972. Buffaloes being slow in coming to heat, various de- 

 vices are resorted to to bring them to heat. Flowers and 

 leaves of til } about 2 ounces in weight, or anthers of Kia 

 flowers (Pandanus Odoratissimus) given internally, are said 

 to produce the effect. One buffalo bull is sufficient for a 

 herd of 100 buffalo cows. 



973. Male buffaloes are put to work at the age of three 

 and they work efficiently for about 9 years afterwards. 



974. The age of female buffaloes is determined by the 

 number of rings on a horn. Each ring represents one year 

 of age after the third year, that is, the age of an animal is 

 the same as the number of rings on the horn plus three. The 

 age of male buffaloes is usually determined by an examination 

 of the teeth. They shed their first pair of temporary teeth 

 when two years of age and they get all their permanent teeth 

 when 5 years old, one pair being shed and replaced each 

 year after the second year. 



975. The chief diseases or complaints of buffaloes are the 

 same as those of oxen, viz., anthrax, quarter ill, hove, foot- 

 and-mouth disease, worm in the stomach and yoke gall. 

 Worm in the stomach being more common among buffaloes 

 than oxen, will be alone treated of here. This disease 

 can be recognised by offensive smell of the dung, con- 

 stant diarrhoea, loss of condition, and occasional escape of 

 worms with fceces. The following vermifuge and purgative 

 medicine has been found beneficial : 



Common Salt ... ... ... ^lb. 



Fresh turmeric ... ... fib. 



Garlic ... ... ilb. 



Old treacle ... ... ilb. 



This mixture is divided into 2 doses one being given 

 in the morning and the other in the evening and its administra- 

 tion should be repeated for 3 or 4 days, if necessary. While 



