Introduction to buffaloes
The world’s buffaloes are classified into two groups – the Asian and the African. The Asian buffalo is called Bubalus and consists of three species – the anoa of Celebes, the tamaro of Mindori and the arni or Indian wild buffalo. Bubalus bubalis is the name of the domesticated wild Indian buffalo, previously called B. arnee. There are two general types of the domesticated buffalo, B. bubalis, - the river buffalo and the swamp buffalo. The river buffalo has 50 chromosomes and the swamp type has 48, the amount of genetic material is the same in both. They interbreed and produce fertile progeny with 49 chromosomes.
The African buffalo is named Syncerus with a single species S. caffer, with a small number of sub-species. The African buffalo has not been domesticated and will not be discussed further.
The B. Bubalis is widely distributed in Asia, but it has also been introduced to Europe, Near East, China, South America, the former Soviet Union and the Caribbean. The world population of buffaloes is 149 million (FAO, 1994), of these, 144 million live in Asia. Over half the worlds buffalo population is in India – more than 75 million animals in northern India and Pakistan, buffaloes for milk production have been selected to a large extent.
1.1 Swamp buffaloes
The swamp type is most common in Southeast Asia where it is mostly employed as a draught animal. It has derived its name from the natural habitat which is swamp or marshland. Swamp buffaloes resemble the wild arni in morphological characteristics. Recently, its potential as a meat producer has been discovered. Some strains of the swamp type are larger than others, but there are no distinct breeds. Swamp buffaloes have a very low milk yield and are not used as milk producers. However, crossings between river and swamp buffaloes have been attempted in Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, and China on a large scale. These crossbred buffaloes are powerful work animals, and produce good quality meat and more milk than the indigenous buffaloes.
1.2 River buffaloes
The river buffalo is the most common type in India, Pakistan, Bulgaria, Hungary, Turkey, Italy and Egypt. They are also found in Brazil and Caucasia. The river buffalo prefers to wallow in clean water and rivers, thereby the name. River buffaloes have been selected for milk production to a larger extent and some river breeds. E.g. Murrah, Nili-Ravi and others are solely used for milk production (see section on breeds). India, Pakistan, Italy and Egypt have a widespread culture of consuming buffalo milk. These countries are the most prominent in research on buffaloes.
1.3 Current practice systems
Buffaloes are managed under very different conditions over the world. These depend both on the geographic situations and for what purpose the buffaloes are used. Any system from multi-purpose animals kept in backyards to high yielding milk producers in advanced farms exists. In this chapter a survey of current systems are described.
1.3.1 India and Pakistan
Ninety-nine percent of the milk producing buffaloes are owned by small to medium land holding farmers and are merely a source of a small extra income. One or two buffaloes are a fairly common herd size. The buffaloes are managed under a so called backyard system. They are fed crop resides like wheat straw, paddy straw, sovers, etc. This diet is sometimes supplemented with grazing and/or fodder by the cut-and-carry-system and concentrates. The buffaloes are used as multi-purpose animals and under these conditions; they do not yield large quantities of milk.
In Punjab, northern India, the highest milk consumption in India is noted, approximately 800 grams per capita and day. Here, a well developed milk collection system is in operation through dairy cooperatives. The farms of this area are somewhat bigger than the national average, 10 to 15 buffaloes are common in a family farm. Although cows (cross breeds) are more common, almost all farmers keep a few buffaloes for house hold needs. Mixed farms are also common, where milk from both buffaloes and cattle are produced and sold commercially. At these bigger farms, all green fodder is produced at the farm and the buffaloes are fed a fairly balanced ration of green feed, concentrate and straw.
When a new buffalo is required at the farm, it is usually bought from the market. The buffaloes are often bought in their 2nd or 3rd lactation and sold when they dry off, because they are seen as unproductive animals during this time. There is a very limited system of self recruiting. Calves are neglected and often only used to secure milk let down. Female calves may get more attention but the reality is that male buffalo calves often starve to death. The calf mortality in India and Pakistan is 30-40%.
Milking is predominantly done twice a day by hand. Very few buffalo farmers have so far commenced machine milking, although the number is increasing.
