Strategic development of a buffalo farming framework and optimization of the foraging behaviour using mathematical...

This study examined the foraging behaviour of buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) on a private dairy farm in southern India from April 2016 to March 2017. Foraging behaviour plays a major role in improving production, well-being, and sustainable buffalo farming practices. Using direct observation and focal animal sampling, data were collected daily across four seasons: summer, pre-monsoon, monsoon, and post-monsoon. Seasonal forage availability and the distances travelled for foraging were analysed to understand behavioural patterns and habitat preferences. Mathematical models based on Optimal Foraging Theory (OFT), the Marginal Value Theorem (MVT), and partial differential equations (PDEs) for resource dynamics were applied to quantify and validate the observed seasonal foraging strategies. The results indicated that buffaloes travelled varying distances depending on seasonal forage availability. The distances recorded were highest in summer (124.66 ± 47.82 km) and numerically lower during pre-monsoon (82.67 ± 15.50 km), monsoon (79.00 ± 17.32 km), and post-monsoon (82.00 ± 8.72 km), although this difference did not reach statistical significance. This directional pattern is consistent with predictions based on forage availability, which was comparatively lower during the wet seasons. The findings supported the application of optimal foraging theory, which highlights the dynamic dietary shifts buffaloes undertake to meet their nutritional needs according to forage composition. Additionally, the 90-day observational study on buffalo olfactory communication suggested that faeces and urine marking support group identification and social cohesion. Quantified markings (0-5/day) and repeated observations showed that when a buffalo temporarily separated, others followed using olfactory cues present in urine and dung, demonstrating the functional role of chemical signals in coordinating herd behaviour. Observing these natural herd behaviours is essential for animal comfort and welfare, which provides the rationale for establishing foraging areas in farm design; in intensive farming systems, where such behaviours are restricted, animal welfare is reduced. The study concluded that creating artificial forage habitats could enhance forage accessibility and improve buffalo productivity, welfare, and economic sustainability.