Water Buffalo (and other domestic animals)

Mekong Delta

Sightings of domestic water buffalo are common in Vietnam. In the more rural areas, vehicles often have to stop as these slow moving bovines amble across the road. We saw them everywhere we stopped on our two-week Tet holiday, from the Mekong in the south to Sapa in the north. The wild branch of the Asian water buffalo is endangered, with only a few herds left. The Asian water buffalo is not related to the African water buffalo.

Water buffalo were domesticated in India 5000 years ago. Ninety-five percent of the world's domestic water buffalo are found in Asia. They continue to be  very important to rural Vietnamese families. They pull ploughs in the

Paul with the buffalo out of the mud-hole 

rice paddies where their wide, splayed hooves  prevent them from sinking into the mud. Buffalo still provide 20 - 30 % of farm power in Vietnam.

They are also used for milk and they provide five percent of the world's milk supply. Buffalo milk contains less water but has more fat and protein. Butter, yogurt and butter oil (ghee) are also made from buffalo milk. Buffalo excrement is used for fertilizer and, when dried, for fuel.

Mom is a chicken! 

Sapa

Sapa

Sapa

Sapa

Sapa

Sapa

Hoi An farm

It is hard to tell in this picture, but the babies are ducklings. Our guide in Sapa told us that domestic ducks are too stupid to raise babies, so the ducklings are given a chicken as a foster mother. The hen was kind of walking along the edge of the ditch and the ducklings were swimming along behind. How would she know to take them near water?

A domestic water buffalo, which can have horns up to 1 metre long, lives up to 25 years. They are mild-mannered and love to wallow in mud puddles and streams where they find relief from insects and the sun. Buffalo prefer to graze on muddy or marshy gound. Apparently they are not easily driven, like cattle. The herder must walk beside or in front and they usually follow. I've also heard that they were used by the Viet Cong as minesweepers during the 'American' war (as it is called here.

These piglets were basking on the hot concrete. The sow was lying in the shade in the pen. Pork is much more popular than beef in Vietnam. We have seen very few beef cows.









Lots of small dogs and puppies in the rural areas. They room around with no collars or leashes. But on a farm, a dog is just like any of the other animals, and not usually kept as a pet. We saw no cats. In fact, I've only seen 2 cats since I've been here - both in HCMC.

These buffalo were grazing on the side of a very steep hill. The terraced rice paddies are visible in the distance. Our guide told us that the buffalo roam free and every year the mud terraces have to be repaired due to damage by foraging water buffalo. Water buffalo hides are tough and are used to make strong leather products.





















Goats are well adapted to the hilly terrain in Sapa. They are used more for milk than meat.













In Hoi An, this little farm was right across the river from our hotel. You can see the water buffalo resting out front. There were also lots of ducks, chickens and pigs. The family lived in the back of the building. Fishing was also part of their livelihood.