Bhubaneswar: Imagine a buffalo that costs a whopping Rs 34 crore and is fed milk, cashew nuts and almonds worth Rs 1 lakh daily.
The buffalo named Bheem was the cynosure of all eyes in Bhubaneswar as a huge crowd gathered to take its photographs while it laid down lazily probably basking in the attention generally reserved for stars. Bheem has been brought from Jodhpur in Rajasthan to an animal exhibition at Badagada in the city. The curious crowd has numerous questions on Bheem with some wondering about the shine of its skin. They are amazed when told that Bheem is massaged with 1 kg of Vaseline and 1 litre of coconut oil. Bheem certainly is enjoying the spa treatment lying down with numerous people at its service.
Standing at 6 feet and 8 inches, three-year-old Bheem defies its age. “Bheem is like a wrestler. It needs proper nutrition and care. We also feed dry fruits including cashew nuts to Bheem,” said the buffalo's caretaker. Owing to its physical attributes, semen from Bheem has been sent to Nepal. What's even more amazing is that the male buffalo has fathered around 6 lakh calves as its semen has been used extensively for artificial insemination in several states across the country. Some foreign countries including Ireland, Pakistan, Canada and Bangladesh have also shown their interest to procure Bheem’s semen," said the caretaker.
The State-level Fisheries and Animal Husbandry Conference-2025 will conclude on February 16. Fisheries & Animal Resources Development Minister Gokulananda Mallik said the conference is a great opportunity for fishermen and those engaged in rearing animals to learn new techniques in the sector.
