotamian Buffalo name, through IBF .
- Sponsoring and supporting national project of general Buffalo Data Base all around Iraq, through buffalo recording and registration, as well public buffalo breeders questioners in the field.
- Encouraging and supporting post graduate students to involve them in buffalo researches, related in upgrading buffalo herd and problems of nutrition and management as well uterine changes.
- Supporting all activities with International Buffalo Federation through their delegates in Iraq.
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