Two large cattle populations were enumerated by a house to house survey in several villages in upland and deltaic regions of rural West Bengal, India. The basic population parameters of the 2 were compared and their inter-relationships related to the different environmental setting of each region.
The total number, density, sex ratio, age distribution, number per household, basic productivity and general management of the cattle differed significantly. While the male cattle were actively bought and sold into and out of each region, the female cattle appeared to represent a relatively unmanipulated subpopulation in both regions. The cattle in each area consumed items of little direct human utility and converted them into valuable materials highly desired by the respective human populations.