Lactation-Reproduction Interaction in Dairy Buffaloes (Paperback)

In South Asia buffalo provides food for almost two- third of the world population. Peri-urban dairy farms with poor institutional backup have emerged to meet the urban food demands. Post-conception decline in milk yield has persuaded the farmers to avoid re- breeding, resulting in genetic loss. This book report a few studies concluding that pregnancy in dairy buffalo results in a decline in milk yield at an early stage than cattle. The decline was due to nutritional deficiency, hormonal imbalance and improper management. An animal becoming pregnant, if supplemented with extra feed, would maintain the higher yield and would overcome the hormonal stress. The cost of feed supplementation was ten times less than the loss due to yield decline. The authors recommend that the post-conception decline may be prevented through proper feed supplementation, instead of same scale feeding as per prevailing practice. Early postpartum breeding is recommended to prevent total losses in milk yield and to prevent genetic drain. Balanced feeding will also overcome the reproductive problems associated with hormonal imbalance.