Top 10 Indian Buffalo Breeds and their Characteristics

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Popular Buffalo Breeds in India
• Murrah Buffalo
• Jaffrabadi Buffalo
• Surti Buffalo
• Bhadawari Buffalo
• Mehsana Buffalo
• Nili Ravi Buffalo
• Toda Buffalo
• Nagpuri Buffalo
• Pandharpuri Buffalo
• Godavari Buffalo
• Conclusion

Introduction

India holds the largest livestock population worldwide, including milch animals such as cows and buffaloes. According to the 20th Livestock Census (2019), the buffalo population in the country is 109.85 million, which is an increase of 10% over the 19th Livestock Census (2012). The Livestock Census is done once every 5 years.

Buffalo is one of the two important sources of milk and milk products in the country. The other is Cow. Like many Cow Breeds, there are many buffalo breeds found in India. As per the Animal Genetic Resource of India, there are 17 buffalo breeds in India.

Popular Buffalo Breeds in India

Many types of buffalo breeds are found in India. Some of the most famous desi buffalo breeds are Murrah, Surti, and Jaffrabadi buffalo, among others. These buffalo breeds are mainly used for milk, draught, manure and meat.

Murrah Buffalo

• The Murrah buffalo is an indigenous buffalo breed with its origin in Haryana (Rohtak and Hisar).
• It is also found in Nabha and Patiala of Punjab and Delhi. The other names of this breed are Kundi, Delhi and Kali. It is the best buffalo breed in India.
• They are usually jet black, and their characteristic feature is tightly curved horns. It is the most efficient butterfat and milk producer in India. 12 years is the average life span of this breed.
• On average, the bulls weigh 750 kg, and the cows weigh 650 kg. Mostly, this breed should be fed protein-rich grass, hay, and green plants for proper growth and lactation.
• The average milk yield ranges from 1500 kg to 2500 kg per lactation, and the butter fat content is 7.83%.

Jaffrabadi Buffalo

• The Jaffrabadi buffalo is another popular desi buffalo from Gujarat's districts of Jamnagar and Kutch. The breed originated in the Gir forest area of Gujarat.
• It is the heaviest buffalo breed in India, weighing around 450 to 600 kg. They are mainly used for dairy and draught purposes.
• It is known for its drooping horns (spiral-shaped). The udder of this breed is well-developed with funnel-shaped teats.
• The average milk yield ranges from 1000 to 1200 kg per lactation, and the fat content in the milk is 7.6%. Madharis, the traditional breeders, are known to maintain these breeds.

Surti Buffalo

• Surti buffalo originated from the Baroda and Kaira districts of Gujarat. Their other names are Nadiadi, Deccani, Talabda, Surati, Gujarati and Charator.
• Surti buffaloes have sickle-shaped horns, with silver-grey to rusty brown coat colour.
• The Surti breed bulls weigh 500 kg, and the cows weigh 400 kg on average.
• The females have a well-developed udder, placed squarely between the hind legs.
• They are excellent milk producers, with an average yield of 900 to 1300 kgs per lactation. The milk is highly nutritious, with a higher level of fat percentage (8-12%).

Bhadawari Buffalo

• The Bhadawari buffalo is native to the Bhadawar region in the Agra district of Uttar Pradesh. They are also found in the Gwalior district of Madhya Pradesh.
• This breed is commonly known as Bhadwari, Etawah.
• These types of buffalo breeds in India are medium to large and are copper coloured. Like Surti Buffaloes, they have two white lines, a ‘Chevron’ at the lower side of the neck.
• On average, males weigh 475 kg, and females weigh 425 kg.
• They are recognized for their high milk production, and on average, they produce 800 to 1000 kgs of milk for every lactation period of 280 to 300 days.
• Their milk is rich in fat, ranging from 6 per cent to over 12.5 per cent, making it suitable for dairy products.

Mehsana Buffalo

• The Mehsana buffalo breed originated in the Mehsana and Banaskantha regions of Gujarat. They are the crossbreed between Surti and Murrah.
• The breed is commonly called Mehsani in those regions.
• On average, males in this breed weigh 750 kg, and females weigh 650 kg.
• Their bodies are longer than those of Murrah, but their horns are relatively less curved than those of Murrah.
• Mehsana buffaloes are predominantly black or grey and have white markings on their legs or faces. They have good milk production, with an average yield of 1200-1500 kgs.

Nili Ravi Buffalo

• The Nili Ravi buffalo is primarily found in Punjab’s Ferozepur district. They trace their name origin to the River Ravi.
• The average body weight of nili ravi buffaloes is 600-700kg.
• Nili Ravi buffaloes have wall eyes, and their horns are tightly coiled and small. Besides, they have a small and elongated head bulging at the top and depressed between the eyes.
• They are excellent milk producers, with an average yield of 1500 to 2000 kg per lactation.

Toda Buffalo

• The Toda buffaloes trace their origin to the ancient tribes Toda of the Nilgiris Hills of Southern India. It is a semi-wild breed.
• The Toda breed of buffalo is known for its sturdy build and is well-adapted to hilly terrains.
• The average body weight of this breed is 380 kg.
• The Toda breed of buffalo has a thick hair coat in fawn colour. They are well-suited for work in hilly and forested areas.
• Their milk production is lower than that of some other breeds at 500 kgs per lactation. The fat percentage in milk is around 8.22%.

Nagpuri Buffalo

• The Nagpuri buffalo variety hails from the Nagpur, Akola and Amravati districts of Maharashtra. It is also known as Barari, chanda, shahi, Varhadi or Elitchpuri.
• This buffalo variety is medium to large, and its horns are flat, long and curved. Their horns resemble a sword.
• The mature males weigh 525 kg, and the females weigh 425 kg in general.
• Nagpuri buffaloes have a predominantly dark grey coat and have white patches on their face.
• They are renowned for their milk production, with an average yield of 700 to 1200 kgs. The fat content of the milk is 7.7%.

Pandharpuri Buffalo

• The Pandharpuri breed of buffalo traces its origin to the Solapur and Satara districts of Maharashtra. It is also known by the name Dharwari.
• These light black to dark-black buffalo breeds are medium in size and have a long & compact body and a long, narrow face. The horns of these buffaloes are very long, extending beyond the shoulder bone.
• Usually, the males from this breed weigh 450 kg and females 420 kg on average.
• The average milk yield of these buffalo breeds ranges from 1000 to 1500 kg per lactation period of 350 days.

Godavari Buffalo

• As the name suggests, these Godavari buffalo breed hail from the deltaic regions of the Godavari and Krishna rivers.
• They are black in colour with a mix of brown hair on the body, and the weight of these buffaloes ranges from 400 to 600 kgs.
• They are medium in size and have a compact, muscular body.
• The average milk yield per lactation period of 305 days ranges between 1200 kg and 1500 kg.

Conclusion

The largest buffalo population in the world is in India, with a total of 17 buffalo breeds. Each buffalo breed exhibits some unique characteristics depending on the geographical regions. Buffalo is an important source of milk and meat in India. Some of the famous buffalo breeds are Murrah, Jaffrabadi, Surti, Bhadawari, Mehsana, Nili Ravi, Toda, and Nagpuri buffaloes.