Precision livestock farming in buffalo species: a sustainable approach for the future

The increasing global demand for animal-derived foods in a climate-changing context requires innovative strategies to enhance farm efficiency and sustainability. Livestock farming is facing increasing pressure from consumers seeking high-quality products, improved animal welfare, and greater traceability. At the same time, the sector is resource-intensive, requiring significant inputs of land, water, and energy, while also contributing to environmental impacts, including greenhouse gas emissions. Precision Livestock Farming (PLF) represents a valuable strategy to tackle or mitigate these challenges by leveraging advanced sensors and digital communication tools for the continuous monitoring of animals and their surroundings. By collecting real-time data on production, reproduction, health, welfare, and environmental parameters, PLF supports more informed decisions and promotes a more sustainable and efficient livestock management system. In recent years, PLF technologies have been applied particularly to species such as pigs, poultry and dairy cattle. Notably, the transfer and adaptation of PLF technologies from dairy cattle to buffalo farming have contributed to the optimization of key farm processes in Europe, particularly in Italy, where the buffalo sector represents a growing market. These advancements not only highlight the potential of PLF in improving efficiency and animal welfare, but also may offer a valuable foundation for its adaptation in other contexts. In particular, dairy buffaloes is expanding in developing countries across Asia and Africa, where buffaloes play a central role in food security and rural economies. However, transferring PLF solutions to these regions requires careful consideration of existing limitations, including scarce financial resources, inadequate infrastructure, and insufficient training for farmers and technicians. This review examines recent advancements in the application of PLF to dairy buffalo farming, highlighting its impacts, current challenges, and future prospects for broader implementation.