Buffalo Calf Management and Health Care Practices in Morena District of Chambal Region of Madhya-Pradesh

Abstract

The present study was conducted to find out about the managemental and health care conditions of the buffalo calf in Morena district of Chambal region of Madhya-Pradesh. A survey of small, medium and large size dairy farms was conducted in ninety dairy farms owned by 30 animal keepers from each group were selected randomly for this study. The study revealed poor calf management, diarrheas, heavy infection of ecto and endo parasite, severe malnutrition were found in calves. The results showed that the mortality rate in buffalo calves was 85.5 percent. None of the farmers was cutting and disinfecting the navel cord, timely vaccination, timely deworming and fed colostrums after the expulsion of placenta. About 97.8 percent of dairy owners provided the buffalo calves with proper milk feeding before and after milking of buffalo. More than 60 percent farmers did not consult a veterinarian for the treatment of sick calves and only 21.1 percent of these dairy owners self treatment by indigenous medication. The study tended to show that owners of these dairy farms were not interested in rearing the male calves because they did not expect sizeable returns from their sale. The overall condition of buffalo calf rearing was found to be very pathetic and pointed to the need to educate the farmers and conduct extension work so the farmers get benefits from calves by rearing them in proper and scientific ways.