Origin & Breeding Tract
Banni Buffalo breed was recognized as 11th buffalo breed of India by Breed Registration Committee, ICAR, New Delhi.The breed is originated from the Banni area of kachchh, which is a part of Kachchh district of Gujarat. It is located about 690 24’ E 230 42’N axis.
Purebred animals prevalent in Bhuj, Nakhatrana, Anjar, Bhaahau,
Lakhpat, Rapar and Khavda talukas, are heavily size with typical double
and vertical coiling of the horn.The total area of Banni
grassland is about 3847 sq. km. The inherently saline soil, deposited by
long lost river systems, is naturally suited for nutritious grasses.
There are more than 20 species of grasses and 20 species of shrubs found
in the Banni pasture land. The rain water harvesting system in the
region is known as “Khuira” , which is unique system of harvesting and
conservation of water in the region.
The “sui-genesis” germplasm of kachchh i.e. “Banni buffaloes”
are maintained by maldharis under typically and locally adapted
extensive production system in its breeding tract. The breed is very
hardy, well adapted to harsh climatic conditions. The performance
recorded under field conditions shows the potentiality of the animals,
which is regular in breeding and have high milk production potential. Banni
buffalo known for high productivity, hardiness, reared under extensive
production system, thrives on grasses available in the Banni grass land
through night grazing and only source of livelihood for landless
maldharis.In Banni, Maldharis adopted animal husbandry exclusive
livelihood approach, they have been invented locally adapted extensive
production system to reduce the cost of production. Banni buffaloes are
trained to typical grazing on banni grass land during night and come to
the villages in the morning for giving milk. This traditional system of
buffalo rearing has been adapted to avoid the heat stress and high
temperature of the day.
The
total population of Banni buffalo in the state is about 5.25 lakhs
which is highest in Kachchh (1,68,938) followed by Sabarkantha (78,622),
Surendranagar (55,588), Kheda (39,710) and Banaskantha (35,142) .The
animals of this breed were also taken to the adjoining state i.e. Madhya
Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan by livestock breeders.
District-wise Banni Buffalo Population in Gujarat state
.
Sr No | District |
Population
|
Sr No
| District |
Population
|
1 |
Kachchh
|
1,68,938
|
13
|
Anand
|
21,911
|
2 |
Banaskantna
|
35,142
|
14
|
Kheda
|
39,710
|
3 |
Patan
|
12,261
|
15
|
Panchmahal
|
8,436
|
4 |
Mehsana
|
8,449
|
16
|
Dahod
|
2,507
|
5 |
Sabarkantha
|
78,622
|
17
|
Vadodara
|
14,281
|
6 |
Gandhinagar
|
18,661
|
18
|
Narmada
|
1,214
|
7 |
Ahmedabad
|
4,168
|
19
|
Bharuch
|
4,311
|
8 |
Surendranagar
|
55,588
|
20
|
Surat
|
11,234
|
9 |
Rajkot
|
17,585
|
21
|
Navsari
|
1,523
|
10 |
Porbandar
|
606
|
22
|
Valsad
|
3,696
|
11 |
Junagadh
|
7,890
|
23
|
Tapi
|
6,386
|
12 |
Bhavnagar
|
1,896
|
24
|
Dang
|
Nil
|
Gujarat State
|
5,25,015
|
Physical Characteristics |
Physical Characteristics
Some of the important characteristics is described as follows: -
Body color
|
The body coat colour is black (90.09%) and copper (9.90%), whereas muzzle and eyelids are either black or brown
| |
Horns
|
Horns orientation is vertical, inverted double coiling in 31.20% and vertical, inverted single coiling in 68.80% animals.
| |
Marking
| ||
Eye
|
Eyes are prominent black and bright.
| |
Tail
|
The colour pattern of the switch of tail comprises (67.35%) white and (32.65%) black and length of the tail is 88.39+-0.48cm.
| |
Body
|
Medium to large, compact and generally covered with hairs.Dewlap is absent and naval flap is medium.
| |
Head
|
Wide with slight depression in the middle and no slope towards base of the horns.
| |
Face
|
Comparatively elongated and straight with wide muzzle.
| |
Neck
|
Medium and thin without skin folds over the region.
| |
Ear
|
Ear orientation is horizontal in majority of animals and length of ear is 29.30+-0.08cm.
| |
Limbs
| ||
Skin
|
Soft, thin and generally black in colour but few animals are also observed possessing copper/albino colour (6-7%).
| |
Udder
|
Well
developed, round in shape and squarely placed. The hind and fore
quarters are uniformly well developed, whereas typically whole udder
looks like four equal divisions with teats well attached to each
quarter.
| |
Teats
|
Majority of animals have conical teats with round and pointed tips.
|
Housing & Management Practices
Management practices
The
animals are reared under night grazing system, whereas young calves
kept in the enclosure. During the milking all the animals remains untie,
where owners tied either fore legs or hind legs, which is locally
called as “Nunjan” and “Vangh” respectively. The concentrate offered to milch and advance pregnant animals and calves in a beg called as “Pavro” is very ideal method of concentrate feeding without any wastage. The system of rearing these animals may called as “Banni Buffalo Pastoral Production System” , where animals
do not provide any shelter and have common watering facilities either
in the ponds or common water trough. The maldharis of kachchh have
adopted different buffalo rearing system, which is summarized here as
under.
Extensive pastoral production system
This
system is adopted in the Nakhatrana, Hajipeer area (Nani Banni area or
west Banni area)), where buffaloes are taken to the forest in the
evening, they stay overnight for grazing and come back to the village in
the morning. Some times owners does not go with the animals, and
buffalo follow the routine on their own. All the animals depends only on
grazing in the forest, while only milch animals provides concentrate
mixture during milking.
Semi – intensive pastoral production system
The
animals are tied under the tree shades during day hours and offered
green / dry fodder. The concentrate mixture is offered to the milch
animals only during milking. However, all the animals taken for grazing
during night hours in the forest. This system is followed in the east
Banni area / greater Banni area, which includes Khawda, Bhirandiyara,
Dhori, Sumrasar area. The
maldharis adopted traditional system of hand milking only either once
or twice in a day, depends upon the marketing facilities. The
concentrate mixture is offered before milking to the milch animals only
in the beg, which is hang on its head .
Feeding Mangement
In
Banni area, buffaloes are maintained under extensive production system
and grazed in Banni grassland during night. Maldharis offered
supplementary feeding while milking through traditional system. For
supplementary feeding generally homemade concentrate provide to
lactating animals as follows:
Cotton Seed Cake 25% + Wheat bran 75% @ 3 – 4 kg/ animal or
Ground-nut Cake 35% + Wheat bran 65% @ 4 - 5 kg/animal
During
scarcity period (summer) dry fodder/ grasses supplied to livestock
owners by the state government through Banni Development Scheme and
maldharis also purchased cotton holls ( locally called “thaliya”) for
feeding their animals in summer @ 4 -5 kg/day /animal after 3- 4 hours
soaking in water.
Calf Mangement
All
the calves keep in the separate enclosure built up of wooden / shrubs
boundary in the tree shades remains open, to protect them from the heat /
cold / predators. These calves allow for suckling simultaneously before
and after milking, whereas some owners allow for suckling after milking
only. Young calves do not allow for grazing in the forest, however they
fed concentrate mixture similar as fed to milch buffaloes as ad.lib.
Young
calves keeping in the separate wooden enclosure, which is surrounding
of the tree without any roof, to protect from the high / low temperature
and wild animals.
How much cost of banni calf up to 6 to 8 month
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