BREEDS OF

BUFFALO
Prepared by:
Rialyn V. Regalado
Learning outcomes:

Familiarized the different breeds of

livestock and poultry species in terms of
their characteristics and origin
Identified breeds and breed classification
of existing farm animals
Recommended breed to raise under local
condition
What is a breed?

 Animals with a common origin and selection

history. Animals within a breed have physical
characteristics that distinguish them from other
breeds or groups of animals within that same
species. Animas within a breed tend to breed
true for the specific traits they have been
selected for and that characterize the breed.
There are two types;
River Type
• 2n = 50
• Black or dark gray in color
• Tightly curled or drooping
straight horn
• Dairy type buffalo can
produce 8 – 10 litters of milk
Swamp Type
• 2n = 48
• Light gray, white bands
below the jaw and across
the chest and legs
• Sickle-shaped horns
• 1.5 – 2 kgs. of milk/da
 BREEDS OF
DAIRY WATER
BUFFALO
River Type – Dairy Type
Indian Buffalo Breeds
 Murrah
India
• It is the most important and well-known
buffalo breed in the world
• Black in colour. Massive and stocky
animals, heavy bones, horns are short and
tightly curled
• Tightly curved horn
• One of the most efficient milk and butter
fat producers.
• Milk fat content is 7.2%.
• Milk yield 1800 kg
• Lactation duration 305 days
• Adult male weight – 750 kilograms
• Adult female weight – 650 kilograms

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Surti
India
• Black Coat color. Skin is black or reddish.
• Horns are flat, of medium length, sickle shaped
and are directed toward and backward, and
then turn upward at the tip to form a hook.
• The peculiarity of the breed is two white collars,
one round the jaw and the other at the brisket.
• Milk fat content is 6.6 – 8.1%.
• Milk yield 2090 kg
• Milk protein 4.2-4.6%
• Lactation duration 305 days
• Adult male weight – 700 kilograms
• Adult female weight – 650 kilograms

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Jaffrabadi
India
• Black coloured coat
• The horns are heavy, inclined to droop at each side
of the neck and then turning up at point (drooping
horns).
• The average milk yield is 1000 to 1200 kgs.
• The bullocks are heavy and used for plowing and
carting.
• Milk fat content is 8.5%.
• Milk yield 1800-2700 kg
• Milk protein 4.2-4.6%
• Lactation duration 305 days
• Adult male weight – 600 – 1,500 kilograms
• Adult female weight – 550 (700 – 800) kilograms

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Anatolian buffalo
Turkey
• Black in colour, long hair, with variation in tail
length and frequent white switch.
• Height at withers of adult male is 138 cm, body
weight is 200-500 kg.
• Height at withers of adult female is 138 cm, body
weight is 200-500 kg.
• Lactation duration 220-270 days
• Milk yield – 700-1 000 kg
• Milk fat – 6.6 – 8.1 percent
• Milk protein – 4.2 – 4.6 percent
• Products: “peyaz peynern” made from buffalo
milk.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Azi Kheli
Pakistan
• Colour variation in Azi-Kheli is quite pronounced, varying from
complete albino animals to piebald to even black.
• Young animals have normal brownish hair, while hair coat
usually becomes scanty and thin in adults.
• Forehead has a white marking of varying size and can be
totally white with a tapering face.
• Horns are small semi-sickled in shape.
• The tail is characteristically short and slender.
• Estimated liveweight is 350 to 450 kg.
• The udder in lactating animals is fairly developed.
• Milk yield per lactation is about 1800 litres.
• Age at first calving is about 45 months with a calving interval of
18 months.
• Azi‑Kheli buffaloes are generally docile.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Azeri
India
• Population size: 600 000
• Description: Black in colour, short horns growing backwards.
• Height at withers of adult male is 137 cm, body weight is 400-600
kg.
• Height at withers of adult female is 133 cm, body weight is 400-600
kg.
• Husbandry: Housing differs from region to region. They are generally
untethered in summer and tied up in winter. In some areas, milking
females are tethered all year round.
• Average slaughter weight is 300 kg, at the age of 15 months.
• Carcass yield is 50 percent.
• Overall growth rate is 420 g/day.
• Dairy performance: Lactation duration 200-220 days
• Milk yield 1 200-1 300 kg
• Milk fat 6.6 percent
• Products: Milk, yoghurt, fresh cream, fresh cheese, butter, ice-
cream, rice pudding, churned yoghurt, dried whey, ghee.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Bangladeshi
Bangladesh

