Eureka! Institutional Repository

The Greek Buffalo has been recognized and integrated in the indigenous breeds of farm animals of our country. The dramatic reduction of its population during the past decades, its importance for Greek livestock farming, its role in the country’s biodiversity and the slight increase in the number of animal, which today is facing a very critical equilibrium, create the need for continuous monitoring and control of the breed’s population. To retain the number of animals and the breed as a genetic resource, as well as increase their performance, systematic application of a genetic improvement program is necessary. The large volume of data collected during the genetic improvement program is manageable only by use of an up-to-date software with features that cover all functions for pedigree registration, storage and processing of production data used for genetic evaluation and selection of the best animals intended to be ameliorators of the breed. The “Buff App” software is a relational database and its accompanying management application. It was developed in the Windows 10 operating system environment and based on the Microsoft Access 2016 database management program’s functionality. Suitable for retaining pedigree data for the Greek Buffalo tribe and the monitoring of its performance, as well as for issuing pedigree certificates in compliance with ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording) rules, this software can assist in the genetic improvement scheme for the breed and the proper management of the buffaloes’ husbandry. Furthermore, it features functions for pedigree registration, storage and processing of additional data, e.g. morphology traits, health records etc., which assist in the buffaloes’ more accurate genetic evaluation, while providing useful information to breeders by issuing various calculated parameters. The software was developed with a view to further expandability, if and whenever deemed necessary.