An Introduction to Buffaloes

[Kusanar]

Moving on I have heard that mozzarella has become the most popular cheese in the States beating the cheddar by some 2 pounds. But is that really an authentic mozzarella?

Probably not, my understanding is that mozzarella is supposed to be made from buffalo milk and I seriously doubt that much if any of the mozzarella in the States is made from buffalo milk.

There are actually people that buy pasturized, homoginized, 2% milk (cow) in the store and make "mozzarella" at home with it and I am nearly certain that that is not "real mozzarella" even though it may still taste good.

though I've never heard of anyone milking a bison.

Lol!! I would love to see someone try! Though, there are people that milk moose... so I guess it's not TOO far fetched that you could break a bison to milk, especially if you raised from a calf.

 

[River Buffaloes]

What defines "authentic" mozzarella"? I know that Italy is very protective of its Parmigiana cheese name. If it isn't made THERE is isn't authentic. I understand that mozzarella is pretty easy for people to make at home, nothing special needed and no months or years of aging in caves

I don't know anything about buffalo milk being made into cheese, as you know there are effectively no dairy buffaloes in the USA. In fact I would guess that very few people (like most of us until you started posting all the wonderful information) here in the USA know anything at all about the existence of river buffaloes. We know about American Bison/Buffalo. Some are "farmed" and there are places you can buy bison meat though I've never heard of anyone milking a bison.

I wonder how a milking session of a bison would go. We have already started milking Mithun, the domesticated version of Gaur.

I always wondered why the native Americans never domesticated bison or even turkeys. I think because of the low population density and abundance of food resources native Americans never felt the need to domesticate wild beasts.

In the old world high population density and depleting number of animals drove the domestication process. Aurochs, Gaurs, Asian Wild Buffaloes and Eurasian Wild Boars are very dangerous animals, yet our ancestors took their chances. They must have been quite desperate to do so.

 

[River Buffaloes]

Lol!! I would love to see someone try! Though, there are people that milk moose... so I guess it's not TOO far fetched that you could break a bison to milk, especially if you raised from a

You beat me on that.

 

[Kusanar]

I always wondered why the native Americans never domesticated bison or even turkeys. I think because of the low population density and abundance of food resources native Americans never felt the need to domesticate wild beasts.

Interesting fact, because the Native Americans did not have domesticated cattle, they never evolved the gut bacteria to deal with lactose after infancy. Most are still lactose intolerant even after a few hundred years of exposure to it.

 

[River Buffaloes]

Interesting fact, because the Native Americans did not have domesticated cattle, they never evolved the gut bacteria to deal with lactose after infancy. Most are still lactose intolerant even after a few hundred years of exposure to it.

I thought only East Asians were lactose intolerant.

 

[Kusanar]

I thought only East Asians were lactose intolerant.

Nope, they don't handle milk or alcohol well because of the environment they have been in I guess since they wandered over from Africa. Europeans did them no favors by showing up and introducing them to alcohol.

 

[MuldrowHomeFarm]

I am glad that you liked. There are actually quite a few people who keep buffaloes in the Americas. In Anglo America there are or were quite a few buffalo farms and companies and individuals who keep buffaloes. I know for sure that they were in British Columbia, Ontario, New Jersey, North Carolina, California and Florida. I think they are also kept in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Vermont and Texas, but I cannot be 100% certain.

Look up Ontario Water Buffalo company and backyard buffaloes on Facebook.

Yes, Buffalo are actually fairly common in Texas. We have several local farms outside of Houston!

 

[MuldrowHomeFarm]

I am glad that you liked. There are actually quite a few people who keep buffaloes in the Americas. In Anglo America there are or were quite a few buffalo farms and companies and individuals who keep buffaloes. I know for sure that they were in British Columbia, Ontario, New Jersey, North Carolina, California and Florida. I think they are also kept in Virginia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Vermont and Texas, but I cannot be 100% certain.

Look up Ontario Water Buffalo company and backyard buffaloes on Facebook.

Yes, Buffalo are actually fairly common in Texas. We have several local farms outside of Houston

 

[River Buffaloes]

Yes, Buffalo are actually fairly common in Texas. We have several local farms outside of Houston

Are they river buffaloes or swamp buffaloes?

 

[MuldrowHomeFarm]

I am not sure. If I had to guess, I would have to say River Buffalo. We only see them from a far. We drive by them but you can see them in the distance. One ranch has Zebras and Antelope, as well.