Dairy farming is a branch of agriculture focused on the production of milk and dairy products through the care and feeding of cattle, primarily dairy cows and buffaloes. But did you know that in the Belagavi district of Karnataka, many people are increasingly interested in dairy farming alongside traditional agriculture?
A farmer, recognising that local indigenous buffalo breeds were producing less milk for the dairy industry, decided to bring in a Haryana Murrah buffalo breed and is now seeing excellent milk yields. One buffalo was recently purchased for Rs 98,000.
Akshaya Mane, a farmer from Sambaragi village in Athni taluka of Belagavi purchased a Murrah buffalo from farmers in Belanki village, Maharashtra, and is pleased with its yield. While local buffaloes typically produce 6 to 8 litres of milk per day, these Murrah buffaloes yield 12 to 16 litres daily. The milk is also fetching a higher price in the market. While local buffalo milk is priced at Rs 48 per litre, milk from the Haryana buffaloes commands Rs 55 per litre. These buffaloes weigh between 300 and 500 kg and are relatively easy to maintain.
The Murrah buffalo is fed 5 kg of feed both in the morning and evening, including 25 kg of animal feed and 5 kg of raw fodder, with additional dry fodder provided. There is no doubt that this is an excellent breed of buffalo, capable of providing significant income for dairy farmers.
The Murrah buffalo is a breed of water buffalo primarily kept for milk production. It originates from the Indian states of Haryana and Punjab, particularly in the districts of Bhiwani, Agra, Hisar, Rohtak, Jind, Jhajhar, Fatehabad, Gurgaon, and the Delhi Capital Region.
This breed has also been used to improve milk production in other countries such as Italy, Bulgaria, and Egypt. Among Indian buffalo breeds, the Murrah is renowned for having the highest milk yield.
Comments
0 comment