Buffalo Cow Research Articles

Lactation stage-specific variations in health and lipid-associated milk fat globule membrane proteins in Holstein Friesian cow and Murrah buffalo

Bovine milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) proteins are crucial to calf health and human nutrition, but a knowledge gap exists for its lactation stage-specific variations in cows and buffaloes. This study employed mass spectrometry to identify the inter- and intra-lactation stage-specific MFGM proteins in Murrah buffalo (Mu) and Holstein Friesian cow (HF). Mu exhibited higher proteins (n=264) than HF (n=250); utilizing multivariate analysis, differentially abundant proteins (n=78 in HF, n=31 in Mu) were identified specific to lactation stages. The MFGM proteins were categorized into health-associated (47.1%), lipid-associated proteins (44.1%), and shared proteins (8.8%). HF milk contained all health-associated proteins detected in Mu, besides possessing unique proteins (e.g., BTN1A1, SAA3, and ENPP3), including lipid-associated proteins that contributed to improved calf immunity. These results suggest HF milk is more suitable for calf health and dairy product development, including expanding our understanding of lactation stage-specific MFGM proteins and highlighting their potential health benefits.

Characterization and comparison of metabolites in colostrum from yaks, buffaloes, and cows based on UPLC-QTRAP-MS metabolomics

Colostrum from yaks and buffaloes possesses substantial nutritional value, yet the complete array of metabolites within remains insufficiently elucidated. This study scrutinizes the metabolite profiles of yak, buffalo, and cow colostrum utilizing targeted metabolomics paired with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem triple quadrupole linear ion trap mass spectrometry (UPLC-QTRAP-MS). The analysis detected 362 metabolites across all samples. Furthermore, 63, 77, and 46 differential metabolites were selected between yak and buffalo colostrum, yak and cow colostrum, and buffalo and cow colostrum, respectively. Yak colostrum notably contained higher concentrations of inositol, glycine, and carnitine, whereas buffalo colostrum was distinguished by a substantial presence of primary bile acids, which facilitate fat digestion. These findings offer profound insights into yak and buffalo colostrum, providing critical data to propel advancements in the dairy industry.

The Transcript Levels and the Serum Profile of Biomarkers Associated with Clinical Endometritis Susceptibility in Buffalo Cows.

Determining the gene expression and serum profile of the indicators linked to clinical endometritis susceptibility in Egyptian buffalo cows was the aim of this investigation. The buffalo cows that were enrolled were divided into two groups: forty infected buffalo cows with clinical endometritis and forty seemingly healthy buffalo cows that served as the control group. For the purposes of gene expression and biochemical analysis, ten milliliters of blood was obtained via jugular venipuncture from each buffalo cow. TLR4, IL-8, IL-17, NFKB, SLCA11A1, NCF4, Keap1, HMOX1, OXSR1, ST1P1, and SERP1 were manifestly expressed at much higher levels in the buffaloes with endometritis. On the other hand, the genes that encode SOD, CAT, NDUFS6, Nrf2, and PRDX2 were down-regulated. There was a significant (p < 0.05) elevation of the serum levels of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs), beta hydroxy butyric acid (BHBA), triglycerides (TGs), globulin, creatinine, and cortisol, along with a reduction in the serum levels of glucose, cholesterol, total protein albumin, urea, estrogen (E2), progesterone (P4), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), thyroxine (T4), prostaglandin F2 α (PGF2α), calcium, iron, and selenium, in the endometritis group in comparison with the control. However, no significant change was observed in the values of phosphorus, magnesium, copper, or zinc in either group. Within the selective breeding of naturally resistant animals, the variation in the genes under study and the changes in the serum profiles of the indicators under investigation may serve as a reference guide for reducing endometritis in Egyptian buffalo cows.

Comparative Evaluation of Protein Values and Electrophoretic Patterns of Buffalo Milk and Cow Milk Proteins by the SDS-PAGE Method

Comparative Evaluation of Protein Values and Electrophoretic Patterns of Buffalo Milk and Cow Milk Proteins by the SDS-PAGE Method

Detection of Candidate Genes Associated with Fecundity through Genome-Wide Selection Signatures of Katahdin Ewes.

