Buffalo (Bubalus bubalis)

A buffalo is a large ruminant animal belonging to the family Bovidae, mainly reared for milk, meat, draught power, and manure. It is an important livestock species in tropical and subtropical countries. Buffaloes are broadly classified into river buffaloes and swamp buffaloes based on their utility and habitat.

River and Swamp Buffalo

Buffaloes are mainly divided into two types: river buffalo and swamp buffalo. River buffaloes are primarily reared for milk production and are common in countries like India and Pakistan. They are usually black in colour and have tightly curled horns. Swamp buffaloes are mainly used for draught purposes in marshy and paddy-growing areas of Southeast Asia.

Character	Water Buffalo	Swamp Buffalo
Chromosome Number (2N)	50	48
Purpose of rearing	Milk	Draught & Meat
Wallowing habbit	In clean water (e.g. pond, river, canal)	In swamp/mud
Distribution	India, Pakistan	Southeast Asia (China, Malaysia, Thailand)

Wallowing

Wallowing is the act of rolling or lying in water, mud, or wet soil by animals, mainly buffaloes and pigs, to regulate body temperature, protect the skin, and control ectoparasites.

Wallowing is mainly seen in Buffalo and Pig. It may also be observed in animals like rhinoceros, elephant, and wild boar.

Purposes or advantages of Wallowing are:

• Thermo-regulation
• Ectoparasite control (e.g. ticks, lice, flies)
• Natural sunscreen & skin protection (mud)
• It provides comfort & relief

Cattle Vs Buffalo

Character	Cattle	Buffalo
Hump	Absent or Present	Absent
Dewlap	Present	Absent
Horn	Rounded & conical	Broad & flat
Sweat Glands	Well developed (more no.)	Very less in number