US 



abundant fodder supply provided by canal irrigation constitute 

 an ideal rearing ground. The cattle bought at the southern 

 fairs are soon ready for the plough. They are yoked for some 

 two years and then brought to the fairs at Jaitu and other 

 centres. There they are sold to traders for a price at least as 

 great as they were originally bought for, and pass away from 

 the Malwa to the Central Punjab districts and beyond, In this 

 way the Malwa Jat obtains a succession of the "very best plough 

 cattle for little more than the cost of their keep. At the same time 

 practically all draught cattle are sold before they become unser- 

 viceable, and the religious prejudices of the Sikhs are thus not 

 offended by kine slaughter within their territory, 



In the Lyallpur district the enormous demand for draught 

 plough cattle is met to a certain extent by , local breeding^ The 

 cattle census of 1909 shows that the young stock of this district 

 are more numerous than in any other district of the Punjab. At 

 present the animals are of very fair quality, and though greatly 

 inferior to the high class bullock imported from Hissar or Chakwal, 

 the local product fetches good prices in the district and is even 

 exported. Owing to the great demand, the number of locally bred 

 cattle may possibly be maintained, but quality will certainly deterio- 

 rate under the unfavourable climatic influence of canal irrigation. 

 Fodder is abundant and the possibilities of cattle-breeding are not 

 neglected, but the district does not enjoy the same advantages as 

 the Malwa in the matter of climate and space for grazing. Mr. 

 deMontmorency writing of Lyallpur as an exporting district says : 

 " It appears to me that more young stock are sold to buyers out of 

 the district at the fair than is warranted by the future needs of the 

 district." 



The Deputy Commissioner of Jhang reports that the Kachi 

 cattle described by Mr. Broadway in Chapter IX of Captain Pease's 

 "Breeds of Indian Cattle" are still found in the Shorkot tehsil of 

 that district. They are evidently a useful type, but have not been 

 exported to any large extent, and no attention appears to have 

 been paid to the development of the breed. 



VIII THE IMPORTING TRACTS. 



The remaining districts of the Province may be described as 

 importing tracts. In these districts, it is true, cattle are produced, 

 often in considerable numbers, but from a variety of reasons the 

 stock is below the standard required for agricultural or draught 

 purposes. The zamindar prefers to buy good cattle from elsewhere 

 and in these days of high prices for agricultural produce is not 

 deterred by the large increase in the cost* The Settlement Officer 



