Proper supplementation for buffaloes

The owners of Caputo Farm in Pontelatone (CE) know this well: for years they have relied on the advice of Tecnozoo specialists for ration formulation.
The benefits are reflected in milk quality and fertility, without forgetting the health of the young stock.

Raising buffaloes is a matter of experience and inherited traditions, but the real difference is made by those who continue to challenge themselves to ensure, on the one hand, maximum comfort and, on the other, nutrition specifically designed for the animals housed in the barn. These are qualities that Giovanni, Gerardo and Francesco Caputo, owners of Caputo Farm in Pontelatone (CE), certainly possess, as the operation that welcomes us is a modern enterprise that has achieved excellent production results over the years.

“This farm,” Giovanni tells us, “has a history that dates back to the early 1970s, when my grandfather decided, out of passion, to purchase the first six buffaloes. Today we have a total of 850 buffaloes, of which 450 are in lactation, and we manage two facilities. One, older, still houses the younger animals, while the large, recently built shelter is dedicated to animals in production and calves. The latest innovation is the milking parlour, inaugurated just last year, which allows us to milk more quickly and more efficiently.”

“Because today,” Francesco adds, “our buffaloes produce up to 11 litres of milk per day, with cheese yields that we are very satisfied with. This value is also recognised by Caseificio La Baronia of Castel di Sasso (CE), one of the most historic dairies in this area, to which we have always delivered milk for the production of PDO buffalo mozzarella and other typical products.”

Supplementation and precision

At the Caputo farm, the strong bond with the territory is clearly felt, starting with the meticulous care with which Francesco manages the 80 hectares of land dedicated to the production of high-quality forage for the herd, all the way to the preparation of the feed wagons for the animals.
“We decided to create different groups, from primiparous to multiparous, from fresh buffaloes to dry ones,” Francesco explains, “in order to provide customised rations according to the different productive needs of the buffaloes.”
This is where the owners are supported by Gianluca Cuccaro, Tecnozoo specialist, who has followed the farm and its evolution for 15 years.
“The strategy implemented from the very beginning,” Gianluca explains, “was to intervene during the transition phase using Oligovit Premix, a complementary feed capable of integrating the ration with the correct supply of vitamins and trace elements, thus supporting animal fertility. After all, one of the main difficulties faced by buffalo farmers is dealing with seasonally polyoestrous animals that, during certain periods of the year, struggle to become pregnant. Unlike dairy cows, some buffaloes also tend to drastically reduce milk production as soon as insemination is successful. This is why it is essential to act early and with precision, providing in the ration all the nutrients required to support each production phase.”

Higher quality

“It was optimal post-partum management,” Giovanni continues, “that allowed us to plan inseminations and calvings in such a way as to obtain not only constant production throughout the year, but also a better distribution of young stock within the available space, avoiding risky overcrowding.”

But the winning feeding strategy does not stop there, because once lactation has begun, the ration of fresh animals includes the administration of a core feed designed to maintain good milk quality:
“From the collaboration between Tecnozoo and the owners of the De Bottis feed mill in Pietravairano (CE),” Gianluca specifies, “a customised product was developed based on the needs of the Caputo family’s animals. It is an energy core whose strength lies in the right mix between locally sourced raw materials and Tecnozoo supplementation. The objective is to provide the rumen with high-quality feeds combined with differentiated sources of energy and protein, ensuring not only the maintenance of high and constant performance, but also excellent milk composition. An increase in quantity must always correspond to an increase in quality: this is the cornerstone of our work.”

Mission accomplished, because with values of 8.5% fat and 4.8% protein, the Caputo family delivers milk of outstanding quality throughout the year.

Looking to the future

The achievements reached in the barn are also the result of careful management of young stock nutrition, starting from the very first hours of life.
“During the first five days calves receive colostrum,” Gianluca explains, “but shortly before introducing milk replacer, we administer Tecnozoo’s Entericream across the board, a paste product based on carob flour and organic acids. These nutrients, thanks to their astringent action and gastrointestinal pH modulation, help prevent typical enteric disorders in calves.”

This strategy safeguards animal health and ensures steady growth, producing animals ready for weaning and housing, for rumen development, and above all capable of fully expressing their potential in subsequent production phases—for the future of a farm that does not intend to stop.

And speaking of future projects, Giovanni comments: “Our family has always invested not only in productivity, but also in animal welfare—two aspects that always go hand in hand. This is why we are considering the construction of another facility, next to the main one, entirely dedicated to replacement stock housing.”
Gianluca Cuccaro shares the same vision, continuing to support the Caputo family in achieving, one after another, all their targeted goals.

Read the full article in the June issue – Allevatori Top

Watch the full video testimonial on YouTube

For more information, call +39 049 9350 700 or email tecnozoo@tecnozoo.it
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