Current World Environment

First Report on Dung Profile of Banbakri Antelope: Ecological Insights for Sustainable Farming

Suday Prasad¹ ^* , Anil Kumar Singh² , Paras Nath¹ , Chandra Shekhar Prabhakar¹ and Amit Kumar³

¹ Department of Entomology, Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar India

² Department of Agronomy, Bihar Agricultural University, Bhagalpur, Bihar India

³ Department of Agronomy, Veer Kunwar Singh College of Agriculture, Bihar Agricultural University, Dumraon, Bihar India

Corresponding author Email: sudaybausabour@gmail.com

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.20.3.16

Abstract

Dung from wild herbivores serves as an important source of organic matter and nutrients, enhancing soil fertility and promoting sustainable farming systems. However, information on the dung characteristics of the Banbakri antelope (Boselaphus tragocamelus), a species widely distributed in northern India, is lacking. The present study examined the physical and chemical properties of Banbakri dung collected from the Haryana Agricultural Farm, VKS College of Agriculture, Dumraon (Bihar), during August 2024 to July 2025. Physical parameters such as colour, size, and texture were recorded, while triplicate analyses were performed to estimate pH, electrical conductivity (EC), and nutrient composition. The dung was dark brown to black, firm, dry, and compact, resembling the pellet-like form of deer, goat, and sheep, with pellets measuring 1.0–2.0 cm in length, oval to cylindrical with rounded ends. The samples exhibited slightly alkaline pH (7.77 ± 0.16) and EC (1.29 ± 0.07 dS/m), indicating potential for soil enrichment. Macronutrients were calcium (0.61 ± 0.078%), nitrogen (0.50 ± 0.03%), phosphorus (0.13 ± 0.02%), and potassium (0.46 ± 0.004%), while micronutrients included zinc (85.00 ± 6.21 mg/kg), copper (26.00 ± 2.94 mg/kg), iron (1401.5 ± 51.55 mg/kg), and manganese (146.15 ± 17.69 mg/kg). This first record of Banbakri antelope dung composition indicates its potential as a nutrient-rich organic amendment for sustainable agriculture. Banbakri dung could be a potential application to improve the fertility of soil and used as fuel as well as pest deterrence.

Keywords

Boselaphus tragocamelus; Macronutrients; Micronutrients; Organic fertilizer; Soil fertility; Sustainable agriculture

Copy the following to cite this article:

Prasad S, Singh A. K, Nath P, Prabhakar C. S, Kumar A. First Report on Dung Profile of Banbakri Antelope: Ecological Insights for Sustainable Farming. Curr World Environ 2025;20(3). DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.12944/CWE.20.3.16

Copy the following to cite this URL:

Prasad S, Singh A. K, Nath P, Prabhakar C. S, Kumar A. First Report on Dung Profile of Banbakri Antelope: Ecological Insights for Sustainable Farming. Curr World Environ 2025;20(3).

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