Buffalo meat

Did You Know?

• In India and Nepal, buffalo meat is differentiated from beef due to religious restrictions on cattle slaughter.
• Buffalo meat has a lower fat content than beef, with milky white fat compared to beef's yellow-white fat.
• Buffalo meat has a lower muscle pH (5.6±0.4) than beef (6.4±0.7) and less collagen.

Production

Buffalo are heavy animals, some weighing over a tonne, with exceptional muscular development. Their primary agricultural use is milk production; India leads globally with 57 million tonnes annually, 67% of the world total. Slaughter for meat is secondary. Meat from young buffalo, under 24 months, is of higher quality due to more muscle and less fat. India produces about 43% of the world's buffalo meat, with Uttar Pradesh as the leading state, followed by Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra. Production in India grew from 4.1 million tonnes CWE in 2014 to 4.3 million tonnes CWE in 2015.

Quality parameters of buffalo meat

Buffalo have been used as draught animals for centuries due to good muscular development. They are fed coarse feeds, converting them into lean, protein-rich meat, and can be raised cheaply on straw crop residues. Some work until age 30. Meat from buffalo reared up to 24 months on milk is high quality, lean, and less fatty than beef, with higher protein content than chicken. Buffalo are more resistant to disease than cattle. On a high-concentrate ration, growth rate is 610 g/day with feed efficiency of 7:1.

Indian export

India is a leading exporter of buffalo meat, surpassing Brazil. In 2015, India exported over 2.4 million tonnes, while Brazil exported 2 million tonnes and Australia 1.5 million tonnes. India holds 23.5% of global buffalo meat exports. Most exports go to Asian countries (over 80%), with Vietnam importing 45% of India's buffalo meat. Exports have grown about 14% yearly since 2011, earning over $4.8 billion in 2014, surpassing earnings from Basmati rice. Domestic consumption of buffalo meat fell 44.5% from 2000 to 2014, while chicken consumption rose 31%.

Consumption

In southern Italy's Campania region, where water buffalo are raised for mozzarella, buffalo meat is made into cured sausages. However, eating water buffalo meat was perceived as offputting by the late 1990s, with older animals' flavor described as too strong. Young water buffalo meat is said to taste much like beef, deeper and sweeter.