THE Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) is breeding heat-tolerant water buffalo to prop up milk production even in the face of El Niño, the Department of Agriculture (DA) said.
The breeding program is now in its second phase, and aims to “identify water buffalo with natural heat tolerance” that can “sustain their productivity during hot weather,” the DA said.
Excel Rio S. Maylem-Abriam, head of the PCC’s reproduction and physiology section, said overexposure to high temperatures can affect water buffalo health, milk production, reproductive performance, and overall well-being. — Maria Mikaela H. Tormon