4
ITINERANT ASSISTANTS' WORK.
27. Table IV shows the work of the Assistants in the moffussil during the year.
In all, 34 Assistants worked in the interior and they visited 6,729 villages, castrated
246 animals, treated 25,593 animals for contagious and 34,912 animals for non-con-
tagious diseases. In the previous year, 38 Assistants were thus employed and they
visited 6,621 villages, castrated 220 animals and treated 15,543 animals for contagious
and 44,213 for non-contagious diseases.
VETERINARY HOSPITALS AND DISPENSARIES.
28. Table V shows the working of the hospitals and dispensaries in the province.
During the year, 481 equines, 2,371 bovines and 682 other animals were treated as in
and out-patients. In the previous year. 1,098 equines, 2,872 bovines and 974 other
animals were treated as in and out-patients.
29. Gauhati Veterinary Hospital.—During the year, 125 equines, 649 bovines
and 180 others were treated as in and out-patients, making a total of 954 animals.
In the previous year, 74 equines, 305 bovines and 163 other animals were treated as
in and out-patients making a total of 542 animals.
Under the Cruelty to Animals Act, 2 equines and 60 bovines were treated during
the year.
During the year, 9 dogs and one cat were kept under observation in the hospital
for rabies, of which 4 developed the disease. The hospital work is in charge of the
Staff Veterinary Assistant and has been efficiently managed.
A sum of Rs. 481-15-0 was deposited into treasury as hospital fees against Rs. 363
of the previous year.
30. Silchar Veterinary Hospