TROTTING BULLOCKS 



LIVE STOCK 



Oxen 



(B) Chief Breeds of Indian Cattle. Very little strictly speaking of a 



title nutuiv hits is vet been published on this subject. Wallace and 

 Vix'lrkiT have each given the results of their rapid tours of inspection 

 thnmirh Iinliii, and numerous local writers have extolled the merits of 

 in liivfds \\itli which they were familiar. No one has as yet critically 

 iitnl comparatively examined all the breeds of India. Little more, there- 

 fore, can be here attempted than to amplify the particulars of the cheif 

 is (given in the Dictionary) in the light of the additional information 

 I in night out by the various writers in The Agricultural Ledger, and by 

 MolliMJu iii las Handbook and by Majors Meagher and Vaughan in their 

 1 >air if Fanmng in India, etc. 



1 . Gujarat. These are the indigenous cattle of the plains, Ahmedabad, Kaira 

 MI 11 1 Baroda, also the hilly countries of Palanpur and Deesa, where a large breed 

 I v ery superior animals exists. They are, in fact, the finest cattle of India for 

 il agricultural purposes. In the more southern portions of the province, 

 ver, a mixed and inferior breed occurs which in many respects resembles 

 ! >eccani cattle. The larger and superior race is in colour from white to 

 l>luish-grey, the head, neck and limbs often being of a darker tint than the body. 

 ~e horns are somewhat bowed and curve outwards as they leave the skull, then 

 awards, and lastly inwards. The animals are tall and somewhat leggy, but 

 powerful, and for draught purposes, especially when crossed with Mysore, 

 very valuable. [Cf. Ovington, Voy. to Suratt, 1689, 253-5, 273-85.] 

 -. Qir or Kathiawar. This breed is specially noted for its milk-giving powers. 

 is extensively reared in herds in the Gir forests and hills of South Kathiawar. 

 ley are coloured animals, often speckled or " roan," in various shades of red 

 brown. The long, pendent lop-ears and short crumpled horns are striking 

 iliarities. In Bombay they are generally called " Surtis," because brought 

 Surat. 



3. Sind and Aden. This small-sized animal is powerful though lazy, but 

 i cows are remarkably good milkers. The horns are short, thick, blunt-pointed, 



project outwards and upwards. The best are bred within a radius of 30 or 

 1 miles from Karachi, and chiefly on the lower hills, where good grazing is to be 

 had. The breed may, however, be met with through Rajputana and the Southern 

 Panjab. [Mollison, The Montgomery and Sind Breeds of Cattle, in Agri. Journ. 

 1907, ii., pt. iii., 252-6.] 



4. Deccan, Khandesh and Southern Maratha Country. It cannot be said that 

 i regions indicated have developed any very special breeds of their own. Large 

 tions of the country are subject to periodical scarcity and occasional famine, 



the animals have become hardened and thus acquired their chief character- 

 ic. The dewlap is inconspicuous, the forehead narrow and the muzzle large, 

 ule the horns spring in an upward direction, then bow abruptly outwards and 

 ately inwards. The cows are poor milkers, and the bullocks, though small, 

 extremely active and have great powers of endurance, if not given too heavy 

 . task. They are accordingly much used in light carts or as trotting bullocks, 

 long ago as 1503, Vertomannus (iaHakl. Voy., 1811, iv., 577), speaking of the 

 can, said, " It hath innumerable kyne of shynyng yelowe." 



5. Mysore and Coorg. The cattle of this region are celebrated both for 

 eir swiftness and for their spirit and powers of endurance. If cattle-breeding 



Id anywhere in India be viewed as having attained the position of a recog- 

 xl principle of agriculture, to Mysore would have to be assigned that honour. 

 Two descriptions exist side by side, each serving its own particular purpose. 

 The first and by far the most numerous is the nadudana of the villages. This 

 is the agricultural stock and main source of the dairy produce of the State. The 

 second is the doddadana or big cattle. This embraces the following special breeds : 

 Amrit Mahal, Hallikar, Chittaldrug, Mahadeswara, Betta, etc. The first 

 mentioned the Royal Amrit Mahal is the most highly prized, but is neither 

 the largest nor the most powerful. These splendid animals are capable of per- 

 forming quick journeys of long distances with a light and moderate load. They 

 are large and powerful animals, chiefly kept by the well-to-do. The finer breeds 

 are pure coloured, the inferior often mottled. There is no extra development of the 

 dewlap to interfere with their trotting action. Their eyes are deep-set, the fore- 

 head bulges above the eyes and slopes backward. The ears are short and pointed, 



737 47 



Gujarat. 



Draught Cattle. 



Qir. 



Milch Cows. 



Sind. 



Deccan. 



Trotting 



Hullo-ks. 



Mysore. 



Agricultural. 



Active and 

 Powerful. 



