Dr Muhammad Younas, Department of Livestock Management, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad has urged farmers and breeders to raise Sahiwal Cow on their farms and encourage people to establish its nucleus herd and develop a pressure on the government to give incentives for Sahiwal breed.
In a working report, he suggested to establish a Sahiwal Breed Association (SBA) to safeguard this breed and urged scientists, farmers and policy makers to help this association protect and safeguard this breed from extinction. To develop & propagate Sahiwal indigenous breed in the country, he proposed to encourage farmers to establish its farm with nucleus herds.
He said this effort was not to eliminate any breed, or to initiate a futile discussion that which breed was better, which one was economical, but it might only one objective to safeguard the Sahiwal breed. "Who chooses what, is individual's choice. One breed may suit to anybody but may not suit to other, depending on his needs, place, purpose, and emphasis.
He suggested that a national consensus be developed to review whether we need to import these expensive animals to this country or not, who will benefit and who will loose.
Dr Muhammad Younas said, if USA could sustain plenty of milch cow breeds and possessing almost 52 beef breeds, why could not we handle and promote our only 2-3 local and adopted breeds in the country. A group of serious farmers, having stake in this breed, should also join hand to this crusade and become an active member of this body. He asked farmers not to bring their liking and disliking and should not indulge in any politics and work for this noble and national cause.
He said that the Association would entirely be run by private sector farmers. Dr Muhammad Younas mentioned that the cattle breed of Sahiwal was a local, well adopted, hardy in nature, disease resistance, and very precious breed of Pakistan. Sahiwal cattle have been in great demand in several Asian and African countries. Way back Pakistan exported Sahiwal animals to Africa, Australia, Kenya and Sri Lanka. This breed has been used with local bloods in many parts of the world to develop new strain and breeds. Now these countries have put those animals on sale and intend to export the animals back to us with different names.
On the other hand a criminal negligence has been shown in its own habitat, which resulted in a considerable reduction of this breed in the country, he explained.
The population of Sahiwal cattle in Punjab province, which is the home tract of this breed, was estimated as 1.17 million during 1996 census. Later the number was estimated 0.35 million in 2000 and at present it's population has faced a drastic decrease in the country, which was 0.14 million in 2004.
Its number has been reduced to a dangerous level, where FAO has to show its concern and finding pure-bred animals in the country. Due to a continuous neglect, its productive and reproductive performance has shown a decline over the past 40 years, according to the studies conducted at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad by Dr Muhammad Sajjad Khan and his colleagues.
To mention a few, it's age at first calving has prolonged to approximately 6 days per lactation, milk yield has shown a decline of 17 kg and overall productive life has shown a decline of 20 days, as reported by Dr M Sajjad Khan. While the performance in India, Sri Lanka, Kenya, and Australia has shown marvellous results rather they have used this breed as a base to develop their new milch and beef breeds.
"Wouldn't it be strange, rather shameful on our part, to hear that the farms of nucleus herd are in plenty in India and other countries, while its becoming difficult to find the pure specimens of this breed in Pakistan."
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