Comparison between bovine and buffalo milk yield in Pakistan

Pakistan possesses rich livestock genetic resources. Buffalo and cattle population is 27.3 and 29.4 million, respectively in the country. These buffaloes are riverine type and mainly comprising of two breeds i.e. Nili-Ravi and Kundi. Sahiwal, Cholistani and Red Sihdhi cattle breeds are dairy breeds in the country. Whereas, Bhagnari, Dajal, Dhani, Rojhan are draft breeds and Tharparkar is a dual dairy and draft breed. These breeds are 30 percent of the population and the rest of the cattle population is classified as non-descript. The buffaloes are the major milk producing animals and are maintained by 5 4 million house holds in the country. Whereas, most of the cattle farming in the country is carried out in rural areas, where 5-6 million rural households keeps cattle for draft power and use milk as a by product for family consumption or sale. In case of buffaloes, lactation milk yield per milking female range from about 1350 liters in rural subsistence house holds to 3450 liters in commercial pen-urban operations. Similarly, in case of cows, the lactation yield range from a low of 450 liters in barani areas to 1800 liters in the pen-urban milk producing units and to 2500 liters obtained by the progressive farmers. In a study of 5,716 lactation records from two herds of Nili-Ravi buffaloes indicated that herds differed in various traits. Herd average milk yields were 1,702 and 2,064 liters. Year, season, parity number, days in milk, days open, age, and sire all influenced herd milk yield. The milk production survey 2006 noted that average daily milk yield per buffalo and per cow at country level was 7.927 and 6.147 litres, respectively. The total milk production in Pakistan during 2006 was 135.4 million litres per day. The contribution of buffaloes and cattle was 60.64 and 39.36%, respectively.