Thailand plans to double buffalo population within next 5 years

[webfact]

MOAC plans to double buffalo population within next 5 years



BANGKOK, 29 May 2015 (NNT) – The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has been pushing forward its effort to double the population of buffalos in Thailand within the next five years amidst fear of buffalo extinction from the Thai agricultural sector.

Minister Pitipong Puengboon na Ayutthaya revealed the buffalo conservation and development project is part of the government’s effort to adjust the structure of livestock production during 2015- 2019. It comes in the wake of rapidly falling number of buffalo population in the country.

“The project is expected to accelerate a 10% rise in reproductive-aged parent breeding stock from 25,000 to 45,250 in number with more high quality buffaloes. This will also increase income for 5,000 breeders by THB100,000 per person per year,” said Mr.Pitipong.

What the ministry plans to do is to speed up buffalo production at commercial scale through the development of reproductive methods. Sperm artificial inseminations will be done with 20,000 male buffaloes. Meanwhile, the ministry will support 500 groups of buffalo breeder networks to strengthen their capacity and grow animal food plants in 5,000-rai plots of land.

According to Mr.Pitipong, buffalo population has continuously decreased by 5.6 per cent annually since 2004, from 1,494,238 to 840,064 in number during the past decade and is expected to decrease to 600,000 in the next five years. The same trend also happens with the number of breeders which fell by half from 371,086 in 2014 to 185,702 this year.

This happens because nearly all of rice farmers replace buffalo labour with pushcarts and tractors as they lack land for growing food plants for the animals during the planting season. Besides, more buffaloes were sent to slaughter houses while young female ones were exported to Vietnam and China as meat. Exports of live buffaloes brought nearly THB1,000m in foreign exchange last year.


-- NNT 2015-05-29

[impulse]

I figure it's because sick buffaloes are a major source of hard currency inputs...

[Sydebolle]

Beware, it means that the number of sick buffaloes will double in the next five years too

[halloween]

As if Issan didn't have enough buffaloes.

Edited May 29, 2015 by halloween

[Crazy chef 1]

that's will getting expensive...

[JOC]

With so many politicians being banned, they need new stock to fill the vacant seats...............

[impulse]

I'd like the read the EIA and how it handles the carbon footprint of all the methane...

[Araiwa]

-quote: "The same trend also happens with the number of breeders which fell by half from 371,086 in 2014 to 185,702 this year."quote end- Now, I wonder which methodology the ministry will apply to increase the number of breeders. Artificial insemination as well? Breeders pledging scheme?

Edited May 29, 2015 by Araiwa

[Bobobirdiebuddy]

This is a fine idea. Poor farmers have to share these amazing animals, delaying planting and causing all sorts of problems. All kidding aside, this is going to help farmers a lot more than giving 1m baht to each village like ol' Dubai Jack did.

[halloween]

This is a fine idea. Poor farmers have to share these amazing animals, delaying planting and causing all sorts of problems. All kidding aside, this is going to help farmers a lot more than giving 1m baht to each village like ol' Dubai Jack did.

The latest Thai farm efficiency plan, One Farm One Buffalo. Hmmm, may have to do a recount on that.

[55Jay]

All you English teachers have your work cut out for you.

[daoyai]

...are they easing long stay visa restrictions?

[Reigntax]

Any relationship between this and the desire to increase the number of military generals

[phoenixdoglover]

Advancing, one buffalo at a time, into the agricultural methods of the 18th century.

In all seriousness, is this a plan for boosting agriculture in Thailand, or simply wasting money?

[canuckamuck]

Why can't they get serious about wild animals that are actually threatened?

Not too hard to double the size of a herd of cows.

[Praematura]

They've culled too many of the farang buffaloes... But really <deleted>, invest in modernization rather than this, TiT...[emoji20]

[Jumper]

I don't get it.

"This happens because nearly all of rice farmers replace buffalo labour with pushcarts and tractors as they lack land for growing food plants for the animals during the planting season."

Even if they double the number of buffalos, will farmers use them? Is it economically feasible to continue using them, or are poor farmers expected to simply bear the cost of saving these animals?

[Yunla]

I think this is good news, and has the potential to help people too. But only if it is done right, which we will have to wait and see.

Also agree with earlier post that more needs to be done to protect critically endangered species as a priority.

[noosard]

"What the ministry plans to do is to speed up buffalo production at commercial scale through the development of reproductive methods. Sperm artificial inseminations will be done with 20,000 male buffaloes."

Interesting choice of sex to inseminate

Would of thought it would be female buffalo being inseminated

[cumgranosalum]

One wonders at this plan......who ACTUALLY NEEDS these buffaloes.....is this actually a serious problem or is it just a publicity stunt......the government admits that at present farmers don't want buffaloes as they can't afford to feed them (no land) in the planting season......who who is going to look after and feed all these extra, apparently unemployed, buffaloes?

Edited May 29, 2015 by cumgranosalum

[kotsak]

I hope they are referring to the four-legged variety

[cumgranosalum]

there was a thread about this some time back.....can anyone find the address?

[pedro01]

I remember when Grandma's buffalo escaped. Quite a crowd gathered while yours truly chased it through the fields trying to get a hold of it.

These things are second to gild when it comes to storing value in some parts of Thailand.

Be nice to see more of them around. They really are quite placid.

[isanbirder]

There are two buffaloes (real ones) outside my window, cropping the grass for us. Apart from destroying plants which we want, and digging wallows or sitting on waterpipes, they're quite decorative. They're rather nice animals but very silly.... but it is relatively easy to make a decent profit with them provided you can feed them during the wet season (when the rice is growing).

[nputman]

Sperm artificial inseminations will be done with 20,000 male buffaloes.

I surely hope someone informs them it is a FEMALE Buffalo that is atrificially inseminated.

Edited May 29, 2015 by nputman

[Loptr]

Hmm, after reading the OP a couple times, I still cannot figure out if they are referring to the four-legged or two-legged variety of kwai...

[mixxer]

looked at the headline i thought this was another TAT announcement

[Borzandy]

Thais are already more than 60.000 Mo, if they double, I think they will be too much.

[MobileContent]

Farmers in Isaan don't like to eat buffaloes and they need to have the Chinse Thai's come in to kill them.

The meet is not tender and you feel like you chew on gum. Buffaloes have a high ranking in Isaan as a status but their time has gone.

[Oziex1]

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives has been pushing forward its effort to double the population of buffalos in Thailand within the next five years amidst fear of buffalo extinction from the Thai agricultural sector"

It's being pushed through Parliament, it's called the Buffalo Bill.

Edited May 29, 2015 by Oziex1