How to Take Care of Pregnant Buffalo?

 

Just like human beings, there are several other mammals too. Milch animals are part of this category. Mammals can give birth to springs directly, and buffaloes are mammals too. Buffaloes give birth, which is as complex as giving birth to a human and is painful and dreadful for them. Thus, just like humans, pregnant buffaloes need some extra care and nutrition.

The animal gives birth to the calf ten days before or after the 10-month gestation period. Since calving is a natural occurrence, the animal rarely experiences any problems. However, farmers who raise buffaloes should consider the following methods. Before giving birth to her second calf, a pregnant buffalo needs to go at least 60 days without drinking. To avoid udder issues during subsequent breastfeeding, adequate drying off is also necessary.

Conduct dry buffalo therapy and appropriate feeding when you have finished drying off. Especially green fodder, bran, and other easily digestible feed should be given to the animals during the final two weeks of pregnancy.

Significant additional uterine growth occurs in the woman during pregnancy, especially in the first trimester. This is essential for young animals still maturing, such as those in their first and second pregnancies. Therefore, the heifers should receive an additional 20 and 10% of their maintenance-level protein and energy requirements, respectively. Maternal growth is not seen as necessary for pregnancy in mature buffaloes. However, in high-yielding buffaloes, early pregnancy allowances may be increased to encourage the development of excess body reserves.

To increase the conception rate in the early stages of pregnancy, buffaloes should only receive maintenance-level or local food. Nutrient needs for intrauterine growth are typically relatively low compared to the mother's maintenance until the last third of pregnancy. Only one-third of the conceptus products are created in the first seven months of pregnancy. Consequently, fetal development accelerates quickly during the final three months of pregnancy.

So, here are a few things you can do to take care of your cattle

1. Isolation

8–10 days before the anticipated calving date, isolate the pregnant animal and keep it in a clean, well-bedded, dry, and clean maternity pen. As the time for calving draws near, the animal should be carefully observed at least once every two to three hours.

2. Cleanliness

Before enabling sucking, dry-wipe the udder. Warm water with a small amount of potassium permanganate should be used to wash the udder and hindquarters. Before calving, udder edema occasionally happens. Exercising moderately for a half-hour two to three times per day can prevent this. A few minutes of udder massage are also beneficial. In difficult situations, using diuretics and prepartum milking may be beneficial.

3. Feed

Heifers are not required to receive supplemental food during the early stages of pregnancy. You may keep using the suggested food and management strategy for heifers before breeding. A special pregnancy allowance of roughly 1-2 kg of concentrate should be given during the latter three months of pregnancy when fetal growth is quite rapid. For which you can use kacchi binola khal.

If there are any problems during calving, call a veterinarian. Before and after calving, give the warm buffalo porridge or bran mash to eat. For first-time mothers of immature buffaloes, an additional 1 kg of grain, 5.5 kg of cereal fodder, or 7.5 kg of legume fodder should be provided to ensure daily maternal growth of 300–350 g.

There is a tendency for vaginal prolapse in the last few weeks of pregnancy, which can be brought on by debility, mineral deficiencies, and constipation. To keep the reproductive tract's normal tone, balanced laxative diets should be fed.

4. Healthy Calving Environment

Cattle and newborn calves are less likely to be exposed to infectious diseases while calving in a healthy environment. Injury risk is reduced by providing cows with a safe, comfortable environment with stable footing. Landscape design for caving sites should allow for appropriate drainage, and it is advised to use shade structures.

The health of pregnant buffaloes should be a major concern while they are calling. If you do not look after them properly, it might lead to problems in milk production and health later.

Where to Call Veterinary Services?

Pregnancy requires frequent doctor visits, and you must call doctors at home. A novice user might be wary of calling a doctor from an online source, but it is the finest thing you can do for your cattle. Some concerned individuals have created applications like MeraPashu360 that let you purchase animals online, and you can obtain veterinarian services here. So, without a second thought, call doctors for your pregnant cattle now.

The Bottom Line

Feeding and other care of pregnant animals is the major problem that farmers suffer. Animals cannot speak for themselves, making it difficult to understand their pain. However, if you know your cattle, you can take good care of them.