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THE BUFFALO—A REVIEW [ Vol. XXII, Part IV
Indian Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)
The Indian buffalo has been domesticated since prehistoric times on the Indian
plains, and it is not found at the present day in a truly wild state. The buffalo
cow is met with in a more or less domesticated state throughout the north tropical
and sub-tropical zones. It is found in India, a large portion of China, Malaya,
Persia, Afghanistan, Bulgaria, Rumania and all the countries of the Mediterranean
basin except France. In the southern tropical zone, it has been only introduced
into Melville island near the northern coast of Australia. Thus different races of
the domestic buffalo now exist and are essentially the same as the Indian buffalo
with variation in size of horns, colour and texture of skin and slight difference in
the conformation. Breeds have also been evolved, and in India there are over a
dozen breeds, the most common reported by Kothavala [1935] are the Jaffarabadi,
Murrah, Mehsana, Nagpuri and Surti.
The age of the domestic buffalo up to a certain age is indicated quite accurately
by the teeth as in cattle. Its skin is thicker than that of cattle, the epidermis is
thicker, the texture of the cornium is coarser, the hair and sweet glands are fewer
and the skin secretion is less intense [Yamane and Ono, 1936]. Detailed studies
on the growth of the buffalo as compared with that of cattle have been undertaken
by Maymone [1945]. The number of chromosomes is 2n=48, forty rod-shaped
and eight V-shaped, the V's being clearly distinguishable in size, while in cattle
the chromosome number is 2n=60 [Makino 1944]. Cattle zebu crosses are fertile
while cattle buffalo offspring have never been produced.
In their habits buffaloes resemble cattle apart from a few exceptions. They
are strong swimmers (swim very low in the water only the eyes and nostrils above
the surface) and are exceedingly fond of wallowing in pools, plastering themselves
with mud, possibly to get rid of the external parasites. An account of their past,
present and future in agriculture, and also a brief review on their reproduction follow.
(a) Agricultural Utility.—The buffalo is semi-aquatic in its natural habitat,
and is to be found in places which, far from being swampy, provide severest climatic
conditions both in the summer and in the winter, with a limited amount of rainfall.
It is highly valued almost throughout the East wherever rice is cultivated. It can
adapt itself to varying conditions to a remarkable degree. This is one of the main
reasons why it does so well as a dairy animal in many countries where it has been
imported under conditions different from those prevailing in its natural habitat.
In some countries, the buffalo is regarded as the best animal for butter production
in the tropics, while cattle are superior for milk production. The buffalo is docile,
hardy and a regular and steady yielder. It is not very susceptible to changes
of place, milker or feed. The mammary glands are exceptionally well developed.
Its capacity to convert feeding stuffs into milk is probably unequalled by any other
species of farm animal. The lactation period lasts from 10 to 18 months and the
milk contains nearly twice as much fat (buffalo's milk contains 6 to 13 per cent fat)
and total solids as does the milk of the European cow. The buffalo's milk is used
mainly for the production of butter (for table and cooking), while the by-products
of the dairy industry (butter-milk, skim-milk and skim-cheese) are used for human
and animal consumption. It has been stated that the application of water to the
body surface of the animal lowers the body temperature and prevents reduction