The Philippine Carabao Center-National Institute for Animal Sciences is moving forward with the second phase of its heat-tolerant carabao development project, funded by the Department of Agriculture Biotechnology Program, as the country braces for a strong El Niño expected to worsen by late 2026. The initiative builds on the existing Genetic Improvement Program, now adding thermotolerance as a key trait in selecting breeding stock to identify males and females that can pass on heat-resilient characteristics to their offspring.
Led by Dr. Excel Rio Maylem-Abriam, the research combines field assessments across buffalo-raising regions with physiological monitoring and blood sample analysis to spot naturally heat-tolerant animals, then verifies their ability to maintain steady milk output. Heat stress currently poses serious challenges, lowering milk yield and quality while reducing conception rates, especially during hot summer months. Alongside genetic selection, the team has refined an artificial insemination protocol that includes an extra treatment, successfully raising conception rates in warm weather compared to earlier methods. The project aims to equip carabao farmers with both improved breeding stock and practical management guidance to sustain production even as temperatures rise.
