Kanjwani is a small town on Nankana Sahib-Shorkot Cantt Railway section. By road it is connected to the next big towns of Samundri (15km) and Faisalabad (55km). Kanjwani is famous for its annual cattle fair where people from all over the area bring their cattle to show-off. The festivities include tent pegging, Kabaddi, horse dance etc. There is also a beauty contest of cows, oxen and buffaloes as well as an ox-cart race. The following breath taking photo was taken by Amir Mukhtar on January 13, 2008 at the Kanjwani festival.
Photo Credits: Amir Mukhtar
The area around Kanjwani is famous for its cattle breeding. The most famous breed is called Sahiwal named after the city of Sahiwal (35 km from Kanjwani). The Sahiwal breed of cows/oxen is considered one of the best in the world. According to the reference below:
This breed of cows and oxen is tick-resistant, heat-tolerant and noted for its high resistance to parasites, both internal and external. Cows average 2270 kg of milk during a lactation while suckling a calf and much higher milk yields have been recorded. Due to their heat tolerance and high milk production they have been exported to other Asian countries as well as Africa and the Caribbean.
The breed called Sahiwal was also introduced into Australia where it came from New Guinea in the early 1950’s. Two Australian tropical dairy breeds were produced from it which are the Australian Milking Zebu and the Australian Fresian Sahiwal.
It is a matter of pride for Pakistan on how a small rural area around Kanjwani has been producing one of the best cattle in world.
Reference: Sahiwal
I wish we could have a post remembering the Horse and Cattle show of Lahore in days gone by. That would be nice; it’s a very historical event.
The hindmost leg, is it of the ox’s or the man’s?
Man, oh man, I want to go see that!
I loved the Lahore Horse and Cattle show before it sadly became defunct. The Lahore and Multan shows both had bullock racing also.
And yes, the Sahiwal cattle are a pride of Pakistan. Pakistan has many good livestock breeds.
There is one breed of hair or wool-less sheep which is dying out in Pakistan. Hair sheep, because they do not put food energy into growing wool, are usually superior mutton animals. Since wool is by now an almost negligible by-product, this breed should be bred up or crossed with Darmalas to increase mutton production. However, someone with resources and interest would have to collect the remaining examples and run weight gain trials on them.
This would be a lot cheaper than importing animals which need special tending because they are not adapted to the climate, etc.
Cattle needing to live in buildings with air conditioning are an example. Yes, this happened in the Punjab with imported European cattle. As it happened they all died. Very expensive and so unnecessary.
Ah, well, livestock is a pet subject of mine…..better not get started……
Thanks for the post. I have met too many people who think that Pakistani goats and cattle are inferior by mere virtue of being from Pakistan. Not true at all!
Nice Oxen. Are you guys going to do a post on Imran Khan’s visit to the U.S.? Does anyone know if CSPAN broadcasted his speech to the National Press Club?
I am making this photo my new desktop background. :)