Table of contents:
S.N. Titles
Page no.
1
Introduction
1
2
Objective
2
3
Indigenous breeds
3
3.1
Lime
3
3.2
Parkote
3
3.3
Gaddi
3
3.4
Native terai buffalo
3
4
Literature review
3
5
Economic trait of buffalo
4
5.1
Phenotypic traits
4
5.2
Production traits
4
5.3
Reproductive traits
6
5.4
Animal health
6
5.5
Management
6
5.6
Physical appearance
7
6
Conclusion
8
7
Reference
9
1. Introduction
Eighty-six per cent of the population of Nepal lives in rural areas. Livestock is an integral
component of Nepalese farming system that contributes more than one-third of the total
agricultural gross domestic production (AGDP). Buffaloes are raised for supply of animal
protein, draft power, and manure. Buffalo enterprise contributes 52.9% of the livestock share in
the national GDP. However, there are still less than 12% improved buffaloes (Murrah and its
crosses) in the country. There have been only limited studies relating to their production
potentialities. This study was conducted to explore the possible reasons that have been
hindering for improved buffalo farming and to find out the measures to improve the
performance of the indigenous buffaloes in Nepal.
Table 1 Population trends of buffalo in Nepal
Year
1996/97
1997/98
1998/99
1999/00
2000/01
2001/02
2002/03
2003/04
2004/05
2005/06
2006/07
2007/08
2008/09
2009/10
Population in number
3362435
3419150
3470600
3525952
3624020
3700864
3840013
3952654
4081463
4204886
4366813
4496507
4680486
4836984
(Source: CBS, 2011.
Table 2. Buffalo population distribution across the Physio-graphic agro-ecological zones and
development regions in Nepal .
Agro-eco
zones
Development Regions
Farwestern
Total
Midwestern
Western
Central
Eastern
Mountains 102245
35052
82
133173
132624
403176
Hills
207940
407899
920689
619421
387980
2543929
Terai
241222
326603
321701
458957
541396
1889879
Total
551407
769554
1242472
1211551
1062000
4836984
Source: CBS, 2011.
Production and its contribution to the economy:
Table3: Meat and milk Production trends of buffalo:
Year
Milk production (Mt.)
1996/97
701980
1997/98
729360
1998/99
744025
1999/00
759568
2000/01
781394
2001/02
806690
2002/03
834376
2003/04
863322
2004/05
894591
2005/06
926850
2006/07
958603
2007/08
987780
2008/09
1031500
2009/10
1066867
Meat Production (Mt.)
113482
117350
119562
121769
124848
127495
130791
133600
138953
142040
147031
151209
156627
162213
Table 4. Buffalo milk and meat production across the development regions of Nepal (2009/10).
Milking buffalo and milk production
Buffalo meat produced
No.
of
milking
Buffalos
Development Regions
Buffalo milk produced
(mt)
( mt)
Eastern
275477
224532
36143
Central
332024
326647
51180
Western
349359
285133
34845
Mid-western
151935
125246
21936
Far-western
143975
106742
18254
Total
1252770
1068300
162358
Source: CBS, 2010.
2.Objective:
 To know about the actual situation of indigenous buffalo in Nepal.
 To find out the different research activities done on different indigenous breed 0f
buffalo for the improvement in the production.
 To know about the different indigenous breeds of buffalo found in Nepal.
 To understand the production potentiality of different indigenous breed of buffalos.
 To be acquainted with different important economic traits and understand potential
exploitation for better economic returns.
3. Indigenous breeds
3.1 Lime
They are predominantly found in low hills. They also husbanded in the foot hills and river basins areas of
country. They are riverine type and are average yeilders. Their population is declining at the faster rate as
indiscriminate cross breeding with Indian buffaloes is heavily progressing-on for uplifting the milk
productivity. Moreover, there is great problem in getting pure male buffaloes of this breed since superior
male calves are either used for meat purpose after emasculation or for draught purpose (Farm animal
genetic resources management and utilization, policy and strategy, 1997).
3.2 Parkote
They are high altitude riverine type and average milk yeilders. These lime and Parkote buffaloes make up
about 58% of total buffalo population in the country. These buffaloes produce 2 to 4 liters milk per day.
(Neopane, 2006). They are scattered from low to high hills of the country and found predominantly in the
mid hills.
