Number of buffaloes on decline
It has reduced by around half in eight districts of Rangpur division
The number of buffaloes in eight northern districts of Rangpur division has decreased drastically due to absence of an artificial insemination centre in the livestock department.
Rapid mechanisation in agriculture sector and shrinking of grazing land also contribute to the decrease, although buffalo is a popular domestic, hard working animal and a good source of milk and meat.
Divisional Livestock Office Assistant Director (AD) Mir Faruk Hossain said the number of buffaloes in the division is only 28,561, as per their census conducted last year.
Of them, 4,618 are in Rangpur district, 2,827 in Dinajpur, 3,028 in Thakurgaon, 6,997 in Panchgarh, 4,171 in Gaibandha, 3,860 in Kurigram, 2,435 in Lalmonirhat and 625 in Nilphamari, he added.
“This latest figure is almost 50 per cent less compared to the previous census conducted a couple of years ago,” the AD said.
Investigation by this correspondent found that the major reason for the drastic fall is that farmers cannot breed the animals due to scarcity of male buffaloes for natural breeding, but there is no artificial insemination centre in the area to meet the need.
Abdul Mannan, a buffalo farmer in Kundopukur village of Sadar upazila, said he gave up rearing the animals as male buffaloes for breeding purposes are scarce in the village and the local livestock department has no artificial insemination centre.
It was also found that farmers prefer to use mechanised tools for ploughing land and carrying goods, which is also another reason for the decline in the number of buffaloes.
“I use a tractor now to till land as it can plough 20 bighas of land per day, while a buffalo can plough only three to four bighas. It is also difficult to rear such animals as grazing land is shrinking,” said Delwar Hossain of Goyabari village in Dimla upazila.
District Livestock Officer Shahinur Islam said farmers can be benefited by rearing buffaloes as, unlike cows, they need very little care for giving five kg to seven kg of milk per day and providing 150 kg to200 kg of meat each.
“Buffaloes live on grass, thrown away weeds, leaves of unused bushy plants and straw, and they seldom fall sick. They have a lifespan of 15 years to 18 years, and bear calves regularly,” he added.
Rangpur Divisional Livestock Office Deputy Director Mahbubur Rahman confirmed the drastic fall in the number of buffaloes in the region.
“A new government initiative, entitled “Buffalo Development and Breeding Project,” is in the offing, under which an artificial insemination centre is likely to be set up here and, at the same time, intensive research on buffalo is going on at Bangladesh Livestock Research Institute at Savar in Dhaka,” he added.