Cattle and Buffalo Farming: Management Practices for Productivity and Health

India is home to one of the largest cattle and buffalo populations in the world, with over 300 million bovines contributing to a dairy sector that produces more milk than any other country. For millions of rural families, cattle and buffalo farming is not just a livelihood – it is a way of life. But keeping these animals healthy and productive requires more than simply providing food and water. It demands a clear understanding of management practices tailored to each stage of an animal’s life, from the newborn calf to the pregnant dam and the high-yielding milch animal.

Why management practices matter in cattle and buffalo farming 🔗

Good management practices directly influence milk yield, animal health, fertility, and farm profitability. A study of 380 buffalo farmers across India found that while awareness of key practices like balanced feeding and disease detection was relatively high (around 77-79%), the actual adoption rate was far lower – ranging between just 33% and 45%. This gap between knowledge and practice is one of the biggest reasons Indian dairy animals often produce well below their potential, with average buffalo yields stagnating at 4-5 litres per day compared to the 8-10 litres achievable through improved management.

Whether you are raising crossbred cows, indigenous cattle breeds, or water buffaloes, applying stage-specific management can make a significant difference. Let’s break down these practices by life stage.

Care and management of pregnant animals 🔗

The last three months of pregnancy are especially critical because roughly 75% of foetal growth occurs during this period. Neglecting the dam’s nutrition and comfort at this stage doesn’t just affect her – it compromises calf survival, colostrum quality, and the mother’s ability to resume cycling and conceive again after calving.

Nutrition during pregnancy 🔗

A pregnant cow or buffalo needs a well-balanced diet that supports both her maintenance and the rapidly growing foetus. According to the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB), the daily feed for a pregnant animal should include 15-20 kg of green fodder, 4-5 kg of dry fodder, 2-3 kg of compound cattle feed, 1 kg of oil cake, 50 g of mineral mixture, and 30 g of salt. An additional 1 kg of concentrate mixture should be provided as a pregnancy allowance during the last three months.

The diet should be easily digestible and nutritionally dense. Sudden dietary changes close to calving should be avoided as they can trigger metabolic disorders such as milk fever (hypocalcaemia) and ketosis. Fresh, clean drinking water – at least 75 to 80 litres per day – must be available at all times.

Housing and handling 🔗

Pregnant animals need comfortable, spacious housing where they can stand and lie down without difficulty. Slippery floors are a serious risk and must be avoided. Animals in the last trimester should not be taken for long-distance grazing or made to walk on uneven terrain, as this increases the risk of injury or abortion.

About 4-5 days before the expected calving date, the animal should be moved to a separate, clean calving pen that is well-ventilated and receives adequate sunlight. Clean bedding material like paddy straw should be spread on the floor. Gentle handling throughout pregnancy helps reduce stress, which can otherwise have negative effects on foetal development.

Drying off the lactating animal 🔗

If the animal is still being milked, it should be dried off – meaning milking is stopped – at least 45 to 50 days before the expected calving date. The NDDB recommends drying the animal within 15 days after the seventh month of gestation. This dry period allows the udder tissue to repair and regenerate, and is essential for ensuring good colostrum production and a strong start to the next lactation cycle.

Management during and immediately after calving 🔗

Calving is a stressful event for both the dam and the newborn. Proper management during this period sets the stage for the calf’s survival and the mother’s recovery.

Post-calving care for the dam 🔗

Right after calving, the cow or buffalo typically has a low appetite and is under significant physical stress. According to NDDB guidelines, the animal should be given a light, palatable, and mildly laxative ration for the first 2-3 days. This can include warm rice gruel, boiled wheat bran, or millet mixed with edible oil, jaggery, and spices like fenugreek (methi) and asafoetida. This type of diet also helps in the early expulsion of the placenta.

Tender green fodder and plenty of fresh (not hot) water should be offered freely. The transition period – the weeks just before and after calving – has a major bearing on the total lactation length and milk yield, making careful feeding during this time essential.

Immediate care for the newborn calf 🔗

The first few hours of a calf’s life are the most important. Here is what should happen right after birth:

Clear the airways: Allow the mother to lick the calf, or manually wipe mucus from the nostrils and mouth. Licking also stimulates the calf’s circulation and encourages it to stand.

Cut and disinfect the navel cord: The umbilical cord should be cut with sterile scissors, leaving about 1-2 inches from the navel. The stump should be immediately dipped in tincture of iodine to prevent infection.

