Murrah is a jet-black milk buffalo from Haryana, known by its short, tightly curled horns; murrah means "curled" (ICAR-CIRB). It is used all over India, and abroad, to improve local buffaloes (NBAGR database). This page shows how to recognise a true Murrah, what it gives and what to check before you buy.
How to recognise it
- Colour: jet black. White marks on the face or legs are rare and not wanted; the tail switch may be black or white (ICAR-CIRB).
- Horns: short and tightly curled into a spiral: they turn back and up, then curl inwards. With age they loosen a little, but the spiral grows (NBAGR database, ICAR-CIRB).
- Body: massive and wedge-shaped, with broad hips and a long tail that reaches the fetlock (ICAR-CIRB, TNAU).
- Udder and skin: a well-developed udder with long teats, the hind teats longer than the front ones, and soft, smooth skin with little hair (ICAR-CIRB).
- Size and weight: bulls stand about 142 cm and cows about 133 cm at the shoulder. Adult bulls average about 567 kg and cows about 516 kg (NBAGR database), though single animals range from about 450 to 800 kg for bulls and 350 to 700 kg for cows (ICAR-CIRB).
What it is good for
- Milk. NBAGR records about 1,750 kg of milk (about 1,700 litres) in a lactation on average, ranging from about 1,000 to 2,060 kg, with 7.3% fat (NBAGR database). A lactation lasts about 290–310 days (ICAR-CIRB), and TNAU puts the average at about 6.8 kg a day (TNAU).
- Calving. The first calf comes at about 43 months (about 3.5 years), then one about every 15 months (NBAGR database).
- Breeding and work. Males are used for breeding and for draught work (NBAGR database).
- Improving local buffaloes. Murrah is crossed with local buffaloes across India; the Godavari buffalo of Andhra Pradesh, for example, came from crossing local buffaloes with Murrah (TNAU).
Where it is mainly found
Murrah's home tract is in Haryana — Rohtak, Jind, Hisar, Jhajjar, Fatehabad and Gurugram (Gurgaon) districts — and Delhi (ICAR-CIRB); NBAGR registers it as a Haryana breed (breed register). It is also found around Nabha and Patiala in Punjab and in western Uttar Pradesh (ICAR-CIRB), and it is kept all over the country (TNAU). In the government's 2013 breed survey, about 1.17 crore buffaloes were recorded as Murrah, far more than any other breed (NBAGR database). Its other names are Delhi, Kundi and Kali (NBAGR database).
Looking for Murrah buffalo?
Kattutharai works across India. Search “Murrah” in the app to look for Murrah buffalo, or browse buffalo for sale near you. The seller names the breed and Kattutharai does not check it, so look at the animal yourself before you pay.
Rearing tips
- Feed it well. Murrah does best with good feeding, housing and regular milking (ICAR-CIRB). In Haryana it is stall-fed on seasonal green fodder such as berseem, oats and sorghum (NBAGR database). In the south, give the green fodder you can grow, with dry fodder, concentrate and mineral mixture; see how buffaloes are kept.
- Keep it cool. A big black buffalo suffers in the heat: give shade, and a wallow or water sprinkling at least twice a day in hot weather (ICAR-CIRB).
- Grow heifers well. TNAU notes that Murrah heifers should weigh at least 500 kg at calving to reach their full milk yield (TNAU).
- Vaccinate and deworm on time, following the calendar in buffalo health.
Buying tips
- Check the horns and coat first. Short, tightly curled horns and a jet-black coat are Murrah's marks (NBAGR database). Long, loose or drooping horns, a brown coat or white patches do not fit the breed and point to a cross or another breed.
- Crosses are common. Murrah is crossed with local buffaloes everywhere, so many buffaloes sold as Murrah are crosses. The breed name in an ad is the seller's word, and Kattutharai does not check it: see the animal and its mother, and check the signs above yourself.
- See her milked at least three times in a row, and check her age, udder and papers with buying a buffalo.
- Allow for the journey. A buffalo brought from far away may give less milk for some days after the move (TNAU), and any journey needs a vet's certificate that she is fit to travel (AWBI).
Frequently asked questions
How much milk does a Murrah buffalo give?
NBAGR's average is about 1,750 kg (about 1,700 litres) in a lactation of about 10 months (NBAGR database), or about 6.8 kg a day on average (TNAU). Your buffalo's yield depends on her feed, care and parents.
How heavy is a Murrah buffalo?
Adult bulls average about 567 kg and cows about 516 kg (NBAGR database).
Can Murrah buffaloes live in Tamil Nadu's heat?
Murrah is kept all over India (TNAU), but like all buffaloes it needs cooling: shade, plenty of water, and a wallow or water sprinkling at least twice a day in hot weather (ICAR-CIRB).
Is a "Delhi" buffalo the same as Murrah?
Yes. NBAGR lists Delhi, Kundi and Kali as other names for Murrah (NBAGR database).
Next
Compare Murrah with Mehsana, which came from Murrah and Surti, and with Surti, or see all breeds in Buffalo farming: breeds, buying and care in South India. To find buffaloes near you, browse buffaloes for sale.