15 



IX. MALE BUFFALOES. 



The different breeds of buffaloes will be described later in 

 dealing with milch cattle. As regards male buffaloes used as 

 draught animals, it is sufficient to note that they are being every 

 year pressed into service in greater numbers. Except in the 

 Delhi Division, male buffaloes have for years been emplojed as the 

 motive power for Persian- wheels. But whereas formerly it was 

 exceptional to find a male buffalo yoked to the plough or used in a 

 cart, it is now an extremely common sight in the Central Punjab. 

 No particular breed of buffalo seems to be preferred for draught 

 purposes, nor is any particular attention paid to their rearing. 

 They are sluggish but strong and hardy, and compared with the 

 bullock extremely cheap. 



X.-HILL CATTLE. 



In the hill tracts of the Punjab which may be taken as includ- 

 ing the Simla Hill?, the Una tahsil of Hoshiarpur, the Pathankofc 

 tahsil of Gurdaspnr, Kangra and Kulu, and the Murree tahsil of 

 Rawalpindi, cattle of a small type are required. The supply is 

 kept up mainly by local breeding ; the diminutive cattle of the 

 Pathankot tahsil, for instance, appear to be a purely local breed. 

 But cattle from Mandi and Suket and also from the neighbouring 

 tracts of Gurdaspur and Hoshiarpur are imported into Kangra and 

 the Una tahsil, and the Murree tahsil imports from Hazara and 

 also from Jammu and Poonch. In the latter case the trade is 

 hampered by toll fees and export dues. In Kulu the importation 

 of cattle is confined to the Arains settled in Bajaura and the neigh- 

 bourhood by Colonel Rennick and other large proprietors. Most of 

 these men come from the Bhal tract in Suket and Mandi, and buy 

 their cattle in the Bhal tract and not in Kulu. 



Attempts have been made to introduce Hissar bulls into 

 Kangra, but it is obvious that they are unsuited to hill tracts, and 

 bulls of the Dhanni breed are much preferred. The Assistant 

 Commissioner in Kulu reports that the results of attempts to cross 

 the Kulu cows with Kerry, English and Panjabi bulls are bad 

 beyond description. He also notes that in Spiti and the upper 

 parts of Lahoul yaks are interbred with ordinary cattle on the most 

 scientific principles. 



XI. MILCH CATTLE. 

 (1). Cows, 



The demand for milch cattle is practically impossible to 

 estimate. Leaving aside the dairy requirements for civil stations 

 and cantonments, for which special arrangements are made, the 



