Egyptian Water Buffalo General Information:
Animal Dimensions:
- height at withers: 125-130 cm
- weight: 280-300 kg
- color: dark grey
- horns: extend backwards (sickle shape)
Principle usage:
- milk, meat, fertilizer
- no longer commonly used for plowing, pulling, riding, etc...
Milk production:
- 4-8 kg of milk twice daily (morning and evening)
- amount of milk produced depends of the amount of concentrate fed
- has at least a 7% milk fat
- milk is whiter in color than cow's milk
- days in lactation per year: 210-280
- average number of lactations: 7
Calving:
- age at first calving: 34-41 months
Housing:
- in isolated pens beside the house
- in pens connected to the house
- in fields (usually tied to the ground)
Watering:
- if buffaloes are kept near the house, they usually receive water
which is brought
in through pipes
- if buffaloes are kept in a field, they usually get their water from
irrigation canals
Feeding:
- usually fed baseem during the day and concentrate (corn, bran, cotton
seed, etc...)
at night
- it is better (but more expensive) to feed concentrate twice a day
instead of just once
a day
Temperament:
- can be vicious when handling (temperament can depend a lot on
environment and
level of confinement)
Availability of veterinary care:
- 2-3 veterinarians per small village is common
- a large village can have up to 20 veterinarians