THE GENERAL VIEW OF BUFFALO BREEDING IN AYDIN PROVINCE IN TURKEY

S. Manav, M. Yılmaz, A. Çağlı, A. Koç

Abstract
    According to FAO statistics (United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization) buffalo number has doubled globally in the latest half century. However, the same statistics reveal that the buffalo number has declined tragically to 142.000 heads in 2016 while 1.140.000 buffalos existed in 1961 in Turkey. In this study, a survey, which was conducted in buffalo breeding farmers in the Aydin Province situated in Aegean Region in Turkey, was evaluated with its results in order to determine the general state of buffalo breeding in the region. According to the survey results, it was realized that 75% of the buffalo breeding farmers have been doing this business as family breeding traditionally, 53.85 % of them as the main source of income and the rest as supplementary. The average animal number per farm is 12 heads, and the maximum number is 28 heads. Average daily milk yield of buffalos is 5-6 liters. One kg buffalo cream is produced from 5.5- 6 liters milk. The general target of buffalo breeding is to produce buffalo cream. In producing buffalo cream, traditional methods are used. The average price of a kilo of buffalo cream is about 10.9-12.13 Euros. The numbers of buffalos and buffalo breeding have been decreasing in Aydin Province day by day, as well as in Turkey. At the end of this study, it was determined that the main source of income in the farms doing buffalo breeding for long years had been the buffalo cream. The only markets of this buffalo cream were seen to be the few Turkish pizza restaurants in the environment.

Key words: Buffalo, breeding, cream, milk