6
35. The services of the Staff Veterinary Assistant K. C. Sen who was permanently
stationed at Silehar were employed throughout the year in the district of Cachar. He
was on tour for 225 days, inoculated 3,406 animals, treated 2,039 animals for contagious
and non-contagious diseases, both at headquarters and mufussiL
36. The names of the following Assistants are noted for their good work:—S. C.
Das Gupta, Silchar, H. 0. Sen, North Sylhet, B. C. Chatterjee, Jorhat, and F. Ahmed,
Dibrugarh.
PART III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
37. Table VIII shows the number of stud bulls reported to have been serving in
this Province during the year. At the beginning of the year there were 24 bulls ; the
number at the close of the year shows an increase of 6. None of the bulls reported
under local bodies belong to the Jail Department and they are without exception the
property of the Local Boards. The bulls reported from Goalpara are all stationed
at Dhubri.
38. Table IX shows the work of the Provincial Cattle Farm during the year
under report. The total number of animals as reported by the Farm Superintendent
on the 31st March 1912 was 76 against 88 in the previous year. The herd consisted of
12 bulls, 17 cows, 27 young bulls and calves, 8 heifers and heifer.calves and 12 bullocks.
During the year 9 bulls, 2 bullocks, 9 cows, 9 heifer and heifer-calves were sold.
Fourteen calves were added to the stock and nine deaths occurred during the year.
Four cows, 2 bull-calves and 6 bullocks were also purchased.
39. The young bulls, cows, heifers and the sheep were all sent down to Sumer, a
subsidiary grazing ground at the 49th mile of the Shillong-Gauhati road, in the early
part of January 1912. This time the cattle sent to Sumer did not suffer from ticks
as they did in the previous year.
40. The yield of milk during the year was 17,826 lbs., out of which 7,521 lbs.
were sold.
41. The sheep-breeding experiment was also continued during the year, Duraba
rams being crossed with local ewes, the lambs show a great improvement in size and
quality.
Tables X-XTIT—BLANK.
42. The statistics in regard to cattle fairs and shows are given in Table XIV.
Three fairs and shows are reported during the year against 5 in the previous year.
The Agricultural show at Shillong was not held. Cachar does not report any fairs
during the year. Still there is an increase in the number of bulls, bullocks and cows
exhibited over that of the previous year. The decrease in the number of buffaloes is
considerable, and this is due to the fact that the major portion of the numbers was
reported from Cachar in the last year.
43. The shows at North 8ylhet and Sunamganj were both successful ; the former
was attended by me with Staff Assistant S. Ghose from the headquarters, who gave
demonstrations and short lectures at intervals and distributed leaflets about contagious
diseases, etc. The number of exhibits in live stock was larger than in previous years
and the best animals showed a decided improvement.
44. Mr. Blackwood, the Special Survey Officer, with one of my Staff Assistants
also attended the show. The Sunamganj show was also inspected by him. The District
Officer reports that the shows are generally appreciated by the public .
PART V.—EXPENDITURE OF THE DEPARTMENT.
45. Table XIV-A. —The cost of the department, as shown in the table, includes
also the expenditure of Eastern Bengal. No separate figures for Assam are available.
GENERAL REMARKS.
46. The experience gained during the year agrees with that of former years
in that success in controlling contagious disease is limited by the limited number
of Assistants available. The majority of Local Boards are only willing to employ
one Assistant. It is impossible for one Assistant to control satisfactorily an outbreak
of contagious disease even in a restricted area. Experience shows that the only
way to get thorough control of an outbreak is for a number of Assistants to attend
at once and inoculate all the incontact animals. To do this it is necessary to have,
in addition to a larger number of Local Board Assistants, a larger number of men
in the reserve and staff stationed at headquarters. The Local Board men could