Local Non Descript Buffaloes Under Low to Medium Input Production System

The low producing, local non-descript buffaloes are generally reared under low to medium input Production System in areas where feed and fodder resources and milk and animal marketing facilities are moderately available. The production potential of low producing non-descript buffaloes can be increased rapidly through mating with superior sires of improved breeds like Murrah Surti and Mehsana. Surti is recommended for Karnataka, Kerala, parts of Gujarat and Rajasthan, Nili Ravi for few pockets of Punjab, Murrah for Haryana, parts of western Uttar Pradesh and Punjab. In other parts of the country where sufficient feed and fodder resources are available, Murrah is recommended for grading up of non-descript buffaloes.

This programme is expected to increase the milk production of village non-descript buffaloes by 2 to 3 times in early generations of grading up. The grading up of non-descript buffaloes yielding on an average 500 kg with improved buffalo bulls having genetic potential of 2000 kg or more will yield to an average of 1250 kg in first generation.  Thus through grading up with superior breeds in four to five generations, the low producing non-descript buffaloes can be replaced with relatively high producing buffaloes conforming to the characteristics of well-defined breeds.

• Buffalo Genetic Resources of India and Their Improvement
• Murrah Buffalo
• Nili Ravi Buffalo
• Bhadawari Buffalo
• Jaffarabadi Buffalo
• Surti Buffalo
• Mehsana Buffalo
• Nagpuri Buffalo
• Breeding Strategies for Sustainable Buffalo Production