Hello Sir
In India good buffalo breeds like Murrah and Mehsan are suitable for commercial dairy farm.
Buffaloes can be maintained on more fibrous crop residues, hence scope for reducing feed cost.
Buffaloes largely mature late and give birth to calves at 16 to 18 months interval.
Buffaloes need cooling facility e.g. Wallowing tank or showers / foggers with fan.
Popular buffalo milch breeds are Murrah, Surti, Mehasani, Jaffrabadi, and Nali – Ravi and Badhawari.
The space required per animal should be 40 sq.ft in shed and 80sq.ft open space.
Besides, you will also need:
One room 10” x 10” for keeping implements.
One room 10”x 12” for milk storage
Office cum living room of suitable size.
Water tank capable of storing minimum 2000 liters
Bore well with capacity to fill water tank in 1 hr
Total land requirement for a unit of 20 animals can be sited as 3000 sq.ft. There should be space for expansion. Ideal space requirement for 100 animals is 13,000 to 15,000 sq.ft (120″ x 125”).
For 20 animals initially, you can make contractual arrangements for getting an assured supply of 300 kgs. of Lucerne and 400 kgs. of maize fodder per day.
It is advisable that you should go for a lease land of 15 to 20 acres with irrigation facility to cultivate green fodder for your animals. (One acre of green fodder cultivation for every five animals is required as a thumb rule.)
The economics of whole dairy animal management depends upon its economic feeding.
Fodder’s like Lucerne or Berseem available cost can be reduced on feeding concentrate feed.
The strength of labourers in your farm can vary with number of animals usually the thumb rule is one labour for every 10 animals on milk or 20 dry animals or 20 young stock.
