The Cattle

Milk is the major source of animal protein in the diet of a large number of people in our country. The cattle are not only a source of milk, but also other products including meat, leather and horns for making different products, and dung as fuel and manure for farming. Besides, the cattle, especially cow and bullocks, have a religious value too, especially in the Hinduism. They have been attached importance right since the Vedic Age, and the cow is regarded as mother, and the consumption of beef is disfavoured. Lord Krishna is believed to have been born in the family of cow-herders and his early life passed among cows, so he is also called Govind, which means the protector of cows. You can find Nandi, an image of the bullock, in every Shiva temple. Nandi is believed to be the mount of Lord Shiva. Also, a cow's five products (milk, urine, dung, curd and ghee) are called Panchagavya and are attached religious value for purification. The cows are so venerated that the slaughter of cows is prohibited in several states.

The cattle were domesticated at a very early stage of human civilization and we have seen them depicted in mythology and animal tales. The drawings and carvings in the prehistoric cave have revealed depiction of the cattle, especially as beasts of burden. Evidence has also been found of their use in the Harrapan civilization, which existed about 5,000 years ago. The domesticated cattle are different from the wild ones by their smaller size of body, horns and development of milk characteristics.

By cattle is meant the domesticated animals reared for milk, meat and other products. In India, the cattle include cows, buffaloes and bulls, though in different countries, several other animals are also included in the category. India possesses one of the largest heads of cattle, numbering over 18.59 crore, second only to Brazil. The cattle found in India are unique to the Indian subcontinent and are not found in European countries.

If we compared cow with buffalo, we would find that buffalo yields more milk than the cow, and its milk is also richer than that of cow by 50 percent more fat. Despite this fact, cow milk in India is considered healthier because it is light and is also used in several religious ceremonies. The bullock and buffalo-bullock are important draught animals, they may be slow, but are very powerful, and play a vital role in Indian economy. They are used in transportation of goods as well as in several agricultural operations, like ploughing, threshing, churning, harvesting, lifting water and so on. Of late, machines and transports are replacing them fast. However, they remain important when it comes to small landholdings.

In our country, the cattle are a farmer's second most precious possession after land, because they are useful to him in several ways, including farming, transportation and food. They also replenish the fields by supplying manure.

The cattle are also used for entertainment purposes, like rodeos, bullock-races, bull-fighting etc. Of course, these types of entertainment are opposed by animal rights activists who consider these as torture and cruelty to the animals.

The number of breeds of cattle in the world is surprisingly large. In Europe, there are as many as 40 to 50 distinct breeds, 11 alone in Great Britain. In India, there are 26 well-defined breeds of cattle and 6 breeds of buffaloes. Some of the important breeds in our country include Amritmahal, Bachuar, Bargur, Dangi, Deoni, Gir, Hariana, Khillari etc. Different breeds have different body characteristics, and are useful for different purposes; for example, some breeds are good as milch animals while others are good as draught animals. In recent times, some exotic breeds have also been introduced to improve the milk-yielding capacity, such as Jersey, Holstein-Friesian, which are imported from abroad.

The cattle are herbivorous animals which convert plants and vegetable feeds into milk, meat and working energy for the benefit of man. They require sufficient, well-balanced feed, which should be satisfying to them, both qualitatively as well as quantitatively.

Interestingly, the cattle have one stomach, which is divided into four sections, so it is also said that they have four stomachs. The first three are mainly the enlargements of the food pipe. The first stomach acts as a store for food which has been cut into small pieces and mixed with saliva. The second stomach acts as a store for water. When an animal has finished eating, the solid portion of food is sent back to the mouth by the contraction of the first and second stomachs. It is chewed again and converted into a finer mass, which goes into the third stomach. It is here that the food is squeezed and ground, and then it passes to the fourth stomach to be processed by the digestive juices.

Care should be taken for their diet, because reduced diet can lead to weakness which is often hard to make up over a period of time. Their diet should comprise dry grass (bhoosa), green fodder and grain mixture (like gram). The cattle can differentiate between different types of feeds as they have developed taste buds.

Often incorrect method of milking can spoil milch animals. Milking should be carried out after cleaning or washing the animal and teats, so that clean milk is obtained. If milk is not clean, it may cause several diseases as it can carry bacteria. The diseases caused by unclean milk can include typhoid fever, dysentery, diphtheria, septic sore-throat, scarlet fever and tuberculosis. Pasteurisation helps to preserve milk over a longer period of time.

The cattle should be housed in a clean shed, and attention should be paid to their hygiene and sanitation. A shed should be designed keeping in view the number of animals to be kept there. The calves should be kept separate from the milking cows, and should be brought to the cows only at the time of milking.

Some of the diseases that a head of cattle can catch include anthrax, black-quarter, foot and mouth disease, pox, mastitis and tuberculosis etc., which can also infect their milk. So, it is important that the cattle are taken care of properly, as our health is also related to them.

The cattle may not be able to speak, but they also have emotions and feelings, and they want to be heard. A person who rears cattle also cultivates several qualities, such as understanding, kindness and honesty. When you come in close proximity of the cattle, rather any animal for that matter, you will find that they are looking for care and delicate feelings in you. Only these qualities will help you befriend with them. Next time you see a cow, just caress its forehead or the neck, and you will find how benevolent and full of affection it is!