Water buffalo

**Taxonomy and Classification:**
– Carl Linnaeus described the water buffalo in 1758.
– The wild and domestic forms were once treated as conspecifics.
– The scientific name Bubalus arnee is valid for the wild form.
– Different names were proposed for river and swamp types in the 1970s.
– Bubalus carabanensis is considered a junior synonym of Bubalus kerabau.

**Physical Characteristics:**
– River buffaloes have longer faces and bigger limbs than swamp buffaloes.
– Swamp buffaloes are heavy-bodied and stockily built.
– Water buffaloes can weigh from 300-550kg, with some exceeding 1,000kg.
– Tedong bonga is a piebald water buffalo with unique coloring.
– Water buffalo-cattle hybrids can reach maturity in laboratory experiments.

**Ecology and Behavior:**
– River buffaloes prefer deep water, while swamp buffaloes wallow in mudholes.
– Both types are adapted to hot and humid climates.
– Water availability is crucial for thermoregulation.
– Some breeds can thrive in saline seaside shores.
– Water buffaloes graze on various aquatic plants and help control invasive species.

**Diet and Feeding Habits:**
– Water buffaloes feed on aquatic plants and graze submerged during floods.
– Green fodders like alfalfa and maize are used for milk production.
– Fodders such as banana leaves, sorghum, and sugarcane are common.
– Citrus pulp and pineapple wastes are safe for buffalo consumption.
– In Egypt, sun-dried dates make up to 25% of the standard feed mixture.

**Reproduction, Domestication, and Genetic Studies:**
– Swamp buffaloes reach reproductive age later than river breeds.
– Mating behavior in males can continue until they are 12 years old.
– Mitochondrial DNA analyses indicate that river and swamp buffalo were domesticated independently.
– The global water buffalo population was about 172 million in 2011.
– Genetic studies show that swamp and river buffaloes were crossbred in China.