Breeding, management and environmental issues at peri-urban dairy farms

Dairy animals have been companions of human beings since the time immemorial. Cattle, buffaloes, sheep and goats are being reared to meet demands for human food, clothing and industrial needs. The river banks have been the seats of civilization and provided an opportunity for dairy farming, especially buffaloes in the South East Asia. However, this farming has just occurred haphazardly, without any scientific, development or business support, in most of the cases. The chapter reported and analysed the issues related with peri-urban dairy farming, with special focussed on buffalo reproduction, breeding, health, feeding and marketing. Breeding efficiency and the related issues have been reported in an succeeding sub-section. Reproduction - nutrition interaction, covering the role of seasonality, energy and protein nutrition and the macro and micro nutrients, has been described in details covering findings for doctoral publications of the author and others. Body condition score has been covered regarding its relationship with nutritional status, reproductive physiology and lactation. Post-conception decline in milk yield has been reported concluding that concentrate supplementation induced an increase in progesterone levels. Progesterone concentrations and milk yield showed an inverse relationship. Calf suckling and use of oxytocin for milk let down has been discussed in the book. Milk fatty acids and the changes associated with the changing nutritional and physiological states have been reported. Drinking water used at urban and peri urban dairy farms in Peshawar has been reported to be below the maximum allowable intake (MAC) in essential minerals and the heavy metals are higher.The higher intake of lead was associated with depressed milk in addition to enhanced level of this element in the milk.