Economics of Kautiliya Shukra and Brihaspati.pmd

only 20 milch cows is given to one cowherd who pays to the state a
fixed amount of ghee per year. (Kautiliya Arthashastra-2, 2003,
2.29.4-5) The cowherds are held entirely responsible for the care and
protection of the cattle in their charge. Very detailed rules are laid down
about this as also about the proper time for milking cows and
buffaloes, the quantum of fodder for them and so on. (Kautiliya
Arthashastra-3, 2003: 176)
Classification
When The Superintendent of Cattle used to classify cattle as
calves, steers, tamable ones, draught oxen, bulls that were to trained
to yoke, bulls kept of crossing cows, cattle that were fit only for the
supply of flesh, buffaloes and draught buffaloes, female calves, female
steer, heifer, pregnant, milch cattle, barren cattle…either cows or
buffaloes, calves that were a month or two old as well as those which
are still younger and when as he ought to be brands them all inclusive
of their calves of one or two months old along with those stray cattle
which had remained unclaimed in the herds for a month or two and
when he registered the branded marks, natural marks, colour and the
distance from the horn to another of each of the cattle, that system
was known as class of herds. (Kautilyako Arthashastra, 1967, 2.29)
Quality of Milk
Kautiliya Arthashastra provides an interesting information and
measures of the quality milk in ancient times. Kautilya says that the
quality of milk is influenced by fodder and the place where cattle are
kept.The measurement of quality milk is given in the following words,
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'The quantity of fat in one drona (approximately 64 liters) of milk is
one prastha (approximately 4 kgs.). The fat in buffalo is one fifth
times greater than that of cow. Thus there would be 62.5 grams fat in
one liter of cow-milk. In buffalo milk the quantity of fat would be 75.0
grams.The present day quality of fat on an average is 40-50 grams.
(Gewali, 2011 b:74)
Fodder
The fodder for horses has been described in following words
for bulls which are provided with nose rings, and which equal horses
in speed and in carrying loads, half a bhar 6 (approximately 35 kgms) of
meadows grass twice the above quantity of ordinary grass, one tula
(approximately 3.5 kgms) of oil cakes, 10 adhakas (approximately 16
kgms) of bran, five palas (200 gms) of salt, one kuduba (one liters) of
oil for rubbing over the nose, one prastha of drink, one tula of flesh,
one adhaka of curis, one drona of barley or of cooked masha, one
drona of milk, or half an Adhaka of liquor, one prastha of oil or
ghee 10 palas of sugar or jaggery, one pala of the fruit of ginger
may be suitable. (Kautilyako Arthashastra, 1967, 2.9.46, 2.29)
Types of Forests
Quality has described various methods to develop forests. The
objectives to develop forest are as follows:
1. To get forest produce
2. To preserve wild animals
3. To preserve game animals
4. Tor Asrams and Vedic performing
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