Larger farms, such as university and governmental farms contribute little to the total milk production of India and Pakistan. However, the yield per buffalo is higher than in other production systems. Some reasons for this are the better care and feed as well as a larger capital to invest in high yielding buffaloes.
1.3.2. Europe, Caucasia and Egypt
Italy, Romania, ex-Yugoslavia, Bulgaria, Albania, Turkey and Greece are the countries in Europe using buffaloes. In Caucasia, in the countries of Azerbaijan, Georgia and Armenia, buffaloes are used as multi-purpose animals. In the past, the animals were used for draught mostly. With the mechanization of the agriculture, these animals have lost some of their importance. In Italy and Bulgaria, the buffaloes have been selected for milk and meat production and almost exclusively used as such.
The total population of buffaloes in Italy is 161,000 (1995), 100,000 of these are breed able females. In Italy, the majority of buffaloes are kept in herds of up to 50 animals. Machine milking was introduced in the 1960’s and is widely used. Twice or even three times milking per day is common practice. Tandem or herring bone parlors in various sizes are common.
The Romanian buffalo is considered to be a breed of its own. It is a Mediterranean type and is sometimes crossed with the Murrah breed. The population is 210,000 animals including 97,000 breed able females. The lactation yield is 900 to 1400 kg and the length is 252-285 days. Twice a day hand milking is practiced at private farms while research and industrial farms using machine milking.
Bulgarian farms are often run as cooperatives with 250-500 buffaloes in one farm. They are equipped with machine milking and other technology.
The buffalo population of Turkey is 316,000 animals; approximately half of the population consists of milked females. The production is 600-1000 kg of milk per animal and lactation. The animals are mainly kept in herds of 1 to 15 animals at private farms. Hand milking once or twice a day is the common practice.
The buffaloes of Egypt are of a relatively small size and kept for dual purpose such as milk and meat. There are nearly 4 million buffaloes in Egypt and over 95% are kept in small holding farms with one to three buffaloes in a herd. The contribution of buffalo milk to the total milk production in Egypt is 65%.
1.4 Behavior of buffaloes
The natural behavior of buffaloes has been studied amongst the feral buffaloes (Swamp type) of the Northern Territory in Australia. By knowing the natural behavior of buffaloes, much can be gained when it comes to managing and feeding the animal in the commercial system.
Different types of group formations can be seen among feral buffaloes. The strongest is that within a clan. A clan consists of mothers and their calves; it can also consist of generations of buffaloes. In a clan, all buffaloes are well known to each other. A group consists of a number of clans. In a group, depending on the size, buffaloes may not know each other as well as in a clan. A herd consists of several groups. The clan, group and herd only consist of female buffaloes and male calves up to two or three years of age. At this age, the bulls are driven from the clan and from their own groups. These groups are loose and of different size. Single bulls as well as large bull groups can be seen.
A group of buffaloes share a camp, where they spend the nights. Nearby, but never within a camp is a dung heap. This is the area where buffaloes defecate. At the hottest time of day the buffaloes got to wallow. This is either a mud hole with only little water in it or a larger lagoon or river with deep and clean water. The wallow can be shared by a group or even by a herd, depending on the size of the wallow.
In the dry season, females and calves are separate from the bulls. The females and calves gather where there is abundance of water, green feed and shade. Bulls gather in the open plains where the feed is dry. In the beginning of the wet season, the bulls and females merge for breeding.
1.4.1. Temperament
Buffaloes are considered to be docile and friendly animals. Aggressive behavior seldom occurs. For example, a new group of buffaloes is allowed to enter another groups’ wallow or to drink from their water hole.
Buffaloes are a bit dull and slow learners. It takes them a long time to get used to new situations and routines. However, they are easily stressed and may become very nervous if confronted with new situations.
1.4.2. Feeding behavior
Buffaloes are strict grazers and only browse when feed is utterly scarce. Normally, buffaloes graze during the day. In case of extremely high ambient temperatures, grazing takes place in the morning and afternoon and sometimes during night time
Buffaloes graze more and better than cattle. Thereby they consume more feed and nutrients per kg of body weight than cattle do.
Newborn calves suckle their mothers within two hours of birth. Normal suckling frequency is approximately 6 to 8 times per day. The calves start to nibble grass at 3 to 4 weeks of age, although they are not actually grazing until after a few weeks more. When the calves have reached two months of age, forage starts to become more important than previously and soon most of the nutrient intake comes from forage rather than milk. Natural weaning of calves is usually within a year or before its mother’s next parturition.
