Story: Exotic farm animals

Buffalo importation

Buffalo importation

These swamp water buffalo calves were from a herd of 400 cows in Northern Australia, which originated from animals imported from Timor in 1826. The New Zealand Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries wanted to evaluate their potential in New Zealand conditions, and then use them for implanting river buffalo embryos. River buffaloes produce the best milk for making mozzarella cheese, but river buffaloes cannot be directly imported from Asia because of quarantine concerns about foot and mouth disease. However, in 2007 and 2008 several were imported from Australia.

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Private collection
Photograph by Jim Esson

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How to cite this page:

Jim Esson, 'Exotic farm animals - Water buffaloes', Te Ara - the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, http://www.TeAra.govt.nz/en/photograph/18708/buffalo-importation (accessed 29 March 2024)

Story by Jim Esson, published 24 Nov 2008