A comparison of draught cattle (Bos indicus) and buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) carting loads in hot conditions

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Abstract
Two pairs of cattle and two pairs of buffaloes carted loads, in wooden wheeled local carts, 16 to 17 km over the same flat route on village tracks. One team worked each day in temperatures of 24 to 37°C for a total of 6 days per team.Body temperature, respiration rate and stepping rate in one animal from each pair and work done and distance travelled were monitored.Buffaloes and cattle started work at speeds of 1 m/s or more. Cattle kept this up for most of the day whereas the buffaloes showed a steady decrease in speed over the day to speeds of less than 0·9 m/s in the last hour. Body temperature of the buffaloes increased during work. By 3-5 h, increases of up to 3·5°C in starting values could be seen. It was necessary to stop and let the buffaloes wallow for at least 20 min to allow them to cool off before they would continue to work. During wallowing body temperature decreased to or below values seen at the start of the day's work. Unlike the buffaloes, the cattle showed changes of less than 1°C in body temperature during work. Respiration rates of buffaloes increased at least two-fold as they began panting usually after 1·5 to 2·5 h. Respiration rates of the cattle could also increase up to three-fold during work. The results have shown that in well fed animals there is little to choose between buffaloes and oxen in daily work output. Estimated daily energy expenditures by the buffaloes and cattle on working days were similar, 1·75 to 1·79 and 1·74 to 1·78 × maintenance, respectively. However, buffaloes usually took longer to achieve the work, as time had to be allowed for wallowing. This is seen as the main disadvantage of using buffaloes for carting on longer routes.