With selective breeding, improved management and the establishment of more dairy herds, milk yields are increasing worldwide. There are many which yield 4,000 litres in a lactation of 300 days. And, some have even attained a record of 5,000 litres. The potential for increased milk production, therefore, exists . There is no reason why the Murrah and other riverine breeds should not exceed the volumetric yield of the best milk cows.
Buffalo milk contains about twice as much butterfat as cow milk .
There is no physiological need for concentrate feed to maintain this level. When concentrates are fed, the fat content rises. When fed ad lib, it can exceed 15 per cent. Fed to excess, this figure can be much higher. The buffalo, in fact, releases unwanted fat in the milk and stores only a minimum in the body tissues.