Buffalo farming in Pakistan

Buffalo farming is playing a pivotal role in the national economy of Pakistan by producing significant proportion of milk, meat and draught power. Out of total milk produced in the country, buffalo milk contributes about 68 per cent, followed by cattle 27 per cent and others (sheep, goats, and camels) 5 per cent. Due to high fat contents of buffalo milk and its special palatability, it is the most preferred produce amongst farm animals especially in Pakistan. According to an Economic Survey of Pakistan, buffalo population in Pakistan is approximately 31.7 million heads. The per capita milk availability in Pakistan is 160 gm/day which is very less in comparison to other developing countries. The average milk production of Nili-Ravi buffalo is about 4-8 kilograms per day which is poor when its potential of over 30 kilograms per day is taken into account. Currently Pakistan is not exporting milk or dairy products to any other country but on the contrary countries that possess far less number of animals compared to Pakistan are leading exporters of milk and dairy products. Although, Pakistan has huge quantities of livestock wealth yet due to mismanagement of the authorities, we continue to face poor productivity problems in livestock especially in buffalo and cattle. The production potential of buffalo is maintained by producing one calf per year. If a buffalo fails to do so, it implies that its production is suboptimal. Many factors such as unexplored genetics, malnutrition, unhygienic management practices, infectious and non infectious diseases are major causes of poor productivity. Amongst infectious diseases, infections especially of reproductive tract of breeding buffaloes play a lead role in infertility of these animals which further contributes to poor productivity.
If the percentage of non productive animals increases it may have a very detrimental effect on buffalo farmers. A European Union lead survey of Punjab reported that 40 per cent of farm income of the province is earned from livestock. It has been reported that almost 40 per cent decrease in milk production is due to cases like metritis and in Pakistan incidences of uterine infections especially of Nili–Ravi buffalo is 24 per cent which is much higher from its neighboring and other developing countries. This is an alarming situation for the cattle farmers of the country.
A study conducted at University Diagnostic Lab (UDL), University of Veterinary & Animal Sciences (UVAS), Lahore shows that bacteria like Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus aureus and Lactobacillus spp. are the normal inhabitants of the uterine body while Micrococcus spp., Proteus spp. and Staphylococcus epidermidis are mostly prevalent in pregnant animals. From such observation it is concluded that Citrobacter spp. might be declared as one of the major microorganism causing abortion in Nili Ravi buffalo in Pakistan. Therefore, it is recommended that during estrus before artificially inseminating the animals it is a good diagnostic way to get uterine secretions tested for the presence of Citrobacter spp. Once it is diagnosed in an animal, sensitivity testing of this can easily be done to recommend the most appropriate antibiotics for these animals as in this way we can save their reproductive life and significantly improve milk productivity of these animals.