1.4.3. Wallowing behavior
Wallowing has two purposes; the most obvious is that of cooling, the other is protection from insects. Wallowing during daytime is done during the hottest hours. Wallowing during nighttime is instead a way for the animal to protect itself from insects.
The buffalo has few sweat glands and a dark skin which makes it difficult for them to maintain their body temperature in hot and humid environments. Wallowing is a very important way for the buffaloes to maintain heir body temperature.
When buffaloes enter the water, they defecate and/or urinate. This seems to be a way to mark their wallow.
Wallowing behavior is a learnt behavior. An animal that has not wallowed from birth with other animals will not do so on its own. Teaching such an animal to wallow is almost impossible for humans. The buffalo has to learn it from other buffaloes, even so, the adult buffalo will be very suspicious and may not wallow by its own choice.
If no water or mud hole is available, the buffaloes behave more like cattle. They will seek shade and graze more during the cool hours and less during the hot hours.
1.4.4. Communication
The most important way among buffaloes to communicate is by smell. The buffaloes recognize each other by smelling each other. Smell is used when marking a territory. Buffaloes will rub themselves against trees to leave scent and they defecate to mark their territory.
Vocal communication is important especially from calves. There are both friendly and hostile vocal communications.
Posture is important when deciding rank and dominance order. A threatening animal will lower and shake its head.
1.4.5 Breeding behavior
Males and females live in separate groups. They will merge in the beginning of the wet season for mating. The bulls can detect females in heat by their scent and find their camp. There is a period of foreplay before the actual mating takes place. This period is 1 to 3 days and allows the animals to get to know each other.
The bull will not leave a female in estrus and he will not allow another bull to come near her. Only the most dominant bulls will mate.
1.4.6 Mother-calf behavior
There are very strong bonds between the mother and her calf. If the calf is a male, the bond holds for approximately 2 to 3 years. Thereafter the calf is driven from the clan. In the case of a female calf, the bond exists for life.
Shortly before parturition the mother moves away to give birth alone. Within 30 minutes after the calf is born all members of the clan has “inspected” the newborn and touched it with their noses. Nearly all members of the group have come from this inspection. This inspection seems to serve as an introduction of the newly born. It also facilitates adoption of the calf if the mother should die. Adoptions always occur among buffalos whereas it is hardly seen in other species.
The calf walks with its mother as soon as it can stand. This behavior is different from cattle where the cow leaves its calf to go grazing. Nursing of the calves is common among buffaloes. The calves are left with a “care-taking-animal” who is often a female, but seldom a young bull. The other females go away to graze and leave their calves. Should there be a threat to the calves, they will simply call and their mothers will come running to their aid.
Acknowledgements:
The main author of Buffalo Milk Production is Mikaela Stahl Hogberg, Agr. Lic. Animal Husbandry, Department of Animal Nutrition and Management, SLU, Sweden . For significant and special efforts the following contributors are in particular acknowledged:
- Ole Lind, Delaval, Tumba, Sweden
- Prof. Dr. N.C. Ganguli, former Secretary of National Academy of Agricultural Sciences, New Delhi, India
- Dr.S.C. Chopra, Director of Research, C. G. S. Haryana Agricultural University, Hisar India
- Dr. Saad Alhayani, Director, Dunaya, Cairo, Egypt
- Mr. C. S. Thomas, Officer Buffalo Projects, Alfa Laval Agri, Pune, India
- Mr. G. Cionini, former President, Alfa Laval Agri, Italy
- Mr. G. Merlo, former Marketing Manager Milking, Alfa Laval Agri, Italy
- Mr. E. Crespo, ProductCenter Manager, Buffaloes, Alfa Laval Agri, Sweden
- Dr. K. Svennersten-Sjaunja, L O SjaunjaAB (LOSAB), Uppsala, Sweden
Appendices & Further Reading:
Appendix 1, dairy farm journal
Appendix 2, breeding records
Appendix 3, quality control
Selected references and further reading
Related Links:
An encompassing article on water buffalo including links to additional web sites
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