buffalow

Introduction to dairy buffalo production

Water buffalo have been responsible for more than ten percent of world milk production for several years, but the potential of these animals has seldom been appreciated or recognised. One of the main reasons for this is that those who have a stake in rearing buffalo are generally poor and underprivileged, and not able to project the impact this beast has on their livelihood and well-being.

The word “buffalo” evokes a mixed response in North America, a large section of Europe, and in many other parts of the world where buffalo have never been considered a domesticated species. This animal has been identified as a zoo animal or a wild beast. However it is among the most gentle of the domesticated dairy species, which is obvious in India and the sub- continent where it is common to see small children handling large herds of buffalo.

Over time buffalo rearing has shifted from the backyard to commercial farms and large business enterprises. The immense popularity of buffalo milk and meat products has ensured that  buffalo production has followed in the path of the dairy cattle industry. However for this species to perform optimally under the pressure of intensive production systems, buffalo breeds have to be improved, with clear focus on the desired output. This has not yet happened. Buffalo, although potentially excellent for both milk and meat production, still languish in obscure conditions of poor nutrition, breeding, management and welfare. This animal is called the water buffalo because of its natural instinct to wallow in ponds of water and muddy pools.

In China, buffalo dairy farming began about 60 years ago, and there are 23 million buffalo at present. Buffalo cheese is popular in several cities, including Guangzhou. Cheese from swamp buffalo is dearer than that from river buffalo because of its richer quality. Swamp buffalo yield less milk, but it is richer than the milk from river buffalo.

As we reported earlier, Chinese demand for milk and dairy products in skyrocketing. One of the largest growth dectors in cheese consumption. To help meet the expanded need for dairy products, the dairy industry may turn to an unusual producer of milk: buffalo!

China is home to 22.76 million buffalo – not Bison like we have in America – that collectively produce 2.65 million tons of milk annually, according to experts attending the Asian Buffalo Congress in China. Proponents of the buffalo milk contend that it contains more fat and protein than typical bovine fluid, thereby providing an ideal raw material for cheese production.

This isn’t unheard of, however; Italian cheese makers have relied on buffalo for their world famous mozzerella for centuries. China, currently a net importer of cheese, hopes to take a cue from these foremen of frommage to rectify their trade imbalance, perhaps becoming a cheese exporter should they harness the full potential of the buffalo herd.

Population

There are 170 million buffalo in the world today: 97% in Asia, 2% in Africa – mainly in Egypt, and 0.2% in Europe – mainly in Italy (FAO, 2004). India has 56%, Pakistan 14% and China 13% of the world buffalo population. Nearly 98% of water buffalo in Asia and the Pacific region are raised by small farmers owning less than two hectares of land and fewer than five buffalo. Buffalo contribute 72 million tonnes (Mt) of milk and three Mt of meat annually to world food, much of it in areas that are prone to nutritional imbalances. In addition they are a major source of draught power, and that is why buffalo have been called the “live tractor of the East”. So it is surprising that very little resource and international effort has gone into developing this species. Similarly the systems and programmes to improve buffalo are not yet effective even though there is abundant genetic variety of this species.

Buffalo milk

Buffalo milk is high in total solids, fat, proteins and vitamins compared to cow’s milk. Buffalo milk also contains less cholesterol and more tocopherol, which is a natural anti- oxidant. The peroxidase activity is two to four times higher in buffalo milk than in cow’s milk, which means that buffalo milk has better natural keeping qualities. Buffalo milk appears to be whiter than cow’s milk because it lacks the yellow pigment carotene, a precursor of vitamin A. But buffalo milk contains even more vitamin A than cow’s milk.

Processed milk products

Buffalo milk is used for a variety of different milk products such as butter, butter oil (clarified butter or ghee), soft and hard cheeses, condensed or evaporated milks, ice cream, yoghurt and buttermilk. The properties of buffalo milk make it very suitable for processing. For example, it takes eight kilograms of cow’s milk to produce one kilogram of cheese, while it takes only five kilograms of buffalo milk. In India, 28% of the total milk production is converted into ghee and about 20% is converted into products such as dahi (curd), khoa (dehydrated milk) and a variety of milk sweets.

Housing and management of organised farms in china and other developed countries

In developed dairy countries like China buffalo are usually maintained in loose housing barns. However in areas with an extremely cold winter climate, barns should be designed in such a way that all animals can be housed in heated enclosures. Barn layout is thoughtfully planned for milking, feeding and movement of animals. Since labour is scarce and expensive most of the farm activities are mechanised. In most farms total mixed rations are fed from a feed mixer wagon, and there are common water troughs in every enclosure. Animals are usually grouped based on their stage of lactation and fed based on their productivity. However there are several farms that practise individual concentrate feeding combined with in-parlour feeding, using the Alpro™ feeding systems very effectively. Several farms have low cost barns with a large paddock area that is able to be cleaned every month, using a tractor. Several other farms have installed hydraulic manure scrapers which clean barns twice a day.

Buffalo may appear to be misplaced in a hot and humid environment as they are more or less dependent on water for their cooling. This is not entirely true. Buffalo protected from direct sunlight do very well even during hot and humid days, partly because of their ability to lose heat through the respiratory tract. But note that high milk production requires a high feed intake, and that leads to higher metabolic heat production. High yielding buffalo thus have a disadvantage over lower yielding animals, and need more cooling facilities. If buffalo are not provided with proper shelters, wallows or cool showers, their feed intake and growth rate declines, and there could even be loss of body weight. Water intake increases and in the case of lactating buffalo there could be a drop in milk production. There is also a marked reduction in fertility.

Cattle have much more efficient thermoregulation mechanisms with their greater density of sweat glands which enable much more heat dissipation through sweating. In spite of their limitations buffalo adapt and thrive in hot and humid tropical and sub-tropical climates, principally due to the semi-aquatic behaviour by which a buffalo seeks water to immerse its body as a means of reducing the heat load. Buffalo are known to have a higher water turnover rate than both Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle. They are also less efficient users of water per unit of dry matter intake, have higher urine outputs and a lower percentage of kidney reabsorption of water.

Buffalo become more restless, nervous and aggressive during hot-dry and hot-humid climatic conditions. The percentage of restless, nervous and aggressive buffalo increases with increasing atmospheric temperature. During dry, hot and humid seasons almost all nervous and aggressive buffalo and more of the docile buffalo need oxytocin injections for milk letdown. Buffalo seem to tolerate cold better than is commonly supposed. However, cold winds and rapid drops in temperature appear to have caused illness, pneumonia and even death.

Milking with machines

In order to obtain all the advantages with machine milking the correct technique must be used. Both milkers and buffalo must be familiar with the machines. If the buffalo are scared or feel uncomfortable they will withhold their milk and thereby yield less. This in turn will lead to economic loss for the farmer and eventually he will lose his faith in machine milking.

Buffalo lactation, milk yield and milk composition Lactation in buffalo

Each lactation begins with the birth of a calf, and the initial yield is a reliable indicator of the animal’s genetic potential. The highest yield is reached after five to six weeks of lactation and maintained for some weeks. Thereafter the yield decreases until the end of lactation. Lactation ends as the dry period starts.

In buffalo, the highest lactation milk yield is seen in the fourth lactation, after which it declines. The shape of the lactation curve depends on factors such as feed, management, milking frequency and diseases. The length of lactation and yield for various breeds is shown in Table 1. The optimum lactation length in Murrah buffalo has been reported to be 262 to 295 days.

In Italy it is recommended to keep a lactation length of 270 days in controlled herds. ICAR recommends a lactation length of 305 days, similar to that for controlled cattle.