The milk of these animals has almost twice the quality of cattle milk:

Buffaloes = average 7% de butterfat ; 18% solids
Cattle = average 3,8% butterfat ;11% solids

Therefore, buffalo milk can produce almost twice the amount of milk as an equal volume of cattle milk.

Ex: For 1 Kg of butter from cattle milk, it is necessary to have 26 liters ; For buffalo milk, only 14liters.
Ex. For 1 Kg de frescal cheese, it is necessary 6,5 liters of cattle milk, For buffalo milk, only 4,5liters is necessary.

In the human nutrition, buffalo milk has a extraordinary nutritive value. In Asia it has been considered an aphrodisiac and some have associated it with their high population growth rate.

WATER BUFFALO MEAT :

According studies produced by the U.S.Department of Agriculture, and presented by Mr. Tony Leonards ( an U.S.breeder/raiser of water buffalo), during a panel discussion at "Buffaloes in the Americas". This study shows the superior quality of water buffalo meat as compared to cattle.
The analysis shows: Buffaloes meat: 40% less cholesterol, 12 times less flat, 55% less calories, 11% more proteins and 10% more minerals. The index of fat inside the muscle fibers of buffaloes meat is significantly less than cattle meat, thus producing leaner and more healthy meat.
In Brazil, because these facts are unknown, the meat does not produce an good or even adequate price, but in Japan and USA, where this fact is known, the meat has better prices.

CONVERSION OF MEAT AND MILK :

The most important and desirable quality of the water buffalo is its extraordinary capacity of CONVERSION. This mean that it can produce meat and milk of excellent quality, using only pasture and mineral salts, without the addition of supplement concentrates.

NO TO THE DISEASES:

The buffalo is a high adaptable and healthily animal that can resist infectious and contagious diseases. However, they must receive the same vaccines, hygienic care and careful , dedicated attention as do cattle. The females, because they produce nutritive milk, transfer to their calves more resistance to dangerous diseases.
The mortality in this herd is almost zero and, is usually the result of trauma or accident.

GENTLENESS CHAMPION :

In contrast to their appearance and to the belief of some people that the water buffalo is very dangerous, this species is considered as among the most docile of the animals that serves man. (Source: FAO - Food & Agriculture Organization - U.N. Department that studies food and livestock production). In some cases it has been confused with the African Buffalo (syncerus caffer) a distant relative that sometimes known for an aggressive attitude.
It is also sometimes confused with the American buffalo or Bison (bison bison), another distant relative that is actually not a true buffalo.
Another peculiar characteristic of the female buffalo is that many of them will accept to suckle a calf of another dam. It is sometimes observed that three calves simultaneously suckling on buffalo cow (Source: "Bufalando" serious - Jonas Camargo Assunção)
The buffalo cow is also much less contrary than the cattle cow...., They seldom kick, and many milkers work in the back of the female buffalo, without have to fear being kicked.

ANIMAL TRACTION:

When preparing a field to be planted, a water buffalo works 40 hours to plough 1 ha. and 25 hours to plant. In paddy field, the animal needs 16 hours of work, input that if done manually, would require at least 120 hours per ha. When pulling a wagon, the buffalo supports cargo between 1,200 and 1,500 kg, producing an average of 3 km/h (Source: Embrapa - Cpatu - Belém - PA - Brazil)