Buffalo Health Care:

Buffaloes are an integral aspect of the Asian landscape just as bison are to the American Indians on the American plains. For over centuries, buffaloes have helped humans in moving loads by drawing and pulling. More importantly the species has supplied man with buffalo milk, meat, skins, leather, horn, and fuel through its dung, especially in remote and inaccessible places, mainly in the absence of other essential sources. Hence buffalo care is essential in ensuring the preservation of this versatile animal. Buffaloes are still widely seen in Asian countries especially in the rural segment in North and South Vietnam, Phnom Penh, and most parts of Southeast Asia.

How to care for a buffalo:

Buffaloes flourish on bare forage and rough vegetation while consuming a small part of the feed that is otherwise needed to cultivate cattle. Simple care for buffalo can ensure a healthy and flourishing herd, as buffaloes are usually undemanding and do not require exceptional care and treatment. However, they love their caretakers’ attention and thrive on it. Since water buffaloes are accustomed to water, it is important not to leave them unattended for long periods in the sun or make them travel for long distances in the heat. Buffaloes love water as it helps them to cool off especially in sweltering tropical climates. Buffaloes are content in wallowing in cool water, but in the absence of water pools, watering them with a hose them with cool water two to three times a day is normally adequate.

Caring for buffaloes involves taking them out to graze for feeding early in the morning before the sun hits its peak as well as in the evenings, just before sunset. During midday it helps to cover the buffaloes in thick covers made of leaves or immersing them in muddy puddles of water. The midday heat can be particularly nasty to buffaloes owing to their low density of sweat glands and thinly scattered hair on their bodies. Buffaloes love to float in ponds, or muddy pools, and can even stay below water, appearing to be completely underwater, with only its nostrils being seen. In order to ensure optimal buffalo care, ensure that the buffaloes are allowed to wallow during the day, as it not only helps them to cool off but also gets rid of skin pathogens, irritating insects and flies and other such nuisances on their body.

The most serious menaces to buffalos are hybridization with ferine and domesticated buffaloes; loss of home ground or surroundings, and killing or capture. Other equally serious dangers include illnesses and sicknesses caused by parasitic beings (transferred through domestic farm animals) and competing for fresh produce between wild and domestic buffaloes. Care must be taken to ensure than buffaloes do not fall prey to any of the dangers mentioned above.