An Assignment on Major Constraints of Buffalo

Production in Bangladesh and its Remedies

Major Constraints of Buffalo Production in Bangladesh

1. Lack of good stock.

2. Lack of grazing land.

3. Lack of feed supply

4. Lack of nutrition

5. Reproductive performance

a) Lower Growth rate

b) poor survivality
c) Late maturity
d) Delayed age at first calving (4-6y)
e) Low conception rate
f) Prolonged gestation period (310-330d)
g) Long calving interval (340-910d)
i) Calving rate (30-40%)
j) Male fertility
I. Buffalo bulls are least active in summer
II. Buffalo bull get late maturity
III. Poor semen quality
IV. Spermatogenesis is longer
k) Female fertility
I. Sign of heat at night/maximum at midnight
II. Silent heat
III. Seasonal breeder, better between October-February and peak in December
IV. Oestrus symptoms is weaker and specially in hot/dry months
V. Ovarian activity is adversely affected in summer
6. High mortality

7. Lack of genetic improvement

8. Lack of attention

9. Poor management of calves

High calf mortality :

a. Antibodies are not transferred to fetus through placenta
b. Due to cold, wind, wet, hot, dry
c. Pneumonia, gastro- enteritis, toxaemia /septicemia, worm, blot

10. Capital

11. Disease and parasites

12. Marketing

a Lack of price information

b. high cost for transport and handling
c .Lack of grading etc
13. Lack of Government policy

15. Public discrimination

Remedies of Constraints of Buffalo Production

1. Import better quality buffaloes

2. Nutritional management
a. Energy and protein
b. Alkali treatments
c. Urea treatments
d. Steam treatment
e. Urea-molasses block
f. Microbial treatment
g. Mineral and vitamin nutrition
1. Improvement of management practices
2. Establish buffalo breeding farms

3. Breeding policy
a. Upgrading poor yielding/nondescript buffaloes with bulls of superior breeds
b. Selection within improved breeds for milk and meat
c. Crossing between breeds to develop new strains or breeds

4. Improve reproductive technologies

5. Close monitoring on buffalo production system

6. Strengthening extension services

7. Training on buffalo production

8. Prevention and control strategies

9. Improvement of management Practices

10. Establish buffalo breeding farm

11. Commitment from government

12. Incentives

13. Provision of credit

14. Establish cooperative societies

15. Awareness

16. Strengthening research

17. Better marketing

a. Consumers side-assembling
b. Transport
c. Higher degree of processing
d. Distribution
e. Greater convenience
f. Better packing and presentation

18. Develop appropriate technology

19. Interactions

20. Participatory approach

21. Inter-discipline approach

22. Monitoring and feed back