COW, BUFFALO AND CHAURI FARMING

We have the old tradition of rearing Chauri in the Himalayan region and cow and buffalo in the Teral and Hill region. They need a balanced diet which includes carbohydrates, proteins fat, minerals, and vitamins. 

A balanced diet is essential for their growth and milk production. A cow/buffalo or Chauri with the weight of 100 kg needs around 2.5 kg dry matters like bran, straw molasses, etc. etc. We call meadow to the pasture-land where we let the cattle free for grazing. Improved breed of cattle is mostly stall-fed. 

They are fed with green grasses and chopped straw mixed with the concentrate feed, It is known that a nutritious diet is essential to the cattle for the maintenance of their body, growth of the for the first 3 to 5 days. 

In addition, the cattle are let free for grazing in the forest, grassland, open field, fetus, and milk production after calving. Since its rumen will not be developed, newly born calves should be fed with colostrums on after parturition. 

For the proper rearing of the cattle, the aspects need to be considered: 

1. Conservation of the Pasture-land 

Pasture-land means the grazing land for the cattle. It provides a natural source of food for the cattle. It is necessary to do proper management and conservation of their pasture-land. 

For the conservation of the pasture, there should be a promotion of the locally available grass. The grass in the pasture-land can be conserved by adopting a rotation pasture system.

In the high mountain region, the cattle are reared in the meadow called a budget. Similarly, in the middle hill, the pasture-lands called kharka are conserved for pasturing for the animal. 

The pasture-land must be property fenced and unwanted weeds and grass need to be removed. The improved breeds of grasses like Stylo, Clover, Napier, Lucen, Berseem, Ryegrass are highly nutritious for the cattle. 

So, these species grass can be grown in the pasture-land. Similarly, the fodder trees like Tanki, Koiralo, Ipil- Ipil, Kimbu, Badahar, Chyuri, Khanyu, etc. also can be grown for the cattle. They are also a good source of diet and roughages. 

2. Identification of the Disease and Control Methods 

Various kinds of viruses, bacteria, fungi, and parasites cause different diseases to the cattle, If the cattle cannot get treatment on time, they will die and the farmers suffer from a great economic loss. Some of the common diseases between the cow and buffalo are as follow: 

a. Foot and Mouth Disease (Khoret) 

It is a communicable disease. It is caused by a virus called Picorna. It transmits from infected animal to another animal through common feeding and watering places. 

Signs and symptoms 

• High fever up to 106* to 107* F. 

• Loss of appetite. 

• Presence of wounds between two hooves. 

• Wounds also appear on the lips, gums, tongue and oral cavity. 

• Drooling of saliva. 

• Difficulty in walking. 

• Loss of body weight

Prevention and treatment 

• 3.5 ml H.S. vaccine should be given against FMD in the month of Baisakh every year. 

• The wound in the mouth should be cleaned by making alum (fitkiri) one percent potassium water. 

• In the hooves, medicine like Himex and Lorenzen ointment should be put after cleaning the wound with potassium water. 

b. Black Taurper (Charchare) 

It is also a communicable disease, It is caused by the bacterium called Clostridium Chauvoei. 

Signs and symptoms 

• High fever up to 104'F to 106"F. 

• Difficulty in walking. 

• Swelling of thigh muscle. 

• Crepitating sound (Charchare) comes while pressing on the swollen part. 

• The infected animal may die, if not treated in time. 

Prevention and control 

• Vaccination against BT before the summer season. 

• The infected animal can be given Penicillin injection every six hours.