Buffaloes in America

The buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) is currently found on all continents. It had its origin in Asia and data on its existence as a domestic animal has been recorded for 4,500 years, in the region occupied today by India and Pakistan. From Asia, it was taken to Africa, then to Europe, to Oceania and later to America (Nascimento, 1993). The American continent currently has 35 countries (Países de América, 2022). The buffalo arrived in the Americas in 1880 but it was not until 1990 that it spread to several countries in South America. Brazil first, then Trinidad and Tobago and finally Venezuela and Argentina (Patiño et al., 2022). The buffalo population in the entire American continent according to FAO currently would reach the sum of 1,848,137 heads and only four countries would have a buffalo population: Brazil, Colombia, Trinidad and Tobago and Suriname with 1,502,482; 338,567; 6,244 and 844 heads respectively (FAO, 2022). The objective of this paper is to try to demonstrate the number of countries that have buffaloes and the approximate number of buffaloes that exist in the American continent, also carrying out a projection to determine how many buffaloes will exist in America within 10 years.

To obtain the buffalo population data in the American countries, the different associations of buffalo producers existing in America, the FAO, buffalo producers and researchers were contacted between the months of August and September 2022 (Table 1).

To determine the estimated population growth of buffaloes in the American continent, the figure of 13.1% annual population growth of buffaloes in Argentina for 10 years was taken as a reference, according to Crudeli et al., 2011.

Out of a total of 35 countries that make up the American continent, 23 countries have a buffalo population, reaching a total figure of 6,736,490 heads (Table 1).

At present, the buffalo is found in almost all the countries of the American continent, being the last to incorporate this species, in Canada and Chile. The main countries with several heads are Brazil, Venezuela, Colombia and Argentina.

The buffalo breeds bred in the American countries are Murrah, Mediterranean, Jafarabadi, Buffalypso, Carabao and their crosses.

If we take as a reference the buffalo population estimated at 6,736,490 heads for the year 2022, and if we consider the figure of 13.1% annual population growth of buffaloes in Argentina for 10 years (Crudeli et al., 2011) and we extrapolate it, in the American continent an estimated population of 21,315,348 buffaloes would be reached in the year 2032. Therefore, the buffalo culture in America has a very promising future.

As can be seen, the data obtained in our work shows that the number of countries and a total number of buffaloes is much higher than the data published by FAO, which is undoubtedly very far from reality. It would be advisable for the governmental authorities of the American countries to regularize the updated data of their respective buffalo populations and send them to FAO.