Winter Care Tips for Murrah Buffaloes

Winter Care Tips for Murrah Buffaloes

While Murrah buffaloes are incredibly resilient, severe winter drops in regions like Punjab and Haryana can cause cold stress, leading to a drop in milk yield and high calf mortality (especially due to pneumonia).

1. Shed Modifications

• Block Drafts: Cover the meshed or open windows on the North and West sides using gunny bags or thick tarpaulin to block freezing winds at night.
• Ventilation: Do not seal the shed completely. Ammonia from urine must escape, otherwise respiratory diseases will spread. Keep top ventilators open.

2. Warm Bedding

Mud or concrete floors freeze in winter, sucking body heat away from the resting animal. Provide a thick, dry bedding of wheat straw or paddy straw (at least 4-6 inches thick) and change it when wet.

3. Dietary Adjustments

In a cold environment, the buffalo burns more calories just to stay warm.

• Increase the energy portion of the diet by providing extra jaggery (Gur), mustard oil cakes, or slightly warming their drinking water.
• Offering lukewarm water encourages them to drink enough, sustaining their milk volumes.

4. Calf Protection

Newborn calves are highly susceptible to hypothermia. Cover them with custom-made calf jackets (jute blankets) and ensure they receive colostrum immediately to build core strength.