Water buffalo farming, udder health and its dairy production status in Bangladesh: Practices, challenges, and potentialities.

Buffalo farming in Bangladesh plays a key role in enhancing food security by providing a valuable protein source through milk and meat production. Water buffalo are well-adapted to harsh climate conditions due to their robust immune systems, while they may adapt with minimal feed availability compared to dairy cows. Despite its adaptability and importance, buffalo farming has been underprioritized compared to cattle farming due to several challenges, such as a lack of awareness among farmers of modern dairy practices, limited access to good quality feed, poor breeding programs, improper management practices, and inadequate veterinary services. Furthermore, the lack of a dedicated buffalo product chain, fragmented market, and limited policy support have further impeded the development of this sector, leading to reduced profitability. Despite similar climatic conditions, Bangladesh's buffalo population remains underexploited, contributing minimally to global buffalo milk production. In contrast, several neighboring countries, including India, Pakistan, and Nepal, lead global buffalo milk production, highlighting a significant gap in Bangladesh's buffalo sector. Despite these constraints, buffalo farming holds great potential, particularly for producing high-nutrient products such as yogurt and cheese, which are popular in many regions. Recognizing the potential of buffalo farming, the government and other organizations are collaborating on initiatives such as enhanced breeding programs, policy support, and extension services for farmers. This review highlights the challenges and prospects of water buffalo farming, including the need for strategic interventions and key research areas to exploit the potential in dairy enterprises in Bangladesh.