The buffalo is a pet that was tamed by humans more than 5,000 years ago. It is raised in many countries and is found all over the world. Buffalo farming is a great source of income and is one of the largest businesses in which many livestock breeders invest, because every part of their body can be used, in addition to their meat and milk, their skins, horns and even dung can be used and give profit.
Here are these lines to know wonderful information about the buffalo and the benefit it brings to humans.
What Does Buffalo Give Us?
The buffalo gives us the delicious milk that many love, and then it is turned into butter, cheese, ice cream and other dairy products. It is one of the high-milking animals that people used to milk for a long time. The horns and skin of the buffalo are used in many industries and benefit a lot from it. The buffalo is also used for transportation and pulling plows, and even their dung is used as fertilizer and in the production of fuel.
These animals were milked by hand in the past. But nowadays, most of the farmers use modern technology to milk the buffaloes. Some are not compatible with it and think it is a cruel method. Also buffalo gives good tender meat, which is a rich source of protein, and it also has a delicious taste.
What Are Buffalo Used For?
Buffalo products are used in many industries and large investments are based on them. Let’s go deeper into getting to know buffaloes and how they are a source of great profit by presenting some details about buffalo products.
Milk Production
The buffalo is the second source of milk in the world after cows. Buffaloes produce milk at a rate of 7 to 11 liters per day. The cow produces more milk at a rate of about 15 to 20 liters per day. Buffaloes are the main source of milk in some countries, such as some countries in South Asia, such as India and Pakistan, where buffaloes in these countries produce more milk than other livestock. Buffalo milk is the second most consumed type of milk as milk and dairy products after cow’s milk.
Buffalo milk has a high nutritional value just like cow’s milk, and there is no significant difference in the nutritional value of buffalo and cow’s milk. Buffalo milk is a good source of calcium and protein, so it is beneficial for the health of bones, teeth, and cardiovascular health. It is also a good way to gain weight because it contains a percentage of fat. [1]
The number of buffaloes currently in the world is estimated at about two hundred million heads. India contains the largest share of the number of buffaloes around the world, as there are approximately 120 million buffalo heads. Therefore, it is the largest producer of milk, as it produces about 67% of the global production, representing 57 million tons of it annually. It is also one of the largest exporters of buffalo meat in the world. Fresh buffalo milk is consumed in some countries such as Egypt, India, Pakistan, and Nepal at a rate of more than half of liquid milk.
Meat Production
Buffalo meat contains less fat than beef, and its fat is light and white, like the color of its milk, not yellow as in cows . While the color of buffalo meat is darker than the color of beef.
Buffaloes have exceptional muscular development and are considerably heavy, with some buffaloes exceeding a ton in weight.
Buffalo meat, especially young buffalo, is of much better quality than other cattle meat. Buffalo’s meat contains a higher percentage of muscle and at the same time a lower percentage of fat, it also contains a small amount of collagen, which makes it a good choice for those who are on a diet to lose weight.
Buffalo Skins
Buffalo skins have been used for many years to make clothing, upholstery, blankets, and shelters.
Buffalo Bones
Buffalo bone is also a source of benefit, as it is used in making many tools and kids toys.
Buffalo Horns
The horns are used to make household items such as spoons and cups.
Tendons
Tendons are used in the manufacture of strings, thread and bowstrings.
Agriculture And Tillage
Buffalo farmers have used them to plow their farms for many years, because buffaloes are among the most active animals that can work hard for a long time.
Dung
Buffalo dung is used as fertilizer for agricultural lands to increase the quality of its soil. It is also used in the production of fuel.
Now, we know that the next part may not be closely related the topic, however, we think that if you’re intending to benefit from buffalo, you need to know more about these animals. Here is a quick overview of some points about buffaloes:
10 Facts That You Need To Know About Buffaloes
The following 10 facts represents some general knowledge that you need to know before dealing with buffalos:
1. Size
Buffalo is a large animal weighing 1,500 to 2,650 lbs. Its body is about 8 to 9 feet long and has a long tail of 2 to 3.3 feet.
2. Horns
Buffaloes have horns, hooves and a hump on their back near their shoulders. There are many other characteristics of buffaloes that are varied all over the world, as there are many sub-species of buffaloes estimated at seven species all over the world.
3. Lifespan
The average lifespan of buffaloes is 25 years, but buffaloes can live 30 years if they are well cared for and kept in a good and healthy environment.
4- Nutrition
Buffaloes are herbivores. Feeding mainly on grasses, buffalo can eat on average daily up to 10 kg of fodder.
5- Breeding
A female buffalo gives birth once a year. As the pregnancy period is nine months. They give birth to one calf at a time. Twins are uncommon in buffaloes.
6- Friendly
Buffaloes are cute and docile animals in most cases, and they are good mothers. Buffaloes live with their calf and take care of it with love. But be careful not to get angry with these animals, as if the buffalo gets angry, they will destroy everything around it in the field or barn.
7- Hydrophilic
Buffalo loves water Hence, they like to smear their bodies in the mud and thus they thrive in the wide pastures and areas of rainfall.
8- Good Swimmers
Buffaloes are also great at swimming which is the most amazing thing about buffaloes. Buffaloes swim for grass and fodder and can swim not only in shallow waters but also in deep waters.
9- Social Wellbeing
Buffaloes are social beings and they like to be in a herd, so it is not good to raise a buffalo alone, but invest in more than one buffalo if you can afford that. Raising Buffaloes in flocks improves their psychological condition and increases their production rate.
10- Don’t worry about their snoring
Buffaloes make a very low and unobtrusive snoring sound that cannot even be heard by the human ear.
