Study of buffalo husbandry practices in rural area of central Gujarat in India

Abstract

An extensive survey was made to collect the information on buffalo husbandry practices in the Panchmahals district of central Gujarat through specially designed questionnaires on buffalo husbandry practices. Buffaloes were reared under intensive and semi intensive system of management. They were allowed for grazing on forage and foliage along with the road side, community land, forest land and fallow field for 4 to 6 h daily in rainy season in the year when green grasses are available. Only 27.08% and 15.42% of the farmers regularly fed common salt and mineral mixture respectively. Majority (72.08%) of the respondent fed concentrate to lactating buffaloes after the milking and 81.25% respondent fed concentrate mixture as a special ration to advance pregnant buffaloes.It was also observed that 95.41% of the respondent resorted to Artificial Insemination and 82.08% inseminate their buffaloes at mid heat stage. Majority (85%) farmer’s believed in quick treatment for anestrous/repeater animals and 69.58% buffalo’s rearers followed pregnancy diagnosis. It was also observed that 73.74% of the respondent got treated their sick animal by live stock inspector /veterinary doctor. Regarding vaccination against foot-and mouth disease and hemorrhagic septicemia disease 76.25% of the respondents got vaccination their animals. Majority 63.75% of the buffalo’s keeper isolated their sick animals from healthy animals.