Breeds

The principle of care and management of buffaloes are similar to those of dairy cattle.

Breeds of Buffalo

Bhadawari
Bhadawari
Jafarbadi
Jafarbadi
Mehsana
Mehsana
Murrah
Murrah
Nagpuri
Nagpuri
Nili-Ravi
Nili-Ravi
Nili
Nili
Padharpuri
Padharpuri
Surti
Surti

(Source: http://dad.fao.org/)

 

Different Breeds of Buffaloes in India

Sr.No.

Breed

Habitat/Main State

Breeding Tract Districts

Assembling Centres

Remarks

1

Bhadawari

Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh

Bah Tehsil in Agra Adjoining areas of Gwalior

Local markets in Breeding areas (Agra, Kanpur, Etawah, Jalaun, Jhansi)

Dairy Breed

2

Jafarabadi

Gujarat

Kathiawar and Honreli

Breeding areas of Saurashtra

Dairy breed

3

Mehsani

Gujarat

Mehsana, Banaskantha, Sabarkantha tract in Gujarat

Ahmedabad, Mehsana and other places of breeding

Dairy breed

4

Murrah

Haryana, Uttar Pradesh, Punjab

Rohtak, Hissar, Karnal, Jind, Gurgaon, Western parts of Uttar Pradesh Nabha and Patiala

Rohtak, Bahadurgarh, Delhi, Jahanzgarh, Mahim, Hissar, Bhiwani, Hansi, Rewari, Ferozpur, Jirka, Nangloi

Dairy Breed

5

Nagpuri

Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh

Wardha, Nagpur Yeotmal, Adilabad, and adjoining parts

Vidarbha area of Maharashtra and Adilabad district of A.P.

Dual purpose breed

6

Nili Ravi

Punjab

Ferozepur (Montogomery Pakisatan)

Ferozpur District of Punjab

Dairy breed

7

Surti

Gujarat

Kheda, Vadodara

Throughout Gujarat

Dairy breed

8.

Pandharpuri

Maharastra

Solapur, Kolhapur and Sangli districts

Throughout Maharastra

Dairy breed

(Source: NDDB)

Breeds in Kerala

Murrah and Surti are the two breeds reared in Kerala. Murrah buffaloes are the best milk producing buffaloes of the world. The important characters of the breed include curled horns, jet black body with a white switch. White colour is not desirable in any other part of the body. Average production will be 2000-2500 litres in lactation. The presently used buffalo semen in Kerala is of Murrah bulls.

Surti are medium sized with sickle shaped horns. Surthi buffaloes are known for their reproduction efficiency. Average production is less than 1500 kg/lactation. Presence of two white chevrons, one just below the jowl region and the other one in the brisket region are said to be identifying character of the breed. Surthi breed was used previously to upgrade the local buffaloes of Kerala.

Reproductive and productive (Traits) in Indian buffaloes

Sr.No

Name of the breed

Age at first calving (months)

Calving interval (months)

Lactation yield (kg.)

Lactation length (days)

Dry period (days)

Milk yield kg/day during lactation

1

Bhadawari

50

15

1,080

270

180

4.0

2

Murrah

42

16

1,800

300

180

6.0

3

Nili-Ravi

54

16

1,950

300

180

6.5

4

Surti

44

16

1,765

330

150

5.5

5

Mehsani

50

14

1,620

270

150

6.0

6

Jaffarabadi

50

14

1,620

270

150

6.0

7

Pandharpuri

56

14

1,350

270

150

5.0

8

Marathwadi

50

14

1,015

270

150

3.5

9

Nagpuri

50

14

1,350

270

150

5.0

10

Dharwari

50

14

1,350

270

150

5.0

(Source: NDDB)