International Journal of Scientific Research in Agricultural Sciences, 2(1), pp. 0001-006, 2015 Available online at http://www.ijsrpub.com/ijsras ISSN: 2345-6795; ©2015; Author(s) retain the copyright of this article http://dx.doi.org/10.12983/ijsras-2015-p0001-0006 1 Full Length Research Paper Phenotypic Characterization of Indigenous Buffalo at Sylhet District MD. Matiur Rahman 1* , MD. Rafiqul Islam 1 , Mohammed Kawser Hossain 2 , Nasrin Sultana Lucky 2 , Nusrat Zahan Shoshe 3 , Saiful Islam 4 , MD. Mahfuzul Haque 2 1 Department of Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh 2 Department of Surgery and Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh 3 Department of Livestock Production and Management, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh 4 Department of Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary and Animal Science, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet, Bangladesh *Corresponding Author: Phone: +8801734985773; Email: matiur.vet0007@gmail.com Received 14 October 2014; Accepted 21 December 2014 Abstract. The buffalo plays an important role in farmer’s economic life in Bangladesh. This study aims to characterize the indigenous, an undocumented buffalo phenotypically during the time period from September 2013 to February 2014. The data were collected from 120 adult buffaloes (60 male, 60 female), through interview from the farmers with the help of pre-form questionnaire. The coat color of the buffaloes was predominantly light to dark grey (92.50%). Light color mark (86%) present on the dewlap. Horns are long, curved laterally and extended directed backwards without twisting. Eyes, eyelashes and horn color were predominantly black. Whitish color mark (96.50%) presents below the knee and hock joint up to fetlock joint in both legs. The phenotypic character and behavior indicated that buffalo of Sylhet district might be swamp type. Body weight is highly related with body length, heart girth, wither height. Body weight, body length, heart girth, withers height, foreleg, hind leg, head, ear, horn, tail length, ear, head width of male and female buffalo recorded were 447.83±42.27 and 426.68±31.79kg; 121.88±5.15 and 115.56±4.24; 196.50±6.02 and 192.06±4.90 cm; 118.20±3.16 and 112.85±1.65; 68.86±2.96 and 62.35±1.89; 76.66±2.80 and 70.36±2.42; 48.78±3.17 and 42.70±2.66; 25.35±2.20 and 22.41±2.08; 53.70±4.60 and 46.58±2.14; 72.26±2.48 and 69.63±2.20; 18.48±2.91 and 13.85±1.51; 18.56±2.88 and 13.98±1.69 cm respectively. Male buffalo was comparatively heavier than female buffalo. Keywords: Buffalo, Characterization, Indigenous, Phenotypic, Swamp 1. INTRODUCTION Livestock plays an important role on the agricultural economy of Bangladesh. Indigenous livestock breeds are known for their hardiness, disease resistance, survival on little inputs and adaptability to variable environments (Kohler-Rollefson et al., 2009).Of all domestic animals, Asian buffalo holds the greatest promise and potential for production (Cockrill, 1994). Buffalo known as “Asian Animal”, plays an important role in farmer’s economic life. In South-east Asia, the water buffaloes are predominantly of the swamp type. Limited awareness of the adaptive characteristics of indigenous livestock breeds owing to a lack of proper scientific documentation is one of the key reasons for such dilution (Hassen et al., 2007; Kohler-Rollefson et al., 2009). Buffalo have significant contribution in GDP through production of meat, milk and skin representing about 27.0%, 23.0% and 28.0%; respectively to the total production from livestock sector (FAO, 2009) in Bangladesh. According to the estimate of Bangladesh Economic Review (2009), the current buffalo population in Bangladesh is about 1.3 million. Of the total buffalo population of the country 42.8%, 39.9% and 11.8% buffaloes are found in the sugarcane belt, coastal areas and marshy land, respectively (Faruque et al. 1990). In Sylhet region, the village farmers were dependent upon the buffaloes mostly for draught and meat purposes, being an integral part of the farming system in this area. It is economically important in this region and could be used as a “small tractor” for farmers and its milk and meat are nutritionally rich. Maximum day time the buffaloes were grazed in the pasture land harvested paddy fields, along roadsides and fulfilled their physiological demands. Sometimes the farmers provided cut and carry grasses or rough forages, straw, rice polis and maize to the buffaloes. Despite of