There has never been a case of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

("mad cow" disease)) in water buffaloes.

Meat Production

Carcass Characteristics

Meat Quality

Eating Quality

What is Buffalo?

Buffalo are members of the bovine group of animals. They are cloven footed ruminants with four teats. Buffalo can not interbreed with cattle.

There are two species of buffalo. The African Buffalo (Syncerus) which are wild and Asian Buffalo (Bubalus) which are mainly  domesticated. The scientific name of Indian buffalo is Bubalus bubalis. Within the Asian Buffalo there are two distinct types ~ Swamp and River buffalo. Swamp buffalo tend to be indigenous to those parts of Asia, which do not have a great culture for drinking milk, or eating milk based products. This covers Indonesia northwards to China. River buffalo tend to be found in those countries where milk plays a major role in the human populations diet. This ranges from India , Pakistan , middle east, Caucasus and  Balkans region.

River buffalo are primarily a triple purpose animal producing milk, meat and draught power, whilst the swamp buffalo are kept mainly  for meat and draught. Buffaloes vary greatly in size. The single greatest reason for this variation is environmental. In areas where animal feed is scarce, the animals tend to be smaller than in those area  where it is abundant. Typically adult females can range anything between 350kg, high in the Himalayans, to 800kg in Bulgaria and Italy.

As buffalo are capable of surviving on very little they are often fed very little!

Latest estimates of the world population of water (domestic) buffaloes is around 150,000,000 animals in 50 countries worldwide.

Meat Production

Buffalo meat, like the milk is lower in cholesterol and higher in mineral content than that from cows. Lean buffalo meat has less than half (44%) of the total fat content of lean beef and has proportionately less saturated fat. In addition to  health benefits there is  added bonus for those who are concerned about BSE ~ there has been no incidence of BSE in any buffalo anywhere in the world. When cooked there is little noticeable difference in the beef & buffalo meats, either visually or in taste or texture.

The optimum weights for killing young bulls appears to range between 420 and 520kg (attained at 24-30 months of age). Due to the heavier head, hide and feet the killing out percentage is lower than cattle and is around 47-48%. Care should however be taken to ensure that finished animals are not over fat. This is easily achieved if excessive energy is included in the diet (buffalo are amazing feed converters). Whilst this does not tend to manifest itself in marbling.

Carcass Characteristics

All buffalo breeds ..... even milking ones ... produce heavy animals whose carcass characteristics are similar to those of cattle. Despite heavier hide and head, the amount of useful meat (dressing percentage) from buffaloes is almost the same as of cattle. Mediterranean type buffalo and Zebu cattle steers in Brazil yielded dressing percentages of 55.5% and 56.6% respectively. Swamp buffaloes dressing percentages have been measured in Australia at 53%. Cattle dressing% in Australia averages 53-56%. Generally buffalo have about 3% lower dressing percentages than cattle. Buffaloes are lean animals. Although a layer of subcutaneous fat covers the carcass, it is usually thinner than that of beef.

 Australian research on Swamp buffaloes reveals that buffaloes with more than 25% fat are difficult to produce, whereas average choice grade beef carcasses may contain about 35% fat. Yugoslavian researchers have found no difference between Mediterranean buffaloes and cattle (Buska breed) in carcass leanness and physical properties. This lower level of fat is sometimes seen even under feedlot conditions, although animals liberally fed concentrated rations will eventually fatten. Castrated males have a reasonably even layer of subcutaneous fat; it is often difficult to differentiate their carcasses from those of cattle steers of equivalent quality. In general, the buffalo carcass has rounder ribs, a higher proportion of muscle, and a lower proportion of bone and fat than beef has. Buffalo hide is so thick that it can be sliced into 2 or 3 layers before tanning into leather.

Meat Quality

Eating Quality

Taste panel tests and tenderness measurements, conducted by research teams in a number of countries have shown that the meat of the water buffalo is as acceptable as that of cattle. Buffalo steaks have been rated higher than beef steaks in some taste tests in Australia, Malaysia, Venezuela and Trinidad. In taste panel studies in Trinidad, cooked joints from 3 carcasses ... a Trinidad buffalo, a crossbred steer (Jamaica-Red/Sahiwal), and an imported carcass of a top grade European beef steer ....were served. The 28 diners  had experience in beef production, butchery, or catering and were not told the source of the various joints. All carcasses were held in cold storage for 1 week before cooking.

The buffalo meat was rated highest by 14 judges; 7 chose the European beef; 5 thought that crossbred beef is the best; and 2 said that the buffalo and crossbred were equal to or better than the European beef. The buffalo meat received the most points for color (both meat and fat); taste, and general acceptability. There was little difference noted in texture. Buffalo veal is considered a delicacy. Calves are usually slaughtered for veal between 3 and 4 weeks of age; dressed weight is 59-66% of live weight.

There is some evidence that buffaloes may retain meat tenderness  at more advanced age than cattle because the connective tissue hardens at a later age or because the diameter of muscle fibers in the buffalo increases more slowly than in cattle. In one test the tenderness (measured by shearing force) of muscle fibers from carcasses of buffalo & steers of 16-30 months old was the same as that from feedlot Angus, Hereford, and Friesian steers 12-18 months old. This gives the farmer more flexibility in meeting fluctuating markets price.

There has never been a case of BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy

("mad cow" disease)) in water buffaloes.

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