Sahiwal

Sahiwal (Urdu: ساہِيوال‎; Western Punjabi: ساہیوال), is a city in central Punjab, Pakistan. It presently is the administrative center of Sahiwal district, and previously was that of the former Sahiwal division. Sahiwal is approximately 180 km from the major city Lahore and is the city between Lahore and Multan. With a population of 207,388 (1998 Pakistan Census), it is the 14th largest city in the Punjab and the 22nd largest city in Pakistan.

A small village on the Karachi-Lahore railway line during 1865 was named Montgomery after Sir Robert Montgomery, then Lieutenant-Governor of Punjab. was made the capital of the Montgomery District. Its name was reinstated as Sahiwal in 1967 after the Sahi clan of Kharal Rajpoots who are the native inhabitants of this area.

The city is in the densely populated region between the Sutlej and Ravi rivers. The principal crops are wheat, cotton, tobacco, legumes, potato and oilseeds. Cotton goods and lacquered woodwork are manufactured.

Language

Punjabi is the spoken language of people of district.

Sahiwal cattle

Sahiwal is a breed of Zebu cattle which primarily is used in dairy production. Sahiwal originated from the Sahiwal district of Punjab province in Pakistan. They produce the most milk of all zebu breeds, followed by the very similar Red Sindhi and Butana breeds.

History

The Sahiwal originated in the dry Punjab region which lies along the Indian-Pakistani border. They were once kept in large herds by professional herdsmen called "Junglies". With the introduction of irrigation systems to the region they began to be kept in smaller numbers by the farmers of the region, who used them as draught and dairy animals. Today the Sahiwal is one of the best dairy breeds in India and Pakistan. Due to their heat tolerance and high milk production they have been exported to other Asian countries as well as Africa and the Caribbean.

Characteristics

Their colour can range from reddish brown through to the more predominant red, with varying amounts of white on the neck, and the underline. In males the colour darkens towards the extremities, such as the head, legs and tail. The males have big hump; they have height at withers of 136 and 120 cm for males and females, respectively. It 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. As oxen, they are generally docile and lethargic, making them more useful for slow work.

Sahiwal (disambiguation)

Sahiwal is a city in Sahiwal District, Punjab, Pakistan.

Sahiwal may also refer to: