2LearnKept species
Water buffalo
Bubalus bubalis
The water buffalo was domesticated in Asia and is kept for milk, meat and draught work, especially in wet rice-growing country. River types are mainly dairy animals, while swamp types work in paddy fields. Their rich milk is the traditional milk for mozzarella.
About
Species of large bovid originating in South Asia.
- Family
- Bovidae
Keeping
How it is kept
Kept for
- Dairy
- Meat
- Draught work
- Mature weight
- 350–900 kg
- Gestation
- 310 days
- Temperament
- Usually docile with familiar handlers; protective of calves
- Forage
- Efficient grazers of coarse grasses and wetland plants, with clean water and minerals.
- Housing
- A wallow, pond or deep shade to keep cool, because they have few sweat glands. Strong fencing and shelter from cold weather.
- Good to know
- Water buffalo cannot cool themselves well and need water or mud to wallow in during hot weather. Their milk is high in fat and protein. They are long-lived and bond strongly with familiar people.
Photos, videos and notes
From keepers
Known as
Names around the world
- en
- water buffalo, domestic water buffalo
Full detailsevery field on the record, to copy
- Name
- Water buffalo
- Slug
- water-buffalo
- Kingdom
- Animalia
- Family
- Bovidae
- Genus
- Bubalus
- Species
- bubalis
- Wikidata QID
- Q42710
- Container suitable
- No
- Indoor suitable
- No
- OSSI pledged
- No
- Hazard level
- 1
- Data completeness
- 48
Generated sections & citations
summarywikidata