• Population size: 5 000

• Description: Black in colour, white spot
on the forehead and tail-switch in some
cases. Curled and short horns.
• Indigenous Bangladeshi buffaloes of the
River type are found in the South-West.
In the remaining parts of the country
they are either Swamp or crosses of
exotic breeds: Nili-Ravi and Murrah type.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Banni
India
• Black in colour.  Copper coloured animals are also seen.
• Forehead is elongated and straight with no slope towards horn
base.
• Horns are tightly coiled vertically with single to double coiling.
• The body is medium to large, compact and generally covered with
hairs.  Dewlap is absent and naval flap is medium. Udder is well
developed, round in shape and squarely placed.
• The hind and fore quarters are uniformly well developed, whereas
typically whole udder looks like four equal divisions with teats well
attached to each quarter. Majority of animals have conical teats
with round and pointed tips.
• Banni buffaloes yield on an average 2857.2 kg milk in a lactation
with fat % of 6.65. 
• The lactation yield ranges from 1095 Kg to 6054 Kg.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Bhadawari
India
• Medium size.
• Bulls: Around 475 kg
• Cows: Around 425 kg
• Climate tolerance: all climate
• Color: Copper – colored and grayish black
• Small and light head, bulging out between the horns
and sloping down slightly towards the forehead
• The head is slightly heavier and coarse in males.
• Two white lines at the lower side of the neck
• Their horns are curled slightly outwards, parallel to the
neck with the tips curled upwards.
• Their tail is long, thin and flexible running down the
hocks with black and white or pure white switch.
• Ears of the Bhadawari buffalo are of average size which
are rough and pendulous.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

 Bulgarian Murrah
Bulgaria
• Population size: 14 000
• Description: Black or black and brown or dark grey in colour. Body
weight of adult male is 700 kg. Body weight of adult female is 600
kg.
• Distribution: All over Bulgaria, Romania and South America.
• Husbandry: Buffaloes are traditionally managed under domestic
conditions together with the calf. They are hand-milked twice a
day.
• Average slaughter weight is 400 kg, at the age of 16 months.
• Carcass yield is 50.4 percent.
• Overall growth rate is 750 g/day.
• Dairy performance: Lactation duration 270-305 days Milk yield 1
800 kg Milk fat 7.04 percent
• Products: Yoghurt and milk by-products. Processed meat products
are very important: all kinds of salami and sausages, Pastarma,
lukanska and flat sausages.

BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO

Chilika
India
• brownish black or black.
• The buffalo is medium sized with
compact body, strong legs and
small udder. Horns are black,
straight, curved upward and
inward.
• Average lactation milk yield is 500
kg with an average milk fat of
8.7%.
• The lactation milk yield ranges
from 440 to 514 kilo grams and
milk fat ranges from 8.5 to   8.8%.
BREEDS OF DAIRY WATER BUFFALO
 Egyptian
Egypt
• Body colour: blackish grey in colour
• Head: Long and narrow, the jaws are long and strong. Eyes:
Long and dropping.Neck: Long, thin and straight. Ribs are
wide, deep and well sprung.
• Horns: Varies from lyre to sword-shaped.
• Tail: Low setting. Limbs: Lorelegs are rather short and heavy
boned.Rump: Rump is sloping.
• Body weight: Adult male 600 kg, adult female 500 kg.
• Height at withers: Adult male is 178 cm, adult female is 144
cm.

