Analysis of Buffalo Calf Management Practices followed by Buffalo Owners

Present study was conducted in Bareilly and Surguja districts of Uttar Pradesh and Chhattisgarh state to ascertain the buffalo calf management practices followed by buffalo owners and for this data were collected by 100 respondents (owning two or more buffaloes along with calves) i.e., 50 from each districts. It was found that a total of 378 buffalo calves were born during 2009-10 and 2010-11 and out of them 293 calves were survived and 85 calves were died at the farm of respondents. Overall mortality rate in buffalo calves was found 22.48 percent. Majority (92%) of the respondents were not following deworming of pregnant dam in last trimester. In both the districts, 100 percent of the respondents were not calling veterinarians at the time of calving. Pertaining to the naval cord cutting 96 per cent of the respondents from Bareilly and cent percent respondents from Surguja district were not cutting the naval cord at the distance of 2.5 cm from the body of Regarding colostrum feeding it was found that only 5 percent of respondents were feeding colostrum to new born calves within one hour of their birth. Majority of respondents were feeding colostrums to calves after releasing of placenta. Majority of the respondents (68.42%) responded that dam does not release placenta if they feed colostrum to the calf, whereas 16.84 percent of respondents believed that colostrum causes diarrhoea. High mortality rate of buffalo calves indicates that farmers were not following scientific management practices due to lack of knowledge and awareness. There is a need to make the farmers aware about importance of scientific management practices and make available necessary essential veterinary services and other input facilities at their door step.