Sahiwal cattle

A Sahiwal Cow in Southern India.

Sahiwal cattle are a breed of zebu cow, named after an area of the Punjab, in Pakistan.[1][2] Sahiwal is considered a heat-tolerant cattle breed.[3] It is considered as the “National cattle of Pakistan”.

History

 
Map of Sahiwal region in Punjab, Pakistan, origin of Sahiwal cattle breed.

The Sahiwal originated in the dry Punjab region which lies along central Punjab. They were once kept in large herds by professional herdsmen called "Charwahas". With the introduction of irrigation systems to the region they began to be kept in smaller numbers by the farmers of the region, who used them as draught and dairy animals. Today the Sahiwal is one of the best dairy breeds in Pakistan. Sahiwal is calm when milking. Due to their heat tolerance and high milk production they have been exported to other Asian countries as well as Africa and the Caribbean.

References

  1. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SahiwalOklahoma State University breed profile Archived May 25, 2007, at the Wayback Machine
  2. "Sahiwal". Dairy Knowledge Portal.
  3. "For desi breed 'Sahiwal', Punjab luring farmers with special benefits | punjab$bhatinda". Hindustan Times. 2016-05-06. Retrieved 2016-10-19.