One of the strategies to genetically improve reproductive traits, despite their low inheritability, has been the identification of candidate genes. Therefore, the objective of this study was to detect candidate genes associated with fecundity through the fixation index (FST) and runs of homozygosity (ROH) of selection signatures in Katahdin ewes. Productive and reproductive records from three years were used and the genotypes (OvineSNP50K) of 48 Katahdin ewes. Two groups of ewes were identified to carry out the genetic comparison: with high fecundity (1.3 ± 0.03) and with low fecundity (1.1 ± 0.06). This study shows for the first time evidence of the influence of the CNOT11, GLUD1, GRID1, MAPK8, and CCL28 genes in the fecundity of Katahdin ewes; in addition, new candidate genes were detected for fecundity that were not reported previously in ewes but that were detected for other species: ANK2 (sow), ARHGAP22 (cow and buffalo cow), GHITM (cow), HERC6 (cow), DPF2 (cow), and TRNAC-GCA (buffalo cow, bull). These new candidate genes in ewes seem to have a high expression in reproduction. Therefore, future studies are needed focused on describing the physiological basis of changes in the reproductive behavior influenced by these genes.

Economic Analysis of Milk Production: A Study of South India

"An investigation was conducted to study the economic analysis of milk production in Southern India. A total of 240 dairy farmers were selected comprising 80 each from the states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. The study revealed that the average gross maintenance cost of milk production per milch animal per day was higher in crossbred cow (` 234.12), followed by buffalo (` 163.82) and local cow (` 143.54), respectively. The net cost per milch animal per day was observed to be higher in crossbred cow (` 227.94), followed by buffalo (` 159.67) and local cow (` 139.93), respectively. The cost of milk production per litre was higher in local cow (` 33.13), followed by buffalo (` 31.84) and crossbred cow (` 20.99), respectively. The net return per litre was observed to be positive in case of crossbred cow (` 5.67) and buffalo (` 3.30) for all the herd size categories whereas negative net return per litre of milk was observed in case of local cow (` -3.93) for all the herd size categories because of high cost of feed and fodder and also low milk yield."

EFFECT OF VARIOUS INGREDIENTS ON THE PHYSICO CHEMICAL PROPERTIES OF ICE CREAM

&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D; Ice cream is a dairy product prepared with the addition of various types of ingredients to make desirable quality liked by consumers of various ages. Ice cream industry at Pakistan is also concerned with preparation of new flavour. Therefore, the aim of this research was to evaluate the effect of various types of ingredients on the physicochemical properties of ice cream. The complete this study, randomized design was used. The three types of milk cow milk, buffalo milk and skimmed milk were used with the addition of table sugar and aspartame as sweetener whereas, the vegetable ghee and fresh milk cream were used to improve the quality of ice cream.The result observed shown statistically significant difference (P&lt; 0.05) in each sampleforoBrix, ash %, fat %, protein %, sucrose%and carbohydrate content respectively. Ice cream prepared with buffalo milk observed with higher Tss (oBrix) of 18.7% pH 6.71, ash% 0.81, total fat9.03%, protein8.34%, sucrose11.18% and total carbohydrate29.7% were recorded in ice cream samples.Whereas, ice cream prepared with cow milk observed low in Tssfat, protein, sucroseand total carbohydrate while the ice cream prepared with skimmed milk power result in lower Tss of 15.92 less ash content0.5 very low quantity of fat1.75% protein 3.32% sucrose 7.87% and carbohydrates 20.93%. Therefore, it is concluded from this study that ice cream prepared with buffalo milk and cow milk is highly nutritious and appealing to the consumer.&#x0D; &#x0D; &#x0D;

Activities of indigenous proteases in cow, buffalo and goat milk of Indian subcontinent and their correlation with somatic cell count

Activities of indigenous proteases such as plasmin, plasminogen-derived and cathepsin D in milk from different milch species (Murrah buffalo, Sahiwal and Gir cow and Alpine × Beetal and Sanen × Beetal goat) varied significantly (P <0.05) with the stage of lactation. Plasmin and plasminogen-derived activities were highest in goat and cow milk, respectively. Cathepsin D activity was found to be highest in goat milk and lowest in buffalo milk. The plasminogen-derived activity was 5–6 times higher in buffalo and cow milk vis-à-vis plasmin activity while goat milk exhibited a higher plasmin activity than plasminogen-derived activity. Somatic cell count showed a direct influence on protease activity with the highest being in goat milk. The correlation coefficients of the protease(s) activity with the stage of lactation and somatic cell count were positive indicating a direct impact of somatic cells and lactation on it.

