HistoryDomestication 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

Average Production Traits PhenotypicTraits

305 days Milk Yield 2000Kg Horns short & tightly curled

Age at First Calving 44 months Colour Jet Black

Lactation Length 300 days Size Long body with massive frame

Calving Interval 453 days Forehead Light neck and head

Tail Long, White switch common

NiliRavi

Habitant Westorn Punjab

Average Production Traits Phenotypic Traits

305 days Milk Yield

1950 Kg Horns Small and curled

Age at First Calving

45.3 months

ColourBlack, white spots on forehead, muzzle, feet; Walled eyes

Lactation length 300 days Size Medium to large with deep frame

Calving Interval 487 days Forehead Heavy head convex at centre

Tail Long, White switch common

Jaffarbadi

Habitant Southern Gujarat

Average Production Traits

Phenotypic Traits

305 days Milk Yield 1850 Kg HornsCurved downward, compressing head

Age at First Calving50.7 months

Colour Black, Dam tan

Lactation length 300 days SizeMassive body with long and tender neck

Calving Interval 440 days Forehead Heavy and wide head

Tail Medium 

Mehsan

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Habitant Northern Gujrat

Average production Trait

Phenotypic trait

305 days Milk Yield 1700 Kg Horns Slightly curved upward, inward

Age at First Calving42.2 months

Colour Black, Dark tan

Lactation Length 310 days Size Medium

Calving Interval 476 days Forehead Wide & light depression in middle

TailLong, Switch black, Brown/White also common

Marathwada

        

Habitant Marathwada region of Maharashtra

Average Production traits Phnotypic Traits

305 days Milk 1000Kg Horns Medium length,parallel to neck reaching

Yield shoulder

Age at First Calving

55.7months Colour Grayies black to jet black

Lactation Length 300 days Size light to medium, compact stature

Calving Interval 435 days ForeheadLong narrow face, white mark on head common

Tail Short, White switch common

  

Nagpuri

Habitant Vidarbha region of maharashtra

Average Production Trait Phenotypic Trait

305 days of Milk Yield

1200 Kg HornsLong, flat, curved backwards on side of neck

Age at First Lactation

55.8 months

Colour Black

Lactation length 270 days Size Medium with slightly deep back

Calving Interval 430 days ForeheadLong, Cone shaped , straight nasal bone

Tail Short, White switch commo 

Pandharpuri

Habitant Southern Maharasthra

Average Production Traits Phenotypic Traits

305days Milk yield 1400 Kg Horns Long touching hock bone

Age at First Calving 44.8months Colour Blackish with grey

Lactation Length 350 days Size Medium

Calving Interval 465 days Forehead Long narrow face, Prominant thick neck

Tail Short, White switch common 

Bhadawari

Habitant U.P and adjoining M.P

Average Production Traits Phenotypic Traits

305 days Milk Yield

1100 Kg Horns Curling downward, backward then upward

Age at First Calving

50.0months ColourCopper coloured hair skin, white ring under neck

Lactation Length 270 days Size Medium with wedge shaped body

Calving Interval 478 days Forehead Small and bulging shaped homs

Tail Thick and long with brown switch 

Surti

Habitant South Western Gujrat

Average Production Traits Phenotypic Traits

305 days Milk Yield

1400Kg HornsSickle shaped growing downward ,tip upward

Age at First Calving 56.4months Clolour Black as well as brown

Lactation Length 290 days Size Medium

Calving Interval 535 days Forehead Broad, long and convex between homs

Tail Long thin flexible, white switch common 

Toda

Habitant Western Tamil Nadu

Average Production Traits Phenotypic Traits

305 days Milk Yield 700 Kg Horns Long and semicircular

Age at First Calving 47.0months Colour Light to dark grey

Lactation Length 250days Size Medium/long with broad and deep chest

Calving Interval 480days Forehead Broad and concave

Tail Long and slim with black switch 

Swamp

Habitant Brahmputra river banks in north east

Average Production Traits Phenotypic Traits

305 days Milk Yield 500Kg Horns Straight with turn at ends

Age at First Calving 55months Colour Slaty black/dark-tan/albino

Lactation Length 313 days Size Small and compact

Calving Interval 511days Forehead Light neck and head

Tail Medium Length 

Banni

Habitant Kachchh, Gujarat

Average Production Traits PhenotypicTraits

Total lectation milk yield

2857.21+-89.76 HornsVertical & Inverted Single Coiling

Age at First Calving40.28+-0.25 months

Colour Black & Copper

Lactation Length 300.96+-4.43 days Size Medium to Large

Calving Interval12.24+-0.08 months

Forehead Broad & Convex with Spot

Tail White & Black