Buffalo Ghee · Breeds
Best Buffalo Breed for Ghee: Murrah vs Jaffarabadi vs Mehsana vs Surti
All Indian buffalo breeds give naturally A2 milk with roughly 6–8% fat or more, so all can make rich A2 ghee. Murrah, from Haryana, is the most widely kept dairy breed, combining high milk yield (about 1,500–2,500 kg per lactation) with about 7% fat. Surti and Bhadawari are known for even higher fat but give less milk; Jaffarabadi is the heaviest breed with good yield and fat. For a steady, consistent supply of ghee, Murrah is the practical choice.
Quick take
- Every buffalo breed gives naturally A2 milk.
- Murrah: high yield, ~7% fat, tightly curled horns, from Haryana.
- Highest fat: Surti and Bhadawari (often 8%+), with lower yields.
- Breed matters less than feed, method and testing once the milk is A2.
We chose Murrah buffalo for A2 Farmer, so we have an obvious bias. This guide sets out what is published about India’s main dairy buffalo breeds so you can judge the choice for yourself.
Our own pure A2 buffalo ghee is hand-churned the bilona way and packed in glass.
The main breeds at a glance
| Breed | Home tract | Milk per lactation | Milk fat | Recognise it by |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Murrah | Rohtak, Hisar, Jind (Haryana); Nabha, Patiala (Punjab) | 1,500–2,500 kg | ~7% | Jet black, tightly curled horns |
| Jaffarabadi | Saurashtra, Gujarat (Gir region) | ~2,239 kg (avg.) | ~7.7% | Heaviest Indian breed, drooping horns |
| Mehsana | Mehsana, Gujarat | 1,200–1,500 kg | ~7% | Longer, less curled horns than Murrah |
| Surti | Kaira and Baroda, Gujarat | 900–1,300 kg | 8–12% | Sickle-shaped horns, medium size |
| Bhadawari | Agra, Etawah (UP); Gwalior (MP) | Low | 6–12.5% | Copper-coloured coat, famed for fat |
| Nili-Ravi | Sutlej valley, Punjab | 1,500–1,850 kg | ~7% | White markings, small coiled horns |
Figures from the TNAU Agritech breed guide; Jaffarabadi average yield and fat from ICAR-CIRB Buffalopedia. Ranges vary between studies and herds, so treat them as typical, not fixed.
Are all buffalo breeds A2?
Yes. The A1 variant of beta-casein is associated with certain European-origin cattle breeds; buffalo milk carries the A2 type. That is why genuine buffalo ghee is A2 ghee whatever the breed. A credible brand still confirms it with a genotype test on its own milk (A2A2 testing).
Why Murrah for ghee
- Yield and fat together. Murrah gives one of the highest milk yields among Indian breeds while keeping about 7% fat. More milk at good fat means a steadier ghee supply.
- Widely kept and well studied. Murrah is the breed most used to improve buffalo herds across India, so its milk is consistent and easy to source from many small farmers.
- Rich, white, grainy ghee. High-fat milk with plenty of high-melting saturated fat gives the dense, white, danedar ghee buffalo is known for (danedar ghee, why it is white).
More on the breed itself: Murrah buffalo ghee.
What about the high-fat breeds?
Surti and Bhadawari can give milk with more fat than Murrah, which means more ghee per litre (milk-to-ghee maths). But they give much less milk per animal and are kept in smaller numbers, so year-round supply is harder. Ghee from them can be excellent; it is simply rarer.
What matters more than breed
- Feed: grass and green fodder affect aroma and fatty acids (grass-fed ghee).
- Method: bilona from curd vs cream separation (malai vs bilona).
- Proof: a lab report for purity and genotype (how to read one).
Comparing buffalo with cow ghee instead? See buffalo vs cow ghee and Gir cow vs buffalo ghee. All A2 topics: what A2 ghee is.
Sources & references
Frequently asked questions
Which buffalo breed is best for ghee?
Murrah is the most practical choice for steady supply, combining high milk yield of about 1,500 to 2,500 kg per lactation with about 7% fat. Surti and Bhadawari give richer milk but much less of it.
Is Murrah buffalo milk A2?
Yes. Buffalo milk, including Murrah, carries the A2 type of beta-casein. A2 Farmer's Murrah milk tested A2A2 by TaqMan PCR.
Which buffalo has the highest fat milk?
Surti (8 to 12% fat) and Bhadawari (6 to 12.5% fat) are known for the highest milk fat, according to the TNAU breed guide.
Where does the Murrah buffalo come from?
Murrah's home tract is Rohtak, Hisar and Jind in Haryana and Nabha and Patiala in Punjab.
How do you recognise a Murrah buffalo?
Murrah buffaloes are jet black with short, tightly curled horns, a compact body and a broad head.
Ghee from Murrah, the right way
A2 Farmer Buffalo Bilona Ghee — A2A2 confirmed by PCR, 99.76% milk fat, hand-churned and glass-packed. From ₹799.
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