Global InformationBanni buffalo information
Banni buffalo, which are also known as "Kutchi" or "Kundi", is a breed of buffalo found primarily in the Kutch district of Gujarat, India.[1] The word 'Banni' is specific to not only the buffaloes but as well as the pasture grass species which are native to this region.[2] This breed of buffaloes is usually bred and preserved by a local community found in Kutch, called the 'Maldharis'.[1] An average Banni buffalo yields around 12 to 18 litres of milk each day.[3]
The Banni buffalo has a different genetic makeup as compared to more common breeds, which allows for longer lactation periods, higher milk production potentials and also makes it disease resistant.[1][4] It has also become the main source of livelihood for Maldharis, and they are also slowly gaining popularity in other regions such as Mumbai.[4] The Banni buffalo is well-adapted to survive the extreme weather conditions such as water scarcity, frequent droughts, low humidity and high temperatures, unlike other commonly found buffaloes such as the ‘Murrah’ and ‘Jaffarabadi’. The Banni buffalo breed sustains itself in these harsh climatic conditions by consuming the naturally available grasses growing in this belt. They are also trained to return by themselves to their specific hamlets in the morning.
- ^ a b c "Banni | Dairy Knowledge Portal". dairyknowledge.in. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ Harish Damodaran (30 November 2017). "The incredible Banni buffalo breed: In arid Kutch, a village of 30 families that supplies Rs 2.2 crore worth of milk a year". The Indian Express. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
- ^ Jadav, P. V., Bhatti, R., & Das, S. (19 November 2013). "Dairy Farming: Banni buffalo, the unique and valuable germplasm of Kutch". Dairy Farming. Retrieved 6 October 2018.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link) - ^ a b Mishra, B., Singh, K., Chavan, D., Sadana, D., Kataria, R., Kathiravan, P., & Ahlawat, S. (2017). Characterization of Banni buffalo of Western India. Retrieved from http://www.fao.org/tempref/docrep/fao/012/i0831t/i0831t04.pdf Animal Genetic Resources Information, No. 44, 2009