Dharwadi is a black milk buffalo of north Karnataka, and its milk goes into the well-known Dharwad peda (NDDB, ICAR-CIRB). It suits low-rainfall country, and NBAGR registers it as Karnataka's buffalo breed (breed register). This page shows how to recognise it, what it gives and what to check before you buy.
How to recognise it
- Colour: black (NDDB), with a long, hairy coat that is thickest on the chest, belly and legs (ICAR-CIRB).
- Head and ears: a straight head and erect ears (NDDB).
- Horns: semi-circular, sweeping back until they almost touch the withers (NDDB). Older descriptions call them long and flat, carried along the neck and ending in a sharp upward point (ICAR-CIRB).
- Udder: medium-sized, with cylindrical teats (NDDB).
- Size: medium. In a KVAFSU study, adult she-buffaloes averaged about 337 kg and stood about 125 cm at the shoulder, and calves weighed about 25 kg in their first month (KVAFSU).
What it is good for
- Milk. NBAGR's breed profile gives an average of about 972 litres in a lactation, with daily yields from 1.5 to 8.7 litres and about 6.9% fat (NDDB). A KVAFSU study estimated about 1,040 litres in 305 days, with a peak of about 6.2 litres a day reached about 19 days after calving; the yield held steady for the first 4 months (KVAFSU).
- Dharwad peda. Its milk is used to make the famous Dharwad peda, a sweet with a GI tag (NDDB, ICAR-CIRB).
- A dry-country buffalo. It is well suited to low-rainfall, semi-arid areas (NDDB, ICAR-CIRB).
- Calving. The first calf comes at about 46 months (41–54), then one about every 15–16 months (ICAR-CIRB).
Where it is mainly found
NBAGR's breed profile places Dharwadi across north Karnataka: Bagalkot, Belagavi, Dharwad, Gadag, Ballari, Bidar, Vijayapura, Chitradurga, Kalaburagi, Haveri, Koppal, Raichur and Yadgir districts (NDDB). NBAGR registers it as a Karnataka breed (breed register). The KVAFSU study worked with farmers of Dharwad and the nearby Belagavi, Gadag and Bagalkot districts (KVAFSU). Older names for these buffaloes include Dharwari, Holesal and Mundargi (ICAR-CIRB).
Looking for Dharwadi buffalo?
Search “Dharwadi” in the Kattutharai app to find Dharwadi buffalo for sale near you, or see all buffalo for sale. The seller names the breed and Kattutharai does not check it, so look at the animal yourself before you pay.
Rearing tips
- Herds of the Gavali farmers. The Gavali (Gowli) community has long kept these buffaloes for milk around Belagavi and Dharwad; ICAR-CIRB's Buffalopedia describes them as docile, with a strong herding instinct (ICAR-CIRB).
- Feed and cooling. Like all buffaloes, it needs green and dry fodder, clean water all day and cooling in the hot months; see how buffaloes are kept.
- Health. Vaccinate and deworm on the calendar in buffalo health.
Buying tips
- Check the signs. A medium-sized black buffalo with a straight head, erect ears and semi-circular horns that sweep back towards the withers fits the breed (NDDB).
- Dharwadi or Pandharpuri? The two look alike, and older reports called north Karnataka's Pandharpuri-like buffaloes "Dharwari" (ICAR-CIRB). NBAGR registers them as separate breeds, Dharwadi for Karnataka and Pandharpuri for Maharashtra (breed register); see Pandharpuri.
- The breed name in an ad is the seller's word, and Kattutharai does not check it. Crosses are common, so see the animal yourself, watch her milked, and follow buying a buffalo.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dharwadi a registered breed?
Yes. NBAGR has registered Dharwadi as a buffalo breed of Karnataka (breed register).
How much milk does a Dharwadi buffalo give?
About 972 litres in a lactation on average, with 1.5–8.7 litres a day and about 6.9% fat (NDDB).
Is Dharwad peda made from Dharwadi buffalo milk?
Yes. NBAGR's breed profile and ICAR-CIRB both say the breed's milk is used for the famous Dharwad peda, which has a GI tag (NDDB, ICAR-CIRB).
Next
Compare Dharwadi with its look-alike, Pandharpuri, or with Murrah, and see all breeds in Buffalo farming: breeds, buying and care in South India. To find buffaloes near you, browse buffaloes for sale.