Water buffalo provide milk, meat, and draft power for hundreds of millions of people across Asia and beyond. Their welfare in these diverse roles ranges from excellent in traditional settings to poor in intensive production contexts.
Water buffalo welfare spans an enormous range from well-cared-for traditional draft animals that are essentially family assets to intensive dairy operations with inadequate housing and management. Buffalo differ from cattle in welfare-relevant ways: they need regular water access for thermoregulation through wallowing; they are more susceptible to respiratory disease in cold, damp housing; and their larger size requires housing and handling infrastructure designed for their dimensions. Italian mozzarella buffalo operations have faced welfare investigations revealing overcrowded conditions, inadequate veterinary care, and transportation issues — indicating that premium dairy designation does not guarantee welfare quality. In draft contexts, the welfare of working buffalo depends on workload appropriateness, harness fit, and access to food, water, and rest.