THE CATTLE PROBLEM OF INDIA 73 



a University; in modern India he builds and maintains 

 a "Gowshala" where the aged, deformed, sick and de- 

 crepit cows can be sure of being well cared for, until they 

 die a natural death. Much more is being done in India 

 by the Hindus to preserve the cattle than to preserve the 

 sick, decrepit and ill-nourished men and women. 



There are a number of breeds of water-buffaloes in 

 India ; some of which are no better than those found in 

 the Philippine Islands or China. Some breeds are ex- 

 cellent dairy animals. The Delhi buffaloes weighing 

 anywhere from fifteen hundred pounds to a ton, with 

 short, intensely curled horns, often give six to seven 

 thousand pounds of milk a year having seven and a half 

 to nine per cent, of butter fat. In the Government Mili- 

 tary Dairies where some attention is now being paid to 

 the improvement of the dairy cattle of India a number 

 of buffaloes have given over ten thousand pounds of 

 milk a year of about eight per cent, butter fat. The 

 buffalo is much more nervous than the cow and must be 

 handled more gently. Their habit is to feed at night 

 and in the day time lie in water with only the eyes and 

 nose showing. There is one breed of buffaloes that has 

 four perfectly formed quarters and only two teats. There 

 are no rudimentaries or anything to suggest that two 

 teats have been lost. They are a very fair milking breed 

 and are worth investigation. I believe that the water 

 buffalo of India has a future in the southern states of 

 America, notably in Florida where there is an abundance 

 of water with lots of roughage. 



The cattle of India are usually hardy and resistant to 

 disease. Most of the cattle of India are only slightly 

 affected by foot and mouth disease and are immune to 

 tick fever. Tuberculosis is very rare among them. For 