Water Buffalo Responsiveness during Milking: Implications for Production Outputs, Reproduction Fitness, and Animal Welfare.

The overall objective of this study was to evaluate the effects that milking temperament (MT) of water buffaloes has on milking traits, welfare indicators, and reproductive outputs. The study was performed on 60 multiparous buffalo cows (6.7 ± 0.6 lactations) at the beginning of their lactation (100 days in milk, DIM). Each buffalo cow was scored by two independent observers using a temperament scoring system (1: extremely calm, 2: calm, 3: alert, 4: reactive, and 5: aggressive), and then grouped as 'calm' (scores 1, 2, and 3; n = 42) or 'nervous' (scores 4 and 5; n = 18). Additionally, the milk yield at 100 DIM (MY), milking speed (MS), calving interval (CI), age at first calving (AFC), body condition score (BCS), animal-based welfare parameters, and infrared thermography data (IRT) were evaluated. The MT significantly influenced the MY (p = 0.0082), with calmer cows outperforming their nervous counterparts. The MS was significantly influenced by the MT (p = 0.0015), with calmer animals having a higher milk ejection rate. The MT of the cows had no influence on the CI, AFC, or BCS. The evidence from this study suggests that the responsiveness of buffalo cows during milking affects their milk yield and milking speed, with no associations being found for reproduction efficiency indicators or animal-based welfare indicators.

Dangke: Local Indigenous Cheese from Enrekang, South Sulawesi Indonesia

Dangke is a traditional food that tastes similar to cheese, but its texture and flavor are similar to tofu that is white to yellowish. Dangke is produced by people in South Sulawesi, especially the duri massenrempulu ethnic community, Indonesia. In this article, processing techniques, how to present dangke when consumed, and packaging techniques, volatile compounds, and biological activities related to dangke health benefits for the body are explored. The descriptive qualitative and quantitative research method was used to explore processing techniques and bioactive compounds in dangke. Observation and documentation were conducted to collect primary data. Instrumental analysis using Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (GC-MS) method is used to determine the bioactive compounds. Dangke is a traditional and straight forward fermented food made from buffalo milk and cow’s milk as an essential ingredient, with pineapple juice and papain enzymes in papaya sap. Therefore, this food is famous for its unique texture, taste, and flavor produced by the fermentation component. Still, this food has nutritional value content that is beneficial for health, such as linoleic acid, palmitic acid, stearic acid, and oleic acid, to be used as functional foods. In this article, the origin of dangke, its method of processing, and the scientific perspectives are discussed.

Effectiveness of the main commodity buffalo cow program in Rokan Hilir Regency

This study aims to see the effectiveness of the main commodity Buffalo Cow program in Rokan Hilir Regency. In carrying out the program, of course, the Regional Government of Rokan Hilir Regency in this case is at the Food and Agriculture Security Agency wanting to achieve or meet the targets in the Program so that the program is effectively implemented in Rokan Hilir Regency and of course increases the population, especially cow and buffalo. This research uses a qualitative research method with a descriptive research type. The main informants in this study were Supervisor, Recorder, Inseminator, Botanical Inspection Officer, Birth Officer and Breeder. Sample selection is made by (purposive sampling). The result of this article is Production; this program's results can increase the cattle population more quickly and produce good quality offspring. Efficiency; this commander program is implemented based on technical instructions and decrees but has no optimal operational support from the Government of Rokan Hilir Regency; officers or human resources that are still limited by long distances are an obstacle in implementing the commander program

Economics of Milk Production and Resource Use Efficiency of Milk Across Different Herd Size Categories in Chittoor District of Andhra Pradesh

Background: In India dairy farming is a significant part of the rural population, providing not only supplementary income and nutritional standards but also organic manures and draught power. Andhra Pradesh ranks 5th in total milk production in India with an output of 15.04 million metric tonnes and Chittoor district is one of the leading districts for dairy farming in the state. There is an increasing trend in milk production; however, the main drawback faced by the milk producers in dairy farming is the low productivity of milch animals. Assessing the economics of milk production would be extremely beneficial in planning for the improvement of productivity of dairy animals and framing policies to increase the profitability of dairy farms. Methods: Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh was purposively selected for the present investigation. The primary data was collected from 80 respondents of which 40 each from two villages in the year 2021. The economics of milk production and the resource use efficiency of milk were computed based on collected data. Result: The per-day gross cost for maintaining local cow, crossbred cow and buffalo was found to be ₹ 161.09, ₹ 246.16 and ₹ 196.07, respectively. The overall cost per litre of milk was found to be slightly high in the case of buffalo (₹ 31.45), followed by the local cow (₹ 31.33) and crossbred cow (₹ 19.69), respectively. The net returns per litre of milk were found to be highest in the case of the crossbred cow (₹ 7.45), followed by buffalo (₹ 3.66) and local cow (₹ 0.12). It was observed that the net return per litre of milk for local cows was very less due to high feed cost, labour cost and low productivity of milk. Green fodder, dry fodder and concentrate were observed underutilized whereas labour was found to be over-utilized.

