Top indigenous Buffalo breeds in India

Indian animal husbandry has been improving on buffalo breeds for over 5000 years. Buffalo breeds have been found in the Indian subcontinent since the time of the Indus Valley Civilization. This makes the practice of breeding buffalos in India one of the oldest in the world.

Indigenous Buffalo breeds are prized in India for its production of milk. Indian buffalos produce milk with a high-fat content that supplements the dairy industry. A single Indian buffalo can produce up to 2 times more milk than an Indian dairy cow. This makes keeping buffalos very lucrative for the dairy industry.

The defining factor of Indian buffalo is that it requires only moderate amounts of rainfall. Indian Buffalo is able to produce milk from medium fodder resources. They are highly adapted to the harsh and hot conditions of the Indian grasslands and environment. It is estimated that buffalos are attributed for 49% of milk production in the country. The rest 51% of dairy production is attributed to Indian cattle.

India has 12 hard and strong breeds of buffalo. These breeds have a high milk output and are able to produce milk from minimum fodder resources.

BAIF produces, sources, and sells high-quality buffalo bull semen for the breeding of indigenous breeds of buffalo. BAIF follows the highest standards set by the Indian government for the production, freezing, and supply of buffalo semen
. Breeding is done to enhance milk production and also to develop an animal that is able to survive the varied agroecosystem of India.

BAIF aims to increase the efficiency of small, medium, and large dairy farms with the supply of high-quality semen for buffalo breeding. BAIF has high-quality semen of indigenous breeds.

In this article, we will explore the top 8 indigenous breeds India that are available in the country.

The most popular indigenous breeds of buffalo in India

Let us take a look at the most popular breeds of buffalo that are available in India that are used for the production of milk.

Murrah
Murrah is the most important breed of buffalo in Haryana and Punjab. The breed can be found in Rohtak, Hisar, and Jind of Haryana and also the various region of Punjab. This breed of buffalo is also known as Delhi, Kundi, and Kali. The milk of this Buffalo has a butterfat content of 7%. The milk yield of this breed is 6.8 Kgs per day.

Surti
This breed of buffalo originates from the Kaira and Baroda district of Gujarat. This breed is a fair milker and produces 900 to 1300 Kgs of milk from a lactation season. Surti produces milk that has a high-fat percentage of 8 to 12 percent.

Jaffrabadi
Jaffrabadi breed of buffalo originates from the Gir forests, Kutch, and Jamnagar districts of Gujarat. Jaffrabadi breed produces 1000 to 1200 Kgs of milk yield. The bullocks of this breed are strong and heavy. They are commonly used for plowing and carting.

Bhadawari
The Bhadawari breed of buffalo originates from the Agra and Etawah district of Uttar Pradesh. Bhadawari is a fair yielder of milk and can produce 800 to 1000 Kgs of milk from a lactation season. This buffalo is able to thrive in arid regions and highly resistant to heat. The bullocks of this breed make excellent drought animals.

Nilli Ravi
This breed is common in the Sutlej Valley of Punjab. It is bred around the Ravi River. It is a proficient animal for the production of milk. The milk yield of Nilli Ravi is 1500 to 1900 Kgs per lactation. The inter calving period of this breed is 500 to 550 days.

Mehsana
Mehsana is found in the town if its namesake in Gujarat. It is a dairy breed f buffalo that produces 1200 to 1500 Kgs of milk per lactation. The breed has a strong milking persistency. The breed originates from the cross-breeding between the Surti and Murrah breeds.

Nagpuri
This breed of buffalo originates from the breeding tracts of Nagpur, Akola, and Amrawati in Maharashtra. The buffalo has fair milking capabilities. The age of first calving for this breed is 45 to 50 days.

Toda
The Toda breed of buffalo was first bred by the Toda Tribe of the Nilgiris in Maharastra. The Buffalo has a thick coat of hair that covers the body. The breed is more suited for higher altitudes and cooler climates. The average milk yield of this breed is 1000 to 1200 Kgs for every lactation season.