3.3 Gaddi
They are riverine type and good milk yeilders. Besides milk they are used for meat, power and manure.
People of far west produce butter fat from the milk of buffaloes and sell them to the adjoining territory of
India, which is one of the major sources of income for them There population is declining at a faster rate
and pure breed males are rarely found. They are located in the far western hills of country.
3.4 Native Terai buffalo
The breed is located across terai belts of country. Limited study has been done in those breeds and is still
non-descript type. Among the native Terai buffaloes, there appear some sub-types of the breed which are
characterised based on their horn shape, body coat colour and peculiar marks/patches in the body.
Limited study has been done so far in these buffaloes and still remains as non-descript type. They are
sizable in numbers. Murrah and Nili-ravi buffaloes from India have been introduced and are widely used in
the country in order to improve the milk production of the breed. This breed is comparatively smaller in
height and length than Gaddi and Murrah but larger than Lime and Parkote breeds.
4. Literature Review
Buffalo occupies a significant place in agricultural economics of the country. Buffalo alone contributes
52.9% of the livestock share in the National GDP (LGDP) and livestock contributes 31% of the National
agriculture products, which is expected to increase to 45% by 2015 (APP, 1995). APP has prioritized
improved production of milk and meat in the country. Cattle and buffalo are the major sources of fluid
milk. Proportion of buffalo to cattle in the country is nearly about 2:1; nevertheless buffalo is the prime
source of milk production in the country.
Buffaloes are an important livestock commodity in Nepal. The western hills are the predominant areas for
the indigenous buffaloes (Joshi et al., 1992, Rasali & Joshi, 1996). In a study of 13 districts from different
physiographic regions of the country, Sherchand (2001) reported that 64.1% of the total buffalo
population was indigenous.
There are three indigenous breeds of buffalo in the country that have been identified and characterized so
far. They are Lime, Parkote and Gaddi. Lime and Parkote are found in the central and western regions of
the country and are easily accessible, whereas, Gaddi is found in the far-western regions, most of which in
hills and mountains (Pokharel & Neupane, 2007).
, Sherchand (2001) reported that 64.1% of the total buffalo population was indigenous. From the total
population, buffalo is distributed throughout the development regions, the eastern region possess 22.6%,
central 24.5%, western 26.8%, mid-western 14.2% and far-western 11.9%.
5. ECONOMIC TRAITS OF BUFFALO:
5.1 Phenotypic trait:
One of the first steps in developing a breeding programme is to consider which phenotypic traits
are of importance. From a practical standpoint, traits with a measurable or at least readily
recognizable economic value are generally to be given the most emphasis, although traits that
provide a less tangible utility for cultural or other reasons may also be considered important. The
economic traits are typically those that affect either the income obtained or the costs of
production.
In the South Asia Pacific region (SAP), the sale or home consumption of milk, meat, dung, and
skin of the animals and the sale of surplus animals for breeding and meat are the main sources of
economic returns of cattle and buffalo farmers. In addition, many farmers use themselves or rent
out their animals for draft purposes, either providing an additional source of income or saving the
costs of contracting out for these services.
5.2 Production traits:
Traits associated with income are typically called production traits. For dairy cattle and
buffaloes, these traits are those that are associated with milk production. In most of the countries
in the SAP, farmers are paid according to the kilograms of milk sold, so milk yield is obviously a
trait of high economic importance. When milk is sold in a formal market, the price paid per
kilogram may be adjusted based on concentrations of milk solids.
Fat content is almost always considered under such a system, but payment for protein or solidsnot-fat is becoming increasingly common. The milk of buffaloes is priced 1.5 to 2 times than
cow milk due to its greater concentration of milk solids(17 to 19% versus around 13%) and in
certain areas it may be mixed with cow milk to increase the thickness of cow milk and, in turn,
improve its market acceptability.
For beef cattle, economic value of a cow or buffalo is logically based on the amount of meat
expected to be obtained from the animal. In contrast to industrialized countries, the sale price is
not always based on formally weighing the animal and paying a certain price per kilogram.
Rather, the animal is often priced as a whole. Nevertheless, larger animals fetch a higher price,
so some measure of body weight is of particular importance. Reaching a mature weight as
quickly as possible is advantageous, so weights at different ages, such as weaning, one year-ofage, and slaughter, can be taken to evaluate growth rate.
Age at slaughter can also be used to account for growth rate; younger animals would be favored.
