Animal Husbandry & Veterinary

Breeds of buffalo

Buffalo species originated in India and the present day domesticated buffaloes are the descendents of Bos arni found in wild state in North Eastern Region of India, especially Assam. Buffaloes are classified into river and swamp type. The river types are excellent yielders with high milk fat content. Following are the breeds of river type buffaloes. 

1.      Murrah: This breed is mainly found in Punjab and Delhi. Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan are the other places of its habitation. It is one of the heaviest breeds with maximum milk yield. The body frame is deep and massive with short broad back and a comparatively light neck and head. The horns are short and slightly curled. Udders are well developed. The tails are long with a white switch reaching to the fetlock. The limbs are short and massive with broad hoof. The popular colour is jet black with white markings on the tail, face and extremities. The skin is soft, smooth with scanty hairs. The average milk production is between 1400 to 2,000 kg per lactation with butterfat content of 7%. This breed is the most efficient producer of milk not only in India but also in most places of the world. This breed is reared in organized farm of Assam and is found to be suitable for milk production in this region. 

2.      Surti: This breed has got a fairly broad and long head with a convex shape at the top of the forehead between the horns. Horns are sickle shaped and flat which grow in a downward and backward direction and then upward at the tip forming a hook. Surti breed has a unique straight back. The skin colour is black or brown and the colour of the hair varies from rusty brown to silver grey. The average lactation yield is about 1,600 kg with a fat content of 7.5%. It has also a record of yielding up to 2,500 kg per lactation. This breed is also tried in N.E region and has adapted well and maybe utilized by the farmers for their socio economic upliftment by way of better milk production.