History

Domestication of Buffaloes Most species of the presentfarm and pet animals were domesticated before the beginning of written history. Paleolithic man started gathering food by hunting wild animals, mostly herbivorous, because these species were grazers and browsers due to which it was easier to kill them. This process gradually changed to taming and then domestication. Review of the accessible ancient literature of India and other civilizations from the Vedic period through the Epic, Puranic and Medieval period and modern studies reveal the existence of different kinds of buffaloes in Asian, African and some European countries. However, buffaloes are considered to have originated in Asia and Africa. Americas and Australia were devoid of buffaloes and the Europeans introduced different types of domesticated buffaloes in these continents.

Existence of different kinds of Indian (Asiatic) buffaloes has been recorded in all ages. In ancient literature, different forms of buffaloes have been described, ranging from docile riding beast to furious and powerful demons in the mythology of India, China, Indo-China, Assyro-Babylonia and ancient Persia.

Domestication of buffalo started much later than the domestication of horses, donkeys, dogs, cattle, sheep, goats and elephants. Buffalo was considered animal of the demon group and hunted for food upto Ramayana and Mahabharata epical period. In 'Ram Charit Manas' of Tulsidas, Demon King 'Ravana' went to awake his brother 'Kumbhakarna' from his deep sleep of six months and ordered to arrange supply of thousand pitchers of wine and large number of buffaloes for the feast of Kumbhkarna. During Mahabharata period too, buffalo was listed as wild animal. However, there is mention of rearing boars, buffaloes and elephants for food and other purposes. Buffaloes were well domesticated in the Indian subcontinent by the era of medieval period and they were considered milch animals along with cows, goats and sheep (Kautilya's Arthasastra 381-186 B.C.).

A majority of the modern historians believe that buffaloes were first tamed and then domesticated for working in various agricultural operations before 2500 B.C. in

Mesopotamia during the period of Akkadian dynasty and in Indus valley civilization of Indian subcontinent extending to Harappa, Mohanjodaro and some parts of Gujarat, Rajasthan and Haryana.

Evidence is available on the seals and sculptures, mostly depicting male buffaloes crowned with typical crescentic and massive horns now prevalent among the wild Indian and Swamp buffalo (Zeuner, 1963). On one of the seals of the Indus valley excavation in Lahore Museum, depiction of a buffalo on feeding trough can be considered a valid evidence of domestication of buffalo during that period. Some multicoloured ceramics of Nal culture of South Baluchistan exhibit buffaloes (Brentzes, 1969) and it is considered contemporary with the Indus valley culture.

Another river valley civilization - the Shang Dynasty (probably during 1766-1123 B.C.), existed along the Yangtze and Yellow rivers in China. Presence of tamed buffaloes has been mentioned in the Shang dynasty during the second millennium B.C. (White, 1974). The importance of buffalo in the life of people during Shang dynasty, as an important animal of socio-economic and cultural significance, is evident from the depiction of buffalo in different forms on the vessels and pillars of Shang period (Brentjes, 1969). Studies of skeletal fossils found during breaking of land in the North-East Thailand for rice cultivation provided evidence of buffalo domestication during the second millennium B.C. around 1600 B.C. (contemprary to Shang dynasty period) in Southeast Asian countries.

Till the restoration of further information on the domestication of buffaloes, it may be more appropriate to believe that wild buffaloes of the Indus valley (Bubalus arnee) were first tamed and domesticated in the region and then extended to Mesopotamia in the west and upto china in the east. From Mesopotamia, it spread westwards.

Indo-gangetic plain is the world's largest fertile plain where the world's first civilization settled for food security. The large area in the Indus valley was covered with marshy grasses, dense forests and grasslands intercepted by many rivers, streams and other water resources which provided suitable environment for human settlement and buffalo domestication in the valley.

Evolution of large number of buffalo breeds by people in the Indian subcontinent clearly suggests the importance given to this animal as a source of food and power, which were sufficient grounds for its domestication. Deep involvement of the people of this region led to evolving several breeds of buffaloes capable of thriving and performing in the prevalent agro-climatic conditions and herbage. Probably milk production formed the basis of selection and breeding which resulted in the evolution of farmers' dairy breeds of riverine buffalo like Murrah, Kundi, Nili Ravi, Jaffarabadi, Mehsana, Surti etc.

Geographical division between Riverine and Swamp buffaloes is assumed to be provided by Patkai, Barail and Arkan-Yoma mountain ranges of Burma. Buffaloes to the west of these mountains are supposed to be the River type and those distributed to the east of these mountains (Far East) are believed to be the Swamp type.