Birth weight is also often considered important for beef cattle, but largely for calving difficulty
rather than production, so smaller birth weight may be preferred. Carcass quality traits can be
important for some of the countries in the SAP, but in most cases this variable is not considered
in the sale price, so a farmer cannot economically justify considering it in a selection goal.
Traction is also an important output of cattle and buffalo in the SAP. Animals with long legs,
straight barrels and tight skin are generally assumed to be stronger and thus favored for draft
purposes. The Bos indicus males with large humps and well-developed dewlaps are preferred
because of more dissipation of heat due to a larger surface area and more body reserves for
drought periods.
Table 3: Production performances of native buffaloes (Values are means  standard errors)
Breed
Age at 1st Age at 1st Service
service
calving
period
(month)
(month)
(days)
Gestat
ion
length
(days)
Calving
interval
(month)
Average
daily
milk
yield
(liter)
Lactation
length
(day)
3.00.1
3051.3
Lime
51.60.6
61.20.5
190
3151. 210.8
7
Parkot
e
51.80.55
62.21.6
175
3151. 20.61.0 2.770.2 3051.4
4
Gaddi
45.60.7
68.40.4
350
3301. 23.40.5 3.50.08 4201.2
4
Source: Amatya, et al. (2000), Annual Report, ABD (2003), Pokharel, et al. (1988)
5.3 Reproduction traits:
Reproduction traits are also important more so in dairy animals. For beef cattle, the number of
offspring produced determines the number of animals available for sale. Consistent reproduction
is also important for dairy cattle and buffaloes because daily yield is highest in the months
immediately following parturition and because longer dry periods (resulting from failure to
conceive quickly) result in greater costs for maintenance without any income. Both late age at
first calving (AFC) and long intervals between calving, especially in Bos indicus cows and
riverine buffaloes, have been often cited as constraints to profitability in cattle farming in the
SAP.
5.4 Animal health:
Animal health is important for a number of reasons. First, sick animals require costs for
treatment. Healthy animals also tend to produce more meat and milk and reproduce more
regularly. The climatic conditions of many of the SAP countries can be demanding, with high
temperatures, both extremes in precipitation and high risk for disease, so animals that are
naturally resistant to problems associated with these adverse conditions are of high value.
5.5 Management:
Traits associated with management may also be worth considering. Increased longevity is
important for a number of reasons. If their animals live longer, farmers can have the opportunity
to sell excess animals or expand their herds, both of which would increase the potential for
income. Increased longevity also allows for more opportunities for genetic selection. Because
disease often leads to death or culling, the animals that live the longest are often those most
resistant to health problems. For many indigenous cattle breeds, the presence of or suckling by a
calf is necessary to ensure milk let-down. The milk consumed by the calf can obviously not be
sold.
In truth, this may not result in much waste, inasmuch as the milk consumed can improve both the
health and growth rate of the calf, but selecting for milk let-down without this source of
stimulation would at least allow farmers to choose between selling the milk and feeding it to the
calf. Calving difficulty can cause losses to both the calf and the cow, so this trait may be
important, especially when crossing with exotic breeds with larger body sizes than indigenous
breeds or with known dystocia problems. Temperament is important in any situation where
interaction with humans is critical, especially when animals are used for draft purposes or when
animals must be milked regularly.
5.6 Physical appearance:
Finally, different aspects of physical appearance may be important. As already mentioned, body
size is important for both beef and draft purposes. Coat color or traits of the horns may be of
importance for traditional or cultural reasons and thus may affect the market value of an animal.
Udder traits may be associated with milk production, resistance to mastitis or ease of milking .
This is already obvious in the fact that some traits, such as those related to reproduction are listed
in both columns. In addition, sale of male dairy animals can be a significant source of income
and some animals may be used for draft purposes. The relative importance of these traits will be
different in different areas and is important in determining the final breeding objectives.