• Age at fist calving: 32 months. • Milk production per lactation:

• Dry period: 157-307. 1800-2200 kg
• Inter-calving period: 464-518 days. • Average milk fat: The average milk
• Average daily milk yield (Kg): The average milk fat 6.5-8.42% has been oberved.
production of Egyptian buffaloes is 7-8 litres per • Slaughtering age: 18-24 months.
day. • Slaughtering weight: 500 kg.
• Lactation period: 180-291 days.
Italian
Italy
• Daiy, meat, formerly draught
• Male weight: average 500–600 kg up to
800 kg
• Female weight: average 300–450 kg up to
650 kg
• Male height: average 143 cm
• Female height: average 135 cm
• Skin colour: dark slate-grey
• Coat: black
Mehsana
India
• Age at first parturition: Average 42-48 months.
• Milk lactation: 1800-2000 kg
• Parturition interval: 10-13 months with average of
16 months
• Milk fat percentage: average 7-7.5%
• Color: mostly black, a few animals is a brown color
• Forehead: wide & slight depression in middle.
• Horn: slightly curved upward, inward.
• Have good persistency.
• Male weight: average 750 kg
• Female weight: average 650 kg
• Age at first interval: 42.2 months
• Milk yield: 1200-1500 kg
• Lactation length: 310 days
• Calving interval: 476 days
Nili-Ravi
Pakistan, India
• Beed size: large
• They have a wedge shape, massive frame, small
curly horns, and wall eyes.
• They often have white markings on the forehead,
face, muzzle and legs and white switch of tail
(buffaloes with such markings high desired and
popularly called "Panj Kalian").
• They have a large, strong udder and are generally
docile.
• Average age at maturity is 30 months in males and
36 months in females.
• Longevity of production is good.
• Black or brown. White markings extending above
hock and knee and over the neck and body,
constitute a serious disqualification.
Romania buffalo
Romania
• Breed size: medium
• Good for both meat and milk production, milk is of
good quality
• Bull weight: average between 650 &680 kg
• Cows weight: average between 530 & 560 kg
• Climate tolerance: native climates
• Color: black
• Milk fat percentage: average 7.48%
• Protein: average 3.93%
• Milk production: average between 985 & 1455kg
per lactation.
• Lactation period: between 252 & 285 days
• First calving: 38-42 months of age
Siamese buffalo
Thailand
• Full-grown when it is 5-8 years old.
• Male weight: range from 520 – 560 kg
• Female weight: range from 360 – 440 kg
• Skin tone: range from grey to black
• Horns are unique, and their tips are
curved like the crescent moon.
• Can work until they are about reach 20
years of age, and their average age is
normally 25.
• Good for plowing, meat and milk
production
• Coat color: black, brown, grey, albino
Godavari
India
• Breed size: medium-statured with
compact body
• Colour: predominantly black with space
hair coat of coarse brown hairs.
• Horns: short, flat, curved, slightly
downwards, backwards and then
forward with loose ring at the trip.
• Udder size: medium, bowl-shaped and
well-paced medium-sized teats.
• Milk yield: around 2050 kg in a
lactation of 305 days.
Iraqi
Iraq
• Body: the biggest buffalo breed in the world.
• Body colour: Dark grey to balck and sometime spotted. Horns short
and grow upward forming a ring at the end.
• Height at withers: adult male is 142-148 cm, adult female is 137-
141 cm.
• Age at fist calving: 28-35 months.
• Lactation period: 210-250 days.
• Body weight: adult male 850-900 kg, adult female 650-700 kg. The
body weight of these buffaloes generally varies from 300-1000 Kg.
• Milk production per lactation: 1600-2100 kg.
• Milk fat: 5.0-6.5%.
• Milk protein: 3.8-4.6%.
• Slaughtering age: Males: 18-24 months, Females: 96-144 months.
• Slaughtering weight: Male: 450-600 Kg, females: 420-650 Kg.
Kalahandi
India
• Coat colour : ranges from blackish grey to grey.
Horns go horizontally backward, upward and inward
to make a half-circle appearance. The muzzle,
eyelids, tail and hooves are black in colour..
• Head : convex, hump is small and the udder is round
and medium in size. Tail extends below hock with
coarse hairs on switch.
• The animals are well-adapted to low input extensive
management system and graze in forest, hillocks,
road-side vegetation or harvested fields throughout
the day.
• Buffaloes are milked once in the morning before
grazing.
• Lactation milk yield is moderate, ranging from 680 to
912 Kg per lactation.ee4
Toda
India
• Quite powerful, and when
situation demands they fight
against wild animals as a team.
• Their herds are usually small, and
mainly comprises of few females,
seldom with one or two males. 
• The Toda bulls are known to
confine to dense forests, coming
out during the breeding season.
Swamp Type – Draft and
Meat Type

