Comparison of two cattle production systems in Pabna district Bangladesh

In Pabna district, Bangladesh there are two cattle production systems: a draught-oriented system with local Deshi cattle and more milk-oriented production with Pabna Milking Cow (PMC) stock. Deshi animals are smaller than PMC animals. More PMC cows are milked than Deshi cows and the milk off-take of PMC cows is much higher. The calving interval in Deshi cows is one year longer than in PMC cows. The great majority of the bullocks and the bulls are used as draught animals. More than 80% of the Deshi cows also have to work compared with only about half of the PMC cows. The milk off-take of cows used for draught work is 30% less than that of other cows. One of the major differences between the two systems is that PMC cows have access to grazing along the rivers. These areas are increasingly taken up for cropping and the traditional Pabna milk production farming system is gradually being replaced.