Sahiwal Cattle Breed – Everything You Need to Know

The Sahiwal is a Zebu type cattle breed that is mainly used for its very good milk production. They are also a very good working cattle breed that are good draft animals. They are considered a rare breed these days and indigenous breed of Punjab.

SAHIWAL CATTLE BREED OF CATTLE QUICK PROFILE OVERVIEW
The Sahiwal cattle breed are a very hard working breed that supplies a good milk yield of high quality
Country of Origin:	Sahiwal, Pakistan
Other Names:	Lambi Bar, Lol, Montgomery Multani, and Teli
Main Purpose:	Milk and Draft
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Can be used for	Breed, Milk, Draft
Ideal Climate:	Heat, Cold, Most Climates
Conservation Status:	Not Listed by the *ALC Status/Rarity: Not at risk
Health Issues?	No known health issues
Good Starter Cattle?	Novice to intermediate Cattle farmer/keeper level
Cattle Associations:	Sahiwal and Indigenous Cattle Society and Australian Sahiwal Society
Cattle Clubs:	For more information please refer to the Sahiwal and Indigenous Cattle Society, Research Centre for Conservation of Sahiwal Cattle and Australian Sahiwal Society
Where to buy them?	For more information please refer to the Sahiwal and Indigenous Cattle Society, Research Centre for Conservation of Sahiwal Cattle and Australian Sahiwal Society
Child Friendly?	Livestock should not be left unattended around unsupervised children
General Information:	The ‘Rashtriya Gokul Mission’ gives incentives to farmers who want to rear this endangered breed of cattle. The Sahiwal cattle breed are known to produce the most milk of all the Zebu type cattle breeds. In Australia, the breed is responsible for the development of two tropical Australian dairy breeds the Australian Milking Zebu and the Australian Frisian Sahiwal breed.
Note: *ALC stands for American Livestock Conservancy

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

The Sahiwal is a medium framed cattle breed with a pronounced hump between their shoulders and small dewlap. Their bodies are well proportioned from their medium length legs to their smaller sized heads with their very slightly turned up snouts and long ears.

Size:

Medium

CATTLE ⇒	COW	BULL
Breed Color:	Brownish Red or Greyish Red	Brownish Red or Greyish Red
Breed Weight:	400 to 500 kgs	700 to 800 kgs
Breed Height:	Unclear	Unclear
Horns:	Small horns that grow out and then up	Small horns that grow out and then up
Temperament:	Docile	Docile, active and should treated with caution at all times
Matures at age:	6 to 8 months or 9 + months	6 to 8 months or 9 + months
Puberty Age:	6 to 15 months	9 to 1o months
Breeding Age:	13 to 15 months	1 year
Breeding Traits:	See Cow breeding & Milking Info	Cover 25 to 30 Cows in 1 season

COW BREEDING & MILKING INFORMATION
Most Cattle produce milk but not all of them are used in the dairy Cattle capacity for their milk. Cows only calve once a year and should have 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. They are fertile and good mothers that breed easily. Their milk is of good quality and they take care of their young as they are good mothers.
Breeding Period/cycle:	Usually lasts 6 to 24 hours Most ave. 12 to 16 hours Cows usually come on heat every 21 days.
Estrous cycle:	Ave. 17 days to 24 days Heifer – usually ave. 20 days Cows – usually ave. 21 days
Gestation Period:	Usually, around 279 to 287 days but most gestation is 283 days. Cows that are carrying bull calf’s their gestation period is usually a little longer than cows that are carrying heifer calves.
No. Calves/Litter:	1 calf at a time. Cows rarely have twins or triplets, but it can happen
Lactation Period:	Cows lactation period can last for up to about 10 months (305) days.
Milking From:	1 to 6 weeks after Calving
Drying off Period:	The cow should have a 12 to 14-month inter-calving cycle. Drying off period for around 60 days before she can calve again.
Milk Quality:	Good, Butterfat = 4.5%, Protein = 3% Quantity: 3000 – 4000 kgs Per: Lactation period
Milk Ideal for:	Calves
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CATTLE MEAT PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Most Cattle breeds can be used for meat and produce an acceptable quality of meat. The Sahiwal breed is not used in meat production.

Meat Production?

N/A

CATTLE ⇒	VEAL	BEEF
Ave. Maturity Age:	6 to 8 months	9 months up to 4 years

CATTLE SKIN PRODUCTION INFORMATION

Most meat Cattle will have a skin by-product, and these are usually used in some form or just as a hide. The Sahiwal is not used in leather production

Skin Production?

N/A

Skin is used to Produce:

Calf/cow skin leather products such as shoes, car seats, fine leather coats, gloves, handbags, belts, furniture, rugs, etc.

CATTLE ⇒	CALF	ADULT
Age they Produce from:	6 to 8 months for Calf skin	1 to 2 years old for Normal leather

HISTORY

The Sahiwal cattle breed are from the dry arid region of Punjab.

Once kept in large herds by “Junglies” – professional herdsmen. As irrigations systems were introduced to the area, the cattle were kept by farmers and in a smaller herd. The animals were put to work as draft cattle as well as dairy cattle.

They are one of the best milking breeds in Pakistan today and along with the exceptional heat, tolerance are exported to other Asian countries as well as the Caribbean and Africa.

The breed has quite a wide distribution to hot countries as one of the heaviest milking cattle of all the Zebu type cattle breeds. They are being conserved in Pakistan by the Research Centre for Conservation of Sahiwal Cattle.