Sahiwal cattle is a breed of
zebu cow, named after an area in the
Punjab,
Pakistan. The cattle is mainly found in
Punjab province of Pakistan, and Indian states of
Punjab,
Haryana, &
Rajasthan.
Sahiwal is considered a heat-tolerant cattle breed.
History
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 India and 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
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
.
Distribution
Due to its unique characteristics, Sahiwal breed is exported to wide list of countries and regions. The Sahiwal breed arrived in
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
via
New Guinea in the early 1950s. In Australia, the Sahiwal breed was initially selected as a dual-purpose breed. It played a valuable role in the development of the two Australian tropical dairy breeds, the
Australian Milking Zebu and the
Australian Friesian Sahiwal
The Australian Friesian Sahiwal, is an Australian breed of dairy cattle whose development commenced in the 1960s by the Queensland Government. It is a combination of the Sahiwal, a dairy breed of ''Bos indicus'' from Pakistan and Holstein (''Bo ...
. Sahiwal cattle are now predominantly used in Australia for beef production, as crossing high-grade Sahiwal sires with European breeds produced a carcass of lean quality with desirable fat cover. Sahiwal bulls have demonstrated the ability to sire small, fast-growing calves, noted for their hardiness under unfavorable climatic conditions.
The contribution of the Sahiwal breed to adaptability is well documented in
Kenya,
Jamaica,
Guyana
Guyana ( or ), officially the Cooperative Republic of Guyana, is a country on the northern mainland of South America. Guyana is an indigenous word which means "Land of Many Waters". The capital city is Georgetown. Guyana is bordered by the ...
,
Burundi
Burundi (, ), officially the Republic of Burundi ( rn, Repuburika y’Uburundi ; Swahili language, Swahili: ''Jamuhuri ya Burundi''; French language, French: ''République du Burundi'' ), is a landlocked country in the Great Rift Valley at the ...
,
Somalia,
Sierra Leone,
Nigeria and several ecological zones of
Africa where Sahiwals have been crossed with exotic Bos taurus breeds that have a high response capability for milk and beef production but lack adaptability to local conditions. The present Sahiwal cattle in Kenya are descendants of some 60 bulls and 12 cows imported between 1939 and 1963. The Sahiwal breed also is considered unequalled in transmitted effects for milk production among Bos indicus breeds.
Kenya is the main country in
Africa with major resources of Bos indicus Sahiwal cattle and serves as an important source of stock and semen for the continent.
Similarly, this breed is also exported to many other regions of
Asia including
India. The cows are the heaviest milkers of all zebu breeds and display a well-developed udder. In Pakistan the breed is being conserved by the Research Centre for Conservation of Sahiwal Cattle.
Research Centre for Conservation of Sahiwal Cattle
/ref>
See also
* Australian Friesian Sahiwal
The Australian Friesian Sahiwal, is an Australian breed of dairy cattle whose development commenced in the 1960s by the Queensland Government. It is a combination of the Sahiwal, a dairy breed of ''Bos indicus'' from Pakistan and Holstein (''Bo ...
* Red Sindhi cattle
* Tharparkar cattle
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sahiwal Cattle
Livestock in Punjab
Cattle breeds originating in India
Cattle breeds originating in Pakistan
Cattle breeds
Fauna of Pakistan