Sanjiang Cattle

Sanjiang Cattle

　　Sanjiang Cattle are mainly produced in the mountainous regions along the northwestern edge of the Sichuan Basin, particularly in townships such as Sanjiang, Baishi, Shuimo, Xuankou, Baihua, and Yingxiu in Wenchuan County, Aba Tibetan and Qiang Autonomous Prefecture. They are also distributed in Li County and Maoxian Qiang Autonomous County of the prefecture, as well as in the northern mountainous areas of the Wenjiang region.

　　According to the *Taiping Huanyu Ji* (A Comprehensive Record of the Taiping Era), cattle breeding in the main production areas began over a thousand years ago. Today’s Sanjiang Cattle have been developed through long-term selective breeding by ethnic groups including the Qiang, Tibetan, Hui, and Han peoples, under the region’s favorable ecological conditions.

　　The main production areas of Sanjiang Cattle are located in a valley region where the Minshan and Qionglai mountain ranges intersect. The climate is warm and humid, with vast grazing lands covering the area. Grasslands make up 5.6% of the total land, while sparse forests and shrubland account for 34%. Cultivated land, which makes up 1.9% of the area, is used to grow crops such as corn, wheat, potatoes, sweet potatoes, and soybeans. During mating, pregnancy, and lactation, the cattle are given supplemental feed. Additionally, the production area is close to the Chengdu Plain, a cattle-deficient region. Counties such as Dayi, Chongqing (historically known as Chongqing County), and Guanxian have long had the practice of leasing cattle from the production area for farm work. Farmers in the production area earned “cattle rent rice” as a major source of refined grain, which further encouraged the selective breeding of traits suited for work, such as body structure and performance.