 | |
| Conservation status | |
|---|---|
| Country of origin | Italy |
| Distribution | Throughout Italy, principallyCampania |
| Type | River |
| Use | Dairy, meat; formerly draught |
| Traits | |
| Weight |
|
| Height |
|
| Skin colour | Dark slate-grey |
| Coat | Black |
| |
TheItalian Mediterranean buffalo is an Italianbreed ofwater buffalo.[3] It is of the river sub-type of water buffalo and is similar to the buffalo breeds ofHungary,Romania, and theBalkan countries. It is the only indigenous water buffalo breed in Italy.[4]: 94 Aherd-book was opened in 1980, and the breed was officially recognised in 2000.
There are conflicting hypotheses concerning the origins of the Europeanwater buffalo: one, based on fossil bones found in the valleys of theElbe and theRhine, is that it descends from the extinct European wild speciesBubalus murrensis; others believe that water buffalo were brought to Europe inRoman times, or in the sixth and seventh centuries by invading peoples such as thePannonian Avars, or later, bycrusaders returning fromMesopotamia.[5]: 967 A genomic study in 2020 gave some support to the first hypothesis.[6]: 2
In 1979, a national association of buffalo breeders, theAssociazione Nazionale Allevatori Specie Bufalina, was formed, and a genealogicalherd-book for the buffalo was opened in the following year.[4]: 94 The Italian Mediterranean buffalo breed was officially recognised in 2000.[7]
In 1953, the total number of buffalo in Italy was estimated at40000 head.[4]: 94 The numbers of buffalo reported by theItalian National Institute of Statistics in 2012[8] and 2013[9] were, byregion:
| Region | 2012 | 2013 |
|---|---|---|
| Basilicata | 626 | 430 |
| Calabria | 778 | 271 |
| Campania | 260153 | 266236 |
| Emilia–Romagna | 158 | 409 |
| Friuli–Venezia Giulia | 80 | 39 |
| Lazio | 66546 | 69244 |
| Lombardy | 3394 | 3542 |
| Marche | – | 49709 |
| Molise | 1912 | 745 |
| Piedmont | 795 | 49 |
| Puglia | 7470 | 5999 |
| Sardinia | 5139 | 2507 |
| Sicily | 768 | 2454 |
| Trentino–Alto Adige | 8 | – |
| Tuscany | 110 | 48 |
| Umbria | 29 | 20 |
| Veneto | 895 | 957 |
| Total | 348861 | 402659 |
The largest numbers are reared in the provinces ofCaserta and ofSalerno, Campania, followed by those ofFrosinone and ofLatina, which although in Lazio fall within the area of production of themozzarella di bufala campana.[10]: 26
The Italian Mediterranean buffalo is black, with dark slate-grey skin and blackhooves. White markings may be present on the head, on the lower legs or on the switch of the tail.[4]: 95 Total albinism may occur, but is much less common than in the buffaloes of Asia, where the incidence of albinism is in the range5%–8%.[4]: 95
Bulls commonly stand about 143 centimetres (56 in) at thewithers, with a weight of some 500–600 kilograms (1,100–1,300 lb); they may reach weights of up to 800 kilograms (1,800 lb).Sexual dimorphism is less marked in domestic buffalo than in cattle; cows stand about 138 centimetres (54 in), with weights in the range 300–450 kilograms (660–990 lb).[4]: 95
In the past the buffalo was widely used as adraught animal. Buffalo also kept waterways and drainage channels clear of weed, swimming in the deeper parts and wading in the shallows.[11]
The Italian Mediterranean buffalo is now raised andselectively bred principally for the production of thebuffalo milk used to makebuffalo mozzarella, notably themozzarella di bufala campana ofCampania, which hasprotected designation of origin (PDO) status.[4]: 95 Other dairy products includingburrata,caciotta di bufala,ricotta di bufala,scamorza di bufala,stracchino di bufala,stracciatella di bufala, andyogurt are also made from the milk. Lactation lasts on average 277 days, and usually yields 1,600–1,800 kilograms (3,500–4,000 lb) of milk; yields of 2,000–3,000 kilograms (4,400–6,600 lb) per lactation are not uncommon,[4]: 95 and yields of more than 5,000 kilograms (11,000 lb) have been recorded.[10]: 26 In 2012, a total of 192,455,300 kilograms (424,291,300 lb) of buffalo milk was produced in Italy, about 1.7% of total milk production in that year;[12] the fat content was an average of 7.92%.[13]
Some are butchered, either for fresh meat or for preserved meat products such asbresaola di bufalo.[4]: 95 In 2012, a total of 118,653 buffalo were slaughtered in Italy, for a total live weight of 47,416,700 kilograms (104,535,900 lb), approximately 2.7% of the total weight of bovines slaughtered that year. The average carcass yield was 50.6%.[14]
In the past, the buffalo were left to forage on poor or marshy ground.[4]: 96 In the 21st century, management is invariablyintensive: the dairy herd may be stabled or kept in an enclosure close to themilking parlour, and is fed a protein- and energy-rich diet.[10]: 26 In 2005, the median herd size was approximately 90; by 2023 it had risen to above210.[10]: 26 [2]
Media related toItalian Mediterranean buffalo at Wikimedia Commons