Provide warmth and dry bedding: The calf should be kept in a warm, dry environment. Cold stress in the first 24-48 hours is a major cause of calf mortality, especially in winter months.

The critical role of colostrum feeding 🔗

If there is one single management practice that has the greatest impact on calf health and survival, it is colostrum feeding. Colostrum is the thick, yellowish milk produced by the dam in the first few days after calving, and it is fundamentally different from regular milk.

Why colostrum is irreplaceable 🔗

Calves are born with a naïve immune system – they have virtually no antibodies of their own because, in cattle and buffaloes, antibodies do not cross the placenta during pregnancy. The calf’s entire early disease protection depends on absorbing immunoglobulins (mainly IgG) from colostrum. Colostrum contains nearly 100 times more antibodies than regular milk, along with high concentrations of vitamins A, D, E, K, and B-group vitamins, essential amino acids, fats, and carbohydrates that fuel the calf’s first days of life.

Timing is everything 🔗

The calf’s intestine has a unique ability to absorb large antibody molecules intact – but this window closes rapidly. Absorption efficiency starts declining after about 6 hours, drops by half at 12 hours, and by 24 hours, the gut is essentially “closed” and can no longer absorb antibodies. The first feeding of colostrum should happen within one hour of birth, with follow-up feedings at 12 hours and 24 hours. Each feeding should provide roughly 1 litre of colostrum.

Delays in colostrum feeding increase the risk of a condition known as failure of passive transfer (FPT), which leaves calves highly vulnerable to infections like scours (diarrhoea), pneumonia, navel infections, and septicaemia. Calves with FPT have significantly higher mortality rates and reduced growth performance throughout their lives.

Colostrum feeding challenges in India 🔗

Despite its importance, colostrum management remains poor on many Indian farms. A study of smallholder farmers in Assam found that timely and adequate colostrum consumption by calves was sub-optimal in the majority of households. In parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar, only 12-15% of dairy farmers reported feeding colostrum within the first 2-3 hours after birth – with some farmers believing, incorrectly, that early colostrum feeding causes diarrhoea in calves or delays expulsion of the placenta.

Overcoming these misconceptions through proper farmer education is one of the most cost-effective ways to reduce calf mortality and improve herd productivity.

Calf rearing practices from birth to weaning 🔗

Beyond colostrum, the first few weeks and months of a calf’s life require careful nutritional and health management.

Milk feeding phase 🔗

For the first two weeks, calves depend almost entirely on milk for nutrition. Whole milk should be fed at approximately one-tenth of the calf’s body weight per day, divided into two feedings. The milk should be at body temperature (around 39°C) and served in clean, sterilized utensils. Feeding cold milk can reduce palatability and force the calf to use energy for warming itself rather than for growth.

Introduction of calf starter and roughage 🔗

From around the second week onward, calves should be gradually introduced to a calf starter – a concentrate feed typically containing about 20% digestible crude protein and 70% total digestible nutrients. Made from grains, legumes, minerals, and vitamins, the starter encourages the development of the rumen, which is still non-functional at birth. Good-quality hay or green fodder should also be offered alongside to promote healthy digestive development.

Deworming and vaccination 🔗

Parasitic infections are a major threat to young calves, particularly buffalo calves that are prone to neonatal ascariasis. Deworming should ideally begin in the first week of life and be repeated monthly for the first six months, then once every three months thereafter. A sound vaccination schedule – designed in consultation with a veterinarian – is equally important for protecting calves against common diseases.

Management of lactating animals 🔗

Lactating cows and buffaloes have the highest nutritional demands of any category of animals on the farm. Meeting these demands is essential for sustaining milk yield without depleting the animal’s body reserves.

Feeding for milk production 🔗

The nutritional requirement of a lactating animal is the sum of its maintenance needs (based on body weight) plus its production needs (based on milk yield). As a general principle, animals should receive adequate green fodder, dry fodder, and concentrate feed. The concentrate allowance should be increased gradually after calving – roughly 500 g per day during the first two weeks – until the animal reaches its peak yield, which usually occurs in the second month of lactation.

Buffalo milk contains 7-7.5% fat, which is nearly double that of cow milk. This higher fat content means buffaloes have greater energy requirements during lactation, and their feeding must account for this. Balanced feeding with adequate mineral supplementation, especially calcium and phosphorus, helps prevent metabolic disorders and supports sustained production.

