Buffalo usually domesticated in Asian Countries. The Buffalo
is a multi-purpose animal. It is very good source of milk, meat and can
also serve as by doing heavy cattle work as buffalo contains natural
source of energy. The production of buffalo milk in Asia-pacific
region exceeds to 45 million tones annually. Out of which 30 million
tones are produced in India alone. Therefore, is very productive and
efficient especially in those agricultural countries where there is an
ample manpower and insufficient mechanization. The female Buffalo carry
horns as well as the males and often the female horns are wider than the
males, although they are usually slimmer then the male buffalo. The
digestive system of the buffalo is the most efficient of all the
herbivores allowing the buffalos to survive on plants other grazes
cannot digest. The lion is the main enemy of the buffalo; the lion is
very fond of buffalo meat. The buffalo have a reputation to be bad
tempered and dangerous to humans. This ferocious reputation is a little
unfair as like most animals they tend to avoid humans, unless harassed
or wounded. |
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Scientific Information |
| Kingdom: |
Animalia |
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Phylum: |
Chordata |
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Class:
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Mammalia |
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Order: |
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Family: |
Bovidae |
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Species: |
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Subgenus |
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| Physical Attributes: The female as well as male Buffalo carry
horns which in the males can grow to 1.5m; often the female horns are
wider than the males. Females are usually slimmer then the male buffalo.
To support the large body, the legs are very heavy. Front hooves are
larger than the hind because of the extra mass they carry in the huge
head and thick neck. Buffalo varies considerably in size, with some of
the forest populations half the size of those from the plains and
Savannah. |
| Reproductive System: After the Gestation period 285 days a
female buffalo can give birth to one or two calves. Their gestation
period is about a month longer than that of cows. Buffalo mate and give
birth strictly during the rainy seasons. Males leave their mothers when
they are two years old.
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| Uses of Buffalo
Buffalo meat was one of the main foods, but the Natives wasted
nothing. Hides were used for clothing and for tepees. Bones made
various implements, from knives and spears to needles. The horns
were used as cups and even various internal organs, like the
stomach and bladder, made pouches for food and bags to hold
water. The hooves often hung above the entrance to the teepee
and rattled when anyone entered. Even buffalo manure, known as
buffalo chips, was useful. Buffalo chips made an excellent wood
replacement and burned with a slow, steady heat. |
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