Characterization of Quark-like probiotic cheese produced from a mixture of buffalo milk and cow milk

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the potential application of buffalo milk in the production of Quark-like cheese enriched with probiotic cultures of Lactobacillus acidophilus and Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus. Compositional, physicochemical, textural, aromatic, and sensory attributes of the cheese samples prepared using different ratios of buffalo milk and cow milk were investigated. The results revealed significant differences among the analysed cheese samples with respect to the dry matter, fat and protein content. The cheese samples prepared using only buffalo milk had the highest contents of dry matter, fat, and protein compared to the cheese samples prepared using only cow milk. Titratable acidity of the cheese samples was in the range of 0.91 to 1.52 (lactic acid %), while the water-soluble nitrogen content varied between 7.88% and 11.22% during storage. Increasing the proportion of cow milk in cheese caused an increase in the L* and Hue colour values. The cheese samples prepared from buffalo milk showed the highest value for hardness, while the lowest hardness value was observed for cheese samples prepared using cow milk. All cheese samples had higher levels of acetic acid, butanoic acid, 3-methyl butanoic acid, and hexanoic acid compared to other volatile compounds. L. acidophilus and L. rhamnosus counts during storage were in the range of 9.02-9.18 log CFU/g and 9.12-9.30 log CFU/g, respectively. The sour taste was determined to be dominant in all cheese samples, followed by the sweet taste. Creamy, cooked, and fermented flavours were the most prominent flavours in all cheese samples.

Milking temperament of Anatolian buffaloes during early lactation

Buffalos are increasingly used for milk production, but milking them is challenging due to their temperament and strong cow-calf relationship. This study aimed to determine the relationship between the milking behaviours and temperament score in Anatolian buffaloes and the effects of milking temperament score on the milking traits of cows. The study was performed on 43 lactating primiparous and multiparous Anatolian buffaloes at a commercial farm in Türkiye. At milking, each buffalo cow was scored using a temperament scoring system (1: docile, 2: restless, 3: nervous and 4: aggressive) that assessed the animal's reactivity on days 6, 30, 60 and 90 of lactation after calving. Additionally, the milking time (MT), milk flow rate (MFR) and milk yield per milking (MYM) of the cows were measured. The MT and MYM were measured using a digital chronometer and scales, respectively. The increase in the temperament score of the cows during milking was significantly positively correlated with the frequency of vocalising, kicking, stepping, defecating, urinating and pulling the teat cup off. In general, it was observed that Anatolian buffalo cows were restless during milking. The temperament score on day 6 of lactation was higher than during other periods. However, the milking temperament score of the buffaloes decreased rapidly during the later periods of lactation, i.e., the buffalo cows adapted to the milking procedures over time. The temperament score of cows with parity of ≤ 2 was higher than those with a parity of ≥ 4 on day 6 of lactation. Moreover, a statistically significant decrease in the MFR and MYM values of cows with an increasing temperament score was determined for all lactation periods. Except for on day 30 of lactation, the MT values of the cows also increased as the temperament score increased for the other lactation periods. An increase in the temperament score of the cows during milking was negatively correlated with the MYM and MFR values of the buffalo cows and was positively correlated with the MT on day 6 of lactation. Moreover, similar statistically significant correlations were observed between the temperament score and the milking characteristics (MYM, MT and MFR) on days 6, 30, 60 and 90 of lactation. These results suggest that the temperament score of the buffalo cows had an adverse effect on the MFR, MYM and MT values at various stages of lactation.