Milking management 🔗

Regular and hygienic milking practices are critical. Animals should be milked at fixed times each day to maintain a consistent production rhythm. The udder and teats should be cleaned before milking, and equipment should be properly sanitised. Poor milking hygiene is a leading cause of mastitis, an infection of the udder that not only reduces milk output but also affects milk quality and can spread to other animals in the herd.

Housing and comfort 🔗

Lactating animals need clean, well-ventilated housing with protection from extreme heat and cold. Buffaloes, in particular, are sensitive to heat stress because of their dark skin and fewer sweat glands. Providing showers, foggers, fans, or wallowing tanks during the hottest part of the day significantly improves their comfort, feed intake, and milk yield. Each animal should have a floor space of at least 75-100 square feet, with clean bedding to prevent injuries and infections.

Housing and health management: The foundations 🔗

Good housing and a proactive health plan underpin every other management practice on a cattle or buffalo farm.

Housing design principles 🔗

Whether using a loose housing system or a conventional tied-up shed, a few principles remain constant. The shed should be built on elevated ground to ensure proper drainage of rainwater and waste. Floors must be made of non-slippery, impervious material that is easy to clean. Mangers and gutters should receive direct sunlight, which helps in natural disinfection. Proper ventilation is essential – the north side of the shed should get maximum sunlight, while the south side should have minimum exposure to prevent overheating.

Herd health management 🔗

Herd health management is an essential component of scientific livestock rearing. The most basic method of disease control is to maintain a closed herd wherever possible, as most contagious diseases are introduced when new animals are added to the farm. Regular veterinary consultation is important for designing vaccination schedules, managing parasite control, handling reproductive issues, and conducting necropsies on dead animals to identify disease patterns. Identifying sick animals early can help prevent outbreaks from spreading through the herd.

Common health concerns 🔗

Some of the most common health issues on Indian cattle and buffalo farms include mastitis, foot-and-mouth disease, haemorrhagic septicaemia, brucellosis, and parasitic infections. Routine vaccinations, deworming, and good hygiene go a long way in preventing these problems. External parasites like lice and ticks should also be monitored regularly, especially during seasonal changes when animals may already be under nutritional stress.

Breed selection and its role in farm productivity 🔗

The choice of breed directly influences how effective management practices will be. India’s Murrah buffalo is one of the most productive water buffalo breeds in the world, known for its high milk yield, disease resistance, and adaptability to Indian climatic conditions. Among cattle, crossbred cows – which carry the high-yield traits of exotic breeds along with the climate adaptability of indigenous breeds – produce significantly more milk than pure indigenous varieties. According to USDA data, indigenous cows in India produce about 3.7 kg of milk per day, crossbred cows about 7.6 kg, and exotic breeds about 11.5 kg. However, crossbred and exotic animals require higher-quality feed and more intensive management than indigenous breeds.

Buffaloes have their own advantages – they metabolise low-quality feed more efficiently, are well-adapted to India’s agro-climatic conditions, and their milk commands higher market prices due to its rich fat content. For smallholder farmers with limited resources, buffaloes often represent a more practical and profitable option.

Putting it all together: A lifecycle approach 🔗

Successful cattle and buffalo farming is not about isolated practices – it is about managing the entire lifecycle as an interconnected system. A well-nourished pregnant animal produces better colostrum. Timely colostrum feeding produces a healthier calf. A well-reared calf grows into a productive milch animal. A properly fed and housed lactating animal gives more milk for longer. And a carefully managed dry period prepares the animal for the next cycle.

Every stage feeds into the next. Skipping or neglecting any one stage has cascading effects on the entire operation. This is why farmers who adopt a systematic, stage-wise approach to management consistently achieve better outcomes than those who manage reactively.

What do you think? Which of these management practices do you believe is most commonly neglected on small-scale farms in India, and what could be a practical way to improve adoption among farmers who already know what to do but struggle to implement it?

References

1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_in_India
2. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12312951/
3. https://www.nddb.coop/farmer/animal-nutrition/care-of-pregnant-animals
4. https://www.nddb.coop/farmer/animal-nutrition/nutritional-care-after-calving
5. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7125574/
6. https://www.cargill.co.in/en/importance-of-colostrum-for-new-born-calves
7. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7065800/
8. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12153804/
9. https://www.ers.usda.gov/amber-waves/2017/june/changes-in-herd-composition-a-key-to-indian-dairy-production