All descript and nondescript South Indian buffaloes resemble Swamp buffaloes in external features with low milk yield and small body size. The karyotype of Orissa buffaloes is similar to 48 (????) chromosomes of Swamp buffalo (Bidar et al 1986). Therefore, the demarcation line between distribution of River and Swamp breeds within India (North South) is yet to be established by cytotaxonominists based on karyotypes. All nondescript and descript north Indian buffaloes are Riverine type (Chukrubarthi and Benjamin 1980).

Murrah

Habitant

Central Haryana & Delhi PhenotypicTraits Horns Colour Size Forehead Tail short & tightly curled Jet Black Long body with massive frame Light neck and head Long, White switch common

Average Production Traits 305 days Milk Yield Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval 2000Kg 44 months 300 days 453 days

NiliRavi

Habitant

Westorn Punjab Phenotypic Traits Horns Small and curled

Average Production Traits 305 days Milk Yield 1950 Kg

Age at First Calving

45.3 months

Colour Size

Black, white spots on forehead, muzzle, feet; Walled eyes Medium to large with deep frame

Lactation length 300 days Calving Interval 487 days

Forehead Heavy head convex at centre Tail Long, White switch common

Jaffarbadi

Habitant Average Production Traits 305 days Milk Yield

Southern Gujarat Phenotypic Traits Curved downward, compressing head Black, Dam tan Massive body with long and tender neck

1850 Kg 50.7 months 300 days 440 days

Horns

Age at First Calving

Colour

Lactation length Calving Interval

Size

Forehead Heavy and wide head Tail Medium

Mehsana

Habitant Average production Trait 305 days Milk Yield Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval

Northern Gujrat Phenotypic trait 1700 Kg 42.2 months 310 days 476 days Horns Colour Size Slightly curved upward, inward Black, Dark tan Medium

Forehead Wide & light depression in middle Tail Long, Switch black, Brown/White also common

Marathwada

Habitant

Marathwada region of Maharashtra Phnotypic Traits

Average Production traits

305 days Milk Yield Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval

1000Kg

Horns

Medium length,parallel to neck reaching shoulder Grayies black to jet black light to medium, compact stature Long narrow face, white mark on head common Short, White switch common

55.7months Colour 300 days 435 days Size Forehead Tail

Nagpuri

Habitant

Vidarbha region of maharashtra Phenotypic Trait Horns Long, flat, curved backwards on side of neck Black Medium with slightly deep back Long, Cone shaped , straight nasal bone Short, White switch commo

Average Production Trait 305 days of Milk Yield Age at First Lactation Lactation length Calving Interval 1200 Kg

55.8 months
270 days 430 days

Colour Size Forehead Tail

Pandharpuri Habitant Southern Maharasthra Phenotypic Traits Horns Long touching hock bone Blackish with grey Medium

Average Production Traits 305days Milk yield 1400 Kg

Age at First Calving 44.8months Colour Lactation Length Calving Interval 350 days 465 days

Size

Forehead Long narrow face, Prominant thick neck Tail Short, White switch common

Bhadawari

Habitant

U.P and adjoining M.P Phenotypic Traits Horns Curling downward, backward then upward Copper coloured hair skin, white ring under neck Medium with wedge shaped body

Average Production Traits 305 days Milk Yield Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval 1100 Kg

50.0months Colour 270 days 478 days Size

Forehead Small and bulging shaped homs Tail Thick and long with brown switch

Surti

Habitant

South Western Gujrat Phenotypic Traits Horns Sickle shaped growing downward ,tip upward Black as well as brown Medium

Average Production Traits

305 days Milk Yield

1400Kg

Age at First Calving 56.4months Clolour Lactation Length Calving Interval 290 days 535 days Size

Forehead Broad, long and convex between homs Tail Long thin flexible, white switch common

Toda

Habitant

Western Tamil Nadu Phenotypic Traits

Average Production Traits

305 days Milk Yield 700 Kg Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval

Horns

Long and semicircular Light to dark grey Medium/long with broad and deep chest

47.0months Colour

250days 480days

Size

Forehead Broad and concave Tail Long and slim with black switch

Swamp

Habitant

Brahmputra river banks in north east Phenotypic Traits Horns Colour Size Forehead Tail Straight with turn at ends Slaty black/dark-tan/albino Small and compact Light neck and head Medium Length

Average Production Traits 305 days Milk Yield Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval 500Kg 55months 313 days 511days

Banni

Habitant

Kachchh, Gujarat PhenotypicTraits Horns Vertical & Inverted Single Coiling Black & Copper Medium to Large

Average Production Traits Total lectation milk yield Age at First Calving Lactation Length Calving Interval 2857.21+-89.76 40.28+-0.25 months

Colour

300.96+-4.43 days Size 12.24+-0.08 months

Forehead Broad & Convex with Spot Tail White & Black