• Heart girth: 170-208 cm.
• Face length: 44-62 cm.
• Tail length: 70-95 cm.
• Horn length: 45-89 cm.
• Horn base: 16-27 cm.
• Daily milk yield (Kg): 0.5-6.0
litres per day.
• Average milk fat: 8.5%.
Assam
India
• Body: Medium sized
• Body colour: Usually black colour with varying
shades from dark to grayish black. Hairs are brown
tinged with some albino (light pink) buffaloes also
observed in the herd.
• Thick coat of hair
• Forehead: Skin coat:  Broad
• Face: Conical face
• Horns The horn pattern is mostly macrocerous
type, being nearly straight and turning at the ends.
Spirocerous type horns also seen, being curved
upward to form a circle.
• Udder: Developed inadequately.
• Body weight: 130-149 cm.
• Body length:  134-161 cm.
Australian
Australia
• Large size
• Long and large horns
• Grey or black in
coloration
• Purpose: Feral
• Climate tolerance:
Native climates
Buffalypso
Trinidad and Tobago
• Thick skin that withstands parasites
and its good quality beef and milk
production.
• Skin used in the manufacture of
leather goods; its outer layer is used
for belts and shoes and the thin inner
layer for handbags.
Burmese
Myanmar
• Varies locally in size,
color and horn.
Cambodian buffalo
Cambodia
• White or yellowish hair on a
pinkish skin, but the eyes, hooves,
and mouth are dark, and the skin
may be speckled. 
• Slightly bigger and have larger
horns.
• Males weigh on average 673 kg
(1,484 lb) and measure 141 cm
(56 in) at the withers
Carabao
Philippines
• Breed size: medium
• Low, wide, and heavy build of draught animals.
• Color: light grey to slate-grey. The horns are
sickle-shaped or curve backward toward the
neck. Chevrons are common.
• Black, strong and broad body.
• Some albino
• Average body height:  between 127 and 137 cm
for bulls, and between 124 and 129 cm for
cows.
• Average live body weight of the mature bulls is
between 420 and 500 kg. And average live body
weight of the mature cows is between 400 and
425 kg.
Chinese buffalo
China
• Rugged with strong constitution,
well-developed muscle, thin skin and
crude hairs.
• Body coat: Light gray in colour.
• Body weight: Adult is 600-650 kg,
some reach 1000 kg.
• Height at withers: Male 142.3 cm,
female 140.8 cm.
• Age at first mating: 2.5 years.
• Inter-calving period: 2 times in 3
years.
Malaysian
Malaysia
• Color: dark grey and
occasionally white.
• Crescent horns
• Originated from:
Bubalus arnee
Nepalese hill buffalo
Nepal
• Horns: sword-shaped and are
directed laterally or towards
the back of the body.
• Color: black coat color, skin
color, muzzle and eyebrow;
usually they have no leg
markings and chevron marks
are absent.
• Average body parameter
measures of female Parkote
buffalo (n=88).
Tedong buffalo
Indonesia
• Color: striped color
• When it comes to the
most expensive one, it is
called the caste of
Tedong Saleko. Those
who can afford it are
considered a noble.
THANK YOU!!!