Short answer: for buffalo winter feeding, expect a green fodder gap in December and January, sow berseem on time so cutting starts before it, keep silage or hay in reserve, and feed concentrate by milk yield — about 1 kg for every 2 to 2.5 litres — so milk does not fall when the field runs thin.
Every winter the field gives less green fodder than a milking herd needs, and the shortage is predictable. This guide turns that fact into a plan you can start this week.
When does the winter fodder gap hit?
A paper on feed resources in the Punjab, published in Livestock Research for Rural Development, says green fodders are not available in sufficient quantities in the cold season (December–January) and in the hot months of June–July. It also states that the fodder supply is one third less than the actual needs and that cereal straws are commonly used to overcome feed shortages. The paper is from 2005, so treat the one-third figure as a long-standing pattern, not this year’s measurement.
| Period | Green fodder | What to rely on |
|---|---|---|
| October – November | Berseem sown, first cuts coming | Last of the autumn fodder, then first berseem cuts |
| December – January | Short (cold-season gap) | Silage or hay, treated straw, concentrate by milk yield |
| February – March | Berseem cuts every 30 days | Normal fodder ration; last berseem cut on or before 15 March |
How does berseem sowing date change the gap?
Dawn reports that the best time to sow berseem is the last week of September to the first week of October, that late varieties can go in up to mid-November, and that the first cut comes 45–60 days after sowing, then one every 30 days. Simple arithmetic on those figures shows why timing matters:
- Sown in the first week of October: first cut roughly mid-to-late November, before the gap.
- Sown in mid-November (late variety): first cut roughly 30 December to 14 January — right inside the gap.
If your berseem went in late, do not count on it for December. Cover those weeks with stored feed.
What should you feed when green fodder is short?
Work through these in order. The first two cost effort now; the last two are the emergency tools.
- Silage or hay from surplus fodder. The FAO guide to feeding dairy cattle and buffalo says silage or hay can be used efficiently if available. Make it in the good months and store it dry or sealed.
- Berseem on a staggered plan. Sow a second plot two to three weeks after the first, so cuts do not all arrive together and then stop.
- Straw, treated if you can. FAO notes that rice and wheat straw are fed in plenty because a year-round green fodder supply is not ensured, and that treating crop residues (for example urea-treated straw) improves their nutrient value. Ask your vet or livestock department how to treat it safely.
- Concentrate by milk yield. See the next section.
How much concentrate should a buffalo get in winter?
The rule does not change with the season: FAO gives 1 kg of concentrate for every 2 to 2.5 litres of milk, and says that in good producers even ample green fodder may not meet all requirements. In winter the rule matters more, because the fodder underneath it is thinner. Late in pregnancy, FAO advises 1 to 1.5 kg of concentrate on top of good fodder to support the calf’s growth.
Straw-heavy rations have a second problem. FAO warns that when a large quantity of wheat or rice straw is fed, calcium and phosphorus deficiency occurs. A balanced concentrate such as our dairy vanda carries the minerals that straw does not.
What is the winter feeding plan, step by step?
- Now (October): sow or check berseem; count how many cuts you will have before January.
- November: cut berseem early and make silage or hay from any surplus; buy and store concentrate dry.
- December–January: feed stored fodder, straw and concentrate by yield; write each buffalo’s milk down daily.
- February: return to normal fodder slowly. Change feed gradually, over several days.
Keep the concentrate bags dry and off the floor — our guide on how to store animal feed on the farm shows how.
What does this mean for a Pakistani dairy farm?
The cheapest winter insurance is a record. If you write down each buffalo’s milk every day, you will see the drop begin and can raise concentrate for the animals that earn it, instead of guessing. Our guide to increasing buffalo milk yield covers water, heat and feeding by yield in more detail. If an animal is off feed or her milk falls suddenly, call your vet first; feed cannot fix illness.
Written by the Vital Feeds editorial team.
How this guide was made: the fodder-gap months and straw use are from a Livestock Research for Rural Development paper on Punjab feed resources, the berseem sowing and cutting timing is from Dawn, and the concentrate, silage, hay and straw guidance is from FAO, all read in full; the draft was AI-assisted and fact-checked against those sources on 23 October 2026.
Want a winter feeding plan for your herd size? Message the mill on WhatsApp (UAN 0311 1555136), see our cattle and dairy feed, or find your nearest Vital Feeds dealer.