Bison farming is not a new concept in a new world. Wild water buffaloes were domesticated in the Indian subcontinent around 5,000 years ago and around 4,000 years ago in China.
There are two types of water buffalo that are bred by farmers. These two types are recognized on the basis of morphological and behavioral criteria.
These two recognized types are river buffalo and horizontal distribution swamp buffalo. The river buffalo is found in the Indian subcontinent and further west to the Balkans and Italy.
And swamp buffaloes are found from Assam in the west across Southeast Asia to China’s Yangtze Valley in the east.
The river buffaloes found today are the result of complex domestication processes involving more than one maternal line and significant maternal gene flow from wild populations after the first domestication events.
Buffalo farming is very important to some people in the Indian subcontinent, especially in India.
There are currently at least 130 million water buffaloes in the world, and more than 95.8% of this population is found in Asia.
The total bison population in India exceeded 97.9 million head in 2003, representing 56.5 percent of the world’s population.
The people of India and some other Asian countries depend more on herding buffaloes than on herding any other domestic animal.
Buffaloes are particularly well suited to rice farming and their milk contains more fat and protein than milk from dairy cows.
How to start a buffalo farming business
Starting a bison ranching business is the same as starting a cattle ranching business. But the exact guarding system depends on the purpose for which they are bred and kept.
Most often, buffaloes are kept by farmers who work on small farms as family units. More often than not, their buffaloes live closely with them and are often their greatest asset.
On small farms, dairy buffaloes are usually herded and guarded by women and girls in India, with men and boys caring for the draft animals.
In fact, buffaloes are ideal animals for working in the deep mud of paddy fields due to their large hooves and flexible leg joints.
Buffaloes are often called ‘eastern living tractor‘. You can probably plow deeper with a buffalo than with a bull or a horse.
These are the most effective and economical ways to treat small fields. But after the modernization of agriculture, the use of buffalo fell sharply.
And now buffaloes are kept either for milk or for meat. However, here we describe the steps to start a buffalo farming business.
Choose an appropriate area
Choosing a suitable area is very important for starting a buffalo farming business. The area with all necessary amenities is suitable for a successful buffalo farming business. The following facilities will be good for buffaloes.
- Quiet fenced plot suitable for commercial activities.
- A source of drinking water is essential.
- Pasture land.
- The land for growing fodder will be very good. Feeding buffaloes store-bought food will cost you too much.
- Availability of all necessary equipment.
- Labor availability. A full time job will be good for bison farms.
- The presence of a veterinarian is also required.
- Good transportation service.
- The market is nearby so you can easily get what you need. And the nearest market is also useful for marketing your products.
Choose a good breed for your business
The success of buffalo breeding also depends on the selection of quality breeds. Choose good breeds based on your production goal.
Some breeds are suitable for meat or milk production, while others are suitable for other agricultural purposes.
Some well known and popular buffalo breeds are Murra, Surti, Jafarabadi, Anatolian, Nili Ravi, Egyptian, Mediterranean, Pandharpuri, Nagpuri, Bhadavari and Romanian buffalo. Choose and purchase bison breeds based on availability in your area.
Houses
Buffaloes have no special housing requirements. They will be fine and satisfied if you can clarify the basic requirements for them.
Just like cattle, an area of about 40 square feet will suffice for each buffalo.
some products
Buffaloes can eat a wide variety of foods. They can feed on many aquatic plants, and during floods they will graze underwater, raising their heads above the water and carrying edible plants with them.
They eat cane, Arundo donax, a variety of Cyperaceae, Eichhornia crassipes and Juncaceae. Some of these plants are of great value to the inhabitants.
When raising buffaloes, the availability of suitable green fodder is mandatory. And green fodder is widely used for intensive dairy production, as well as for fattening.
Many farmers save many forage crops in the form of hay, straw, or pulp. Foods include alfalfa, banana leaves, stems or trimmings, cassava, Mangelwurzel, esparto, Leucaena leucocephala and kenaf, maize, oats, pandanus, groundnuts, sorghum, soybeans, sugar cane, bagasse and turnips.
Citrus pulp and pineapple waste were safely fed to buffaloes. In Egypt, whole dried dates are fed to dairy buffaloes as 25% of a standard feed mix.
reproduction
The swamp buffalo usually matures and begins breeding at a later age than the river buffalo.
Young males usually mate for the first time between 3 and 3.5 years old (although in some countries they mate as early as 2 years old). Successful breeding behavior of a male can last up to 12 years or even longer.
Usually one good and healthy male can impregnate 100 females in one year. There is a strong seasonal effect on mating (heat stress reduces libido).
The reproductive capacity of buffaloes varies greatly throughout the year. In females, seasonal changes in estrus, fertilization rates and calving rates are clearly visible.
The age of heifers at the start of estrus varies from 13 to 33 months depending on the breed. But mating on the first hunt is often unsuccessful and is usually delayed until the age of three.
Gestation in buffaloes typically lasts 281-334 days (but most reports give a range of 300-320 days).
Swamp buffaloes generally carry their young longer than river buffaloes. The average life expectancy of buffaloes can reach 40 years.
Special Notes
Swamp buffaloes generally prefer to wallow in the mud holes they make with their horns, and while wallowing they are covered in a thick layer of mud. And the river buffalo generally prefers deep water.
Both types are well suited to hot, humid climates with temperatures ranging from 0-30°C in winter and higher in summer.
And in hot climates, the availability of water is very important. Some breeds are also well adapted to saline shores and saline sandy terrain.
Products and use
Buffalo farming is suitable for the production of many types of dairy products, meat and leather. But most buffaloes are used for the production of dairy products.
Buffalo milk is of very good quality and rich in fat and protein. Milk is commonly used to make butter, butter, ghee, fermented milk products, whey, soft cheese, hard cheese, yogurt, etc.
Water buffalo meat is not as popular as beef. Sometimes we call itcarabid‘, and in some areas it is often passed off as beef.
Buffalo meat is also a major source of India’s export earnings. The meat is less popular in many parts of Asia due to its toughness.
Buffalo hide makes strong and useful leather, which is often used to make shoes.
Bones are often used to make jewelry (especially earrings). The horns are used for the mouthpieces of musical instruments (such as the ney and the kaval).
Diseases
Diseases and other health problems are generally less common in buffaloes. However, to resolve an emergency, you must stay in touch with the veterinarian.
Marketing
Good marketing strategies ensure that every business makes a profit and the success of a buffalo farming business also depends on good marketing strategies.
Before starting a business, make sure there is a good market in your area. Generally, meat marketing can be a problem in some areas. But selling milk or other products is not really a problem.
A bison ranching business can be lucrative and a great source of income if you manage everything perfectly. Buffalo milk is of very good quality and in high demand. So, if you can do everything from management to marketing, you will be able to reap good profits from this business. Good luck!
