How to Milk a Buffalo and What Makes Its Milk Nutritious

Since President William Ruto urged Kenyans to explore buffalo milk production because of the milk shortage in Kenya, the idea has sparked curiosity.

Buffalo milk is already a significant part of the dairy industry in several countries like India and Pakistan, valued for its rich fat and protein content.

Here is how buffaloes are milked and what sets their milk apart nutritionally.

The first step in milking a buffalo is to identify the correct animal. Domestic water buffaloes (Bubalus bubalis) are different from African buffaloes (Syncerus caffer), which are wild animals and have not been domesticated for milk production.

How To Milk A Buffalo

African buffalos should not be handled by untrained individuals because they are not domesticated; hence, they are wild animals that are considered dangerous.

Domestic water buffaloes are milked after giving birth and also during lactation; the amount of milk, however, depends on various factors such as feeding, health, and stage of lactation.

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Milking of a buffalo should take place in a clean, well-ventilated area. Before milking, the buffalo should be restrained well in a manner that will prevent it from being injured or injuring the person milking.

The person milking should wash their hands and all the equipment that is intended to be used during the whole process.

Steps To Follow

Additionally, the buffalo should also be checked for any signs of illness, injuries, or swelling because milk from a sick or unwell animal is not fit for human consumption.

To avoid any contamination, the animal should also be cleaned before milking to ensure the milk is safe from contamination and is okay for humans to consume.

Buffaloes can be milked by hand or with special machines designed for milking. When using hands, one is advised to be gentle so as not to damage the soft tissues around the area.

The amount of milk collected after milking usually depends on how the animal is fed, its breed, stage of lactation, and also general health.

Immediately after milking, the milk collected should be filtered and stored in a clean container. Fresh milk is highly perishable, so it should be stored in a cool, dry place or pasteurised to increase shelf life.

Nutritional Values

Raw buffalo milk can carry microorganisms, so consumers should pasteurise or boil the milk to remove any unsafe microorganisms before consuming the milk.

In addition, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) identifies clean animals, hygienic handling, properly maintained equipment, and safe storage as important measures in milk production.

Milk from buffaloes is known to be highly nutritious because it contains high fat and protein as compared to cow’s milk.

Because of its high fat content, buffalo milk also has very high calories as compared to cow’s milk, and consumption should be watched, especially by people watching their diet.

On the other hand, buffalo milk is also rich in calcium, which is an essential mineral for strong bones and teeth.

Minerals In The Milk

Phosphorus is another mineral that is found in buffalo milk; it is also important for the formation of strong bones and teeth alongside the formation of the structure of cell membranes.

Buffalo milk contains several vitamins, including vitamin B12, riboflavin (vitamin B2), and vitamin A, with amounts depending on factors such as the animal’s diet, milk composition, and processing.

The main difference between buffalo and cow milk is that buffalo milk generally contains more fat and total solids, and often more protein and minerals, than cow’s milk.

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However, in Kenya, buffaloes can not be milked because the buffaloes in Kenya are wild and are not domesticated; neither are they fit for milking or consumption.

It is important to know the difference between wild buffaloes and water buffaloes because wild buffaloes cannot be milked; milking is for the domesticated buffaloes, also known as water buffaloes.

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Buffalo milk in bottles
PHOTO/iStock