Cape Water Buffalo??

[KSALguy]

some time ago i remimber seeing a program on Animal Planet that took a tour of a specialty dairy (cant remimber where it was) the dairy used Jersy cattle and what appeard to be Cape Buffalo? (it could have been another water buffalo) and i think there might have been some crosses of the two,


has anyone ever heard of useing water buffalo? any variety? and are they able to cross breed with domestic cattle like some of the other wild bovine spiecies do?

[stoneunhenged]

I think you're talking about two different species: Cape buffalo (an African big game animal) and water buffalo (a domesticated species that looks a lot like a Cape buffalo). Water buffalo are raised in the U.S. and fairly readily available. Their milk has superior ingredients for certain types of cheese like mozarella. The best Italian mozarella is made from water buffalo milk. The original breed stock was brought to Italy by the Romans thousands of years ago. You can do some quick online research and learn a lot about this interesting species.

[tyusclan]

Water buffalo have been domesticated for beef and milk in many areas.

I don't know anyone who would want to try that with a Cape buffalo.

[chickenista]

Yeah.. I'd give a buck to anyone brave enough to try to milk a Cape!
I worked with them at the preserve when I was a zookeeper. They are very aggressive and bold. No fear. I had two try to flip my truck. Fun.

[KSALguy]

does the water buffalo cross with domestic cattle? Yeah Cape buffalo are aggresive, i figured it was a kind of water buffalo but wasnt sure of the differinces between or even how many kinds of water buffalo there are.

[tyusclan]

Water buffalo and cattle will not cross. Here's a link to an article that mentions several bovine crosses. It says that the water buffalo X bovine embryo will fail around the 8-cell stage.

http://www.messybeast.com/genetics/hybrid-bovines.htm

About the Cape buffalo, I like how Robert Ruark described them in a hunting article many years ago.

He said, "They look at you like you owe them money."

[chickenista]

He said, "They look at you like you owe them money."[/QUOTE]


That is it exactly!

[tyusclan]

I have a dear friend who was a missionary to Africa for 25 years. Five of his seven children were born in Africa.

He is also an avid hunter, and has several wonderful trophies from when he was in Africa. My personal favorite is the Cape buffalo mounted in his game room above the pool table. It is one of the most imposing things you will ever see.