Cattle and Thành Công Village

Buffalo swimming. Buffalo, having eaten their fill on an island in the reservoir, swim back to the land Field with buffalo. Near the village tethered buffalo graze in considerable numbers To a western eye it is cattle that dominate the landscape around the village of Thành Công in the Thanh Hoá Province of northern Vietnam. Bullla and egret. Egrets often seem to feed where cattle graze Cow and plougher. Beyond the grazing cow a man ploughs with a buffalo Plough harness. Plough harness for the bull pictured below Cattle are bred to provide the 'horsepower' for the village. They all work for their living pulling carts and ploughing fields; also providing the main source of meat, although, as in other East Asian countries, no milk. Woman with cow. A woman leading her bull home from work - slowly while it feeds Cow in Uttar Pradesh Bovine comparison from Uttar Pradesh Go to another page. - in the scorching heat of northern India These two villages are of similar social organisation and status. But in India a halter holds the cattle, in Vietnam (see bottom image) the tether is through the nose. A difference that speaks volumes. Bull waiting. A bull waits to move the cart seen behind him with the harness shown above Loading cart with sweet potatoes. Now harnessed, the bull stands while the cart is loaded with the sweet potatoes being lifted from the field... Cart returning with its load. ...and starts the gentle creaking walk to the village. Behind in the fields sugar cane and sweet corn grow Buffalo ploughing. There seems little difference in the strength of buffaloes and cows for the work of ploughing, so the choice is a matter of individual taste - some preferring buffalo meat to beef! Bull ploughing. These two pictures and the one below show both beasts at work in neighbouring fields. However, buffaloes clearly relish water Buffalo and cow ploughing. Bovine rivalry Buffalo by path. The evening sun shows that in fact buffaloes are hairy Boys supervising buffalo. The work of supervising grazing mostly falls to children; a happy time if they can meet other herders and people Young buffalo scrapping. Young buffalo scrap head to head like deer Buffalo Portraits Buffalo are photogenic: powerful, amazingly docile, doe eyed creatures Long horned buffalo. Breeds vary just as with our cattle, these horns are exceptional Mother buffalo and calf. Docile certainly, but of course a mother and her calf need their space Buffalo in landscape. By Thành Công Village Buffalo face But the last shot goes to the buffalo herself The next page moves to animals and their welfare in a very different climate. On the outskirts of Cairo Al Sorat Farm offers sanctuary for animals, education for people and a veterinary service. Man with goat. line
Saturday 4th March 2017 Murphy on duty

Go to the Picture Posting contents page Return to the top