Latest Concepts in Rearing Buffaloes for Meat Production

India is world's largest exporter of buffalo meat known as carabeef in the international market. In 2011-12 alone, its exports stood at 1.28 million tonnes valued at Rs. 14,000 crores or US $ 2.5 billion. The Indian meat industry has seen a tremendous change during the last one decade wherein the modern state-of-art mechanized slaughter houses have changed the complete scenario of traditional meat industry. This change has come due to the stringent sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures adopted by the exporting units as they are required by the importing countries. Now, about 32 meat processing plants are fully integrated right from slaughter to the production of frozen buffalo meat with Rendering and Effluent Treatment Plants to ensure pollution free and eco-friendly atmosphere around these Units. Additionally, six more state-of-art mechanized slaughter houses are coming. The importance of buffalo in India can be gauged by the fact that it is increasing faster than cattle, although in some East and Southeast Asian countries buffalo population has declined rapidly, which is a matter of concern. The primary importance of buffalo is for more milk in South Asia, and secondarily, for meat production. Therefore, its role for food security in India is well established. The price of buffalo meat is much cheaper than beef, chevon, mutton, pork and poultry and is, therefore, the cheapest source of protein to the weaker section of the society. Because of its competitive prices and better blending characteristics, it forms a major ingredient in corn beef, hotdogs and other value added meat products. In India, every year, about 10 million such male calves are removed from the buffalo production system due to intentional killing by the farmers to save dam's milk due to non-remunerative cost of raising male animals, thus incurring a loss of about Rs. 200 crores (US $ 18 million) per annum. These calves could otherwise be salvaged for meat production, which will not only improve the economic condition of the farmers but would also provide quality meat for domestic consumption at competitive prices and also for export market. Raising these male calves will generate additional employment.