Table 2: Body part measurements of buffaloes (values are means in cm± standard errors)
Body Parts↓
Gaddi
Lime
Parkote
Terai (from Murrah (Pokhara
Bankey)
livestock farm)
Body length
141±1.6
125±1.5
128±0.8
129±1.8
144±1.5
Heart girth
195±1.8
174±1.9
176±0.9
170±2.4
198±2.0
Height at wither
131±1.1
119±1.3
124±0.6
117±1.7
139±1.4
hip 123±1.1
109±0.9
119±0.8
115±1.2
132±1.0
Height
bone
at
Head length
57.5±1.4
46±0.5
38±0.7
46±0.6
52±0.5
Tail length
89±1.2
74±1.7
75±1.6
84±2.1
98±1.7
Horn length
44±1.5
44.3±1.3
47.8±1.9
47±1.7
33±1.4
Ear length
23±0.3
21.5±0.4
19.8±0.6
22±0.5
25±0.4
Neck length
44±0.8
41.5±0.9
43.5±1.1
45.0±1.8
49±0.9
Loin girth
213±2.3
185±2.2
188±1.1
179±2.8
219±2.2
Barrel girth
231±2.5
205±2.3
206±0.9
195±3.0
237±2.3
342±1.3
357±14.2
544±11.9
Adult
body 452±1.03 311.0±1.5
weight (kg)
Source: (Rasali et al.,1998; Amatya, et al., 2000; Pokharel et al., 1998, Annual Report,
ABD, 1995/96)
6. Conclusion.
Breeding plans for buffalo should aim to meet the milk and meat quality requirements and
marketing channels should be developed. At the same time, it should be realized that the
crossbred will need to survive and perform under the indigenous system practiced in the hills.
Meat and milk production should concentrate on prolific indigenous valley breeds under
sedentary and stall-fed conditions. Genetic improvement of indigenous breeds should be done.
Emphasis should be placed on intensifying buffalo production.
Improvement in genetic potential can only be realized with concurrent improvements in health,
nutrition and management. To this end, strategic drenching, mineral supplementation and
improved marketing should be prioritized, as well as more general strategies directed towards
alleviating the winter feed deficit.
It should be emphasized that it is the large ruminants that are responsible for the nutritional
imbalance and environmental degradation associated with present grazing systems. With this in
mind, strategies to increase the proportion of large ruminants maintained under stall feeding
regimes should be encouraged so that pasture depletion does not take place.
7. References:
Annual Report, ABD (2003). Annual Report, Animal Breeding Division (2001/02), Nepal Agricultural Research
Council, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, P O Box 1950, Nepal.
Annual Report, ABD (1995/96). Annual Report, Animal Breeding Division (2001/02), Nepal Agricultural
Research Council, Khumaltar, Lalitpur, P O Box 1950, Nepal.
APP (1995). Agricultural perspective plan (final report), main document. Published by Agricultural Projects
Services Centre, Kathmandu and John Mellor Associates, Inc, Washington, DC, June 1995.
CBS. 2010. Agricultural statistics Nepal -2009-10 Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning
Commission Secretariat, Kathmandu, Nepal
CBS. 2011. Agricultural statistics Nepal -2010-11 Central Bureau of Statistics, National Planning
Commission Secretariat, Kathmandu, Nepal.
Farm animal genetic resources management and utilization policy and strategy 1997
Joshi et al .,1992
Neopane, S P (2006). Characterization of Indigenous Animal Genetic Resources of Nepal. Proceedings of the 6th
National Workshop on Livestock and Fisheries Research. Nepal Agricultural Research Council. Pp 1-11.
Pradhan, S.L., Sherchand, L. and Shrestha, N.P. 1996. Policy and strategy for conservation of
animal genetic resources in Nepal. Department of Livestock Services, Lalitpur, Nepal.
Rasali, D.P. 1998. Present status of indigenous buffalo genetic resources in the western hills of
Nepal. Proceedings of the 4th Global Conference on Conservation of Domestic Animal Genetic
Resources. Rare Breeds International. p. 168-170.
Rasali, D.P. 1998. Present status of indigenous buffalo genetic resources in the western hills of
Nepal. Proceedings of the 4th Global Conference on Conservation of Domestic Animal
Genetic Resources. Rare Breeds International. p. 168-170
Rasali, D.P. 2000. Recent trends in buffalo production in Nepal- a review. Buffalo Newsletter.
The FAO Inter-Regional Cooperative Research Network on Buffalo, Europe-Near East. No. 14,
pp-6-10.
Sherchand, L (2001). Herd Composition of Cattle, Buffalo, Goat and Sheep in Nepal. Proceedings of
the 4th National Animal Science Convention. Nepal Animal Science Association (NASA),
November 29–December1, 2000. Kathmandu, Nepal, G P O Box 8975 EPC 1566. Pp 161-166.