Effects of Buffalo Milk and Cow Milk on Lipid Metabolism in Obese Mice Induced by High Fat.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of buffalo milk and cow milk on lipid metabolism in obese mice. Milk composition analysis showed fat, protein, and total solid content in buffalo milk was higher than cow milk, while the lactose content of buffalo milk was lower than cow milk. After milk metabolite extraction and LC-MS/MS analysis, differential metabolites were mainly enriched in “linoleic acid metabolism pathways,” “pentose and glucuronate interconversion pathways,” and “metabolism of xenobiotics by cytochrome P450 pathways.” We fed three groups of C57BL/6J mice (n = 6 per group) for 5 weeks: (1) high-fat diet group (HFD group); (2) high-fat diet + buffalo milk group (HBM group); and (3) high-fat diet + cow milk group (HCM group). Our results showed that body weight of mice was significantly decreased in HBM and HCM groups from 1 to 4 weeks compared with the HFD group. The mRNA expression of ACAA2, ACACB, and SLC27A5 genes involved in the lipid metabolism in liver tissue were significantly elevated in HCM group, relatively to HFD and HBM group. In addition, the adipocyte number, size and lipid accumulation in the liver were significantly decreased in HCM group compared with the HFD group by H&E staining and oil red O staining, but was not change in HBM group. The mRNA levels of TNF-α and IL-1β inflammatory genes were significantly increased in HBM group, relatively to HFD and HCM group, which is consistent with results from inflammatory cell infiltration and tissue disruption by colon tissue sections. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of cow milk has beneficial effects on loss of weight and lipid metabolism in obese mice.

Effects of calving year, season, and age on some lactation traits of Anatolian buffaloes reared at farmer conditions in Turkey

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of some environmental factors like calving year, season, buffalo cow age and village on some milk yield traits of Anatolian buffaloes, such as daily milk yield for lactation length (MYLL), total lactation milk yield (TLMY), lactation length (LL), and daily milk yield for calving interval (MYCI). 1838 milk yield records obtained from 851 Anatolian buffaloes reared under different environmental conditions from 2015 through 2019 within the scope of the Bartın Anatolian Buffalo Breeding Project were assessed. The least square means and standard errors for MYLL, TLMY, LL, and MYCI were 4.07  0.02 kg, 1078.6  7.54 kg, 263.83  1.16 days, and 2.75  0.03 kg, respectively. As a result of the study, the effects of village, calving year and age (P&amp;lt;0.001) and calving season (P&amp;lt;0.05) on MYLL; village, calving year and age (P&amp;lt;0.001) on TLMY; village, calving year and age (P&amp;lt;0.001) and calving season (P&amp;lt;0.05) on MYCI; calving age, village (P&amp;lt;0.001) and calving year (P&amp;lt;0.05) on LL were found statistically significant. Moreover, high positive phenotypic correlations between TLMY and MYLL (r = 0.78, P&amp;lt;0.001) and LL and TLMY (r = 0.67, P&amp;lt;0.001) were estimated. The results revealed that milk production traits might be improved by considering calving season and age in breeding studies and stud-selection programs in Anatolian buffaloes. Besides, it will remarkably contribute to the number of limited studies that have focused on this breed.

Cost and Returns of Milk Production from Dairy Animals in East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh

An investigation was conducted to study the cost of milk production in East Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh. A total of 300 dairy farmers were selected from the Godavari delta, the upland and the agency areas of the district. The study revealed that the gross cost (Rs/-) of milk production per animal per day was higher in graded Murrah buffalo (167.17) followed by cross bred cow (140.61), local buffalo (96.22) and local cow (58.32). The cost of milk production per litre was higher in graded Murrah buffaloes (22.75) followed by local buffalo (22.82), local cow (18.89) and crossbred cow (14.02). The gross income (Rs/-) per animal per day was higher in graded Murrah buffaloes (292.78) followed by crossbred (236.51), local buffalo (154.84) and local cow (71.45). The net income (Rs/-) per animal per day was higher in graded Murrah buffaloes (125.61) followed by crossbred (95.90), local buffalo (58.62) and local cow (13.13). The average cost of milk production was Rs/- 23.03 and net income per litre was Rs/- 146.85 in graded Murrah buffaloes which was significantly (p ≤ .01) higher in the Godavari delta. The average cost of milk production was Rs/- 23.73 and net income per litre was Rs/- 71.77 in local buffalo which was significantly (p ≤ .01) higher in the upland area. The average cost of milk production and net income per litre in local cow was significantly (p ≤ .01) higher in the Godavari delta (20.14 and 15.46, respectively) than that in upland and agency areas.

Microbiological Evaluation and Molecular Discrimination of Milk Samples from Humans and Different Animals

Milk is a highly nutritious food and it is important to be free of any pathogenic microbes that could be transmitted to humans and affect public health. A total of 145 milk samples were collected from humans and different animal species (cow, buffalo, ewe, goat, camel, mare, and donkey) and underwent physical examination (color, odor, and taste), chemical analysis for its components (water, total salt, fat, protein, lactose, and ash), and finally microbiological (bacteriological and mycological) examinations. Standard plate count, preliminary incubation count, lab pasteurized count, coliform, Escherichia coli, Staphylococcus species, Salmonella species, yeast, and mold counts were measured. PCR test was performed to differentiate milk from different sources (animals and humans) by producing a specific band for each milk type. The results of the physical examination of different kinds of milk showed different grades of white color with the characteristic odor and taste of each milk type. Chemical examination revealed that the highest water content was in donkey milk and the lowest was in buffalo milk while total solids indicated the highest content in sheep milk and the lowest in donkey milk. The microbiological analysis presented that the standard plate count results were the highest in the milk obtained from sheep and camel, while donkey milk was the least in this regard. Yeast counts were the highest in buffalo milk but cow milk was the highest in mold counts. PCR results of milk types using species-specific primers and DNA template extracted from milk somatic cells revealed a specific band for each milk type as 157, 195, 225, 242, 274, and 711 base pair (bp) for goat, human, sheep, buffalo, cattle milk, and camel milk, respectively. It was concluded that more restrictions must be applied to decrease milk contamination as high microbial counts detected in the present study can affect milk quality, public health, and the dairy industry. PCR used in the current work for milk discrimination used milk somatic cells specifically mitochondrial cytochrome b gene which exhibited high specificity in the PCR reactions and this could be served as a cheap and simple method, compared to other types of PCR.

Probability of pregnancy before ninety days postpartum in water buffaloes

This study aimed to determine the effect of parity and season of calving on the probability of water buffalo cows becoming pregnant before 90 days postpartum. A retrospective analysis of reproductive records of 1,465 water buffaloes with 3,181 pregnancies was carried out. Buffaloes were grouped according to parity in one, two, or three and more calvings. Season of calving was created with the following values: long photoperiod (March-August) and short photoperiod (September-February) and predicted probabilities from the mixed-effects logistic regression model were calculated, and a generalized linear mixed model was fitted with random intercepts to calculate the log odds of becoming pregnant ≤90 days postpartum. The probability of pregnancy ≤90 days postpartum was 0.3645, and this was lower in primiparous (0.2717) in comparison with two-calved (0.3863) and three or more calving buffaloes (0.5166). Probability of pregnancy ≤90 days postpartum increased 1.77 odds by each increase in parity. The probability of becoming pregnant ≤90 days postpartum was higher in water buffaloes calving during the short photoperiod season (0.4239 vs. 0.2474, P&gt;0.000), and water buffaloes calving during the long photoperiod season only had 0.2645 odds to become pregnant than those calving during the short photoperiod season. The negative effect of long photoperiod was observed indifferently of parity. In conclusion, primiparity and the long photoperiod affect water buffalo cow's reproductive performance, decreasing pregnancy probability during the first 90 days postpartum.

The Importance of Dairy Farming for Landless Households in Punjab

The study was undertaken to find the importance of dairy farming for landless households in rural Punjab. The primary data were collected from the 126 landless households from the two selected districts of Punjab, i.e., Ludhiana and Bathinda, for the year 2017- 18. The study concluded that the majority of the population belonged to the working-age group and more than one-fourth of the population was illiterate. About 59 percent were milch animals out of the total animal, and buffaloes proved to be the most important livestock among the milch animals. The net returns based on per litre of milk production were found to be ? 1.34 for buffalo and ? 0.93 for cow milk production, respectively. In the case of buffalo's and cow's milk production, the variable cost was the major component. Dairying, on average, employed 208 man-days per annum and contributed about 14 percent share in the total income of these households. Inadequate sheds for animals, non-availability of land for fodder cultivation, high cost of feed and fodder, exploitation by a middleman, lack of knowledge about scientific feeding practices were the major constraints for all the sampled households. Dairying could be an important source for providing employment opportunities and supplementing the income of the landless households if the government assured them of the utilization of the village's common land, adequate financial assistance, extension services, and basic infrastructure facilities.