Marathawadi

Marathwadi breed represents the very ancient indigenous type characterized with larger built and long flat horns. These buffaloes are found in Marathwada region of Central India especially in Parbhani, Nanded, Beed, Hingoli and Latur districts (Fig.1-2) of Maharashtra state.

 

Marathwadi buffaloes are reared in low external input system mainly due to their low maintenance cost, feed conversion efficiency, moderate production and ability to thrive in harsh climate conditions. This breed is not confined to any community in the region but is primarily maintained by small marginal farmers and landless laborers mostly for their moderate milk production which varies from 4 to 8 kg/day. Breeding of these animals is mostly unorganized and is either by natural service with available bulls or by grading up with Murrah semen.

Production systems and socio-economic status of farmers

Gujar (2007) studied the socio-economic status of farmers rearing Marathwadi buffaloes and observed that out of 1955 buffalo, owners 12.5%, where landless and remaining were predominantly agriculturist. The average land holdings of these farmers was around 10.56 acres, out of which 1409 families had 8.72 ±0.25 acres unirrigated land and 635 families possessed 6.42 ± 0.31 acres of irrigated land. On an average each family possessed 3.30 buffaloes. All the categories of buffalo owners generally feed sorghum as a dry fodder to their animals.

Buffaloes are grazed on field boundaries and natural grass land to meet their requirements of greens. Large and medium buffalo owners usually adopt the practice of concentrates (ground-nut cake, sunflower cake and ground cereal grains). Other crop residues sorghum straw, weat straw and dicot husk etc are feed by small animals. Patnge et al. (2001) studied the effect of socio-economic variable on milk production of Marathwadi buffaloes from the breeding tract and found that there is significant per-centage of farmers who were in the age groups of 56 years and above, obtained milk yield of 2.1 to 4 lit./day followed by 25 years age groups. They further observed that the dairy farmers with large size of land holding tended to increase the milk production as compare to dairy farmer who has small land size. The buffalo owners rearing Marathwadi buffaloes provided housing mostly during night hours which is mostly open with Kachha construction.