The economics of water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) breeding, rearing and direct marketing

Abstract. The aim of this study was to analyse the economic feasibility of water buffalo rearing under rough wet grassland conditions in Germany. Our analysis was based mainly on data from one of Germany's largest water buffalo herds, which was kept by the landscape preservation farm »Gut Darß«. To check a variety of cost-benefit constellations, we conducted a Monte Carlo simulation. The overall rearing costs per cow totalled 1 039 € a^-1. The direct marketing yields per bull ranged from 3 797 € to 5 298 €. The costs of direct marketing were not generally taken into account because of the high degree of variation and specificity of this position. Reproductive performance, e. g. calf-to-calf interval, was found to have the highest impact on overall economic performance. Our results suggest that water buffalo rearing in Germany has the potential to be economically feasible, at least if direct marketing. Additionally, we conclude that reproductive performance has a major impact on the feasibility of the production system which, in turn, has consequences for breeding concepts.