Origin, domestication and expansion of domestic buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) in Yugoslavia
2000
Cobic, T.M. (Faculty of Agriculture, Novi Sad (Yugoslavia))
The origin and zoological characteristics of buffalo, its domestication and expansion in the world and in Yugoslavia are presented in the paper. Buffaloes arrived to Yugoslavia from two directions, southern and northern. They were primarily used as draft animals, then for milk production, while the meat production was secondary. It is considered that as draft animals they are stronger than oxen, and their modesty in nutrition and capability of using poor quality feeds is specially appreciated. Under conditions of intensive management they may yield 1800 kg of milk with high butterfat content. As draft animals they were gradually replaced by horses, and then by tractors, which caused a decrease of their importance in agriculture. However, elsewhere in the world, the buffalo is still indispensable, specially in the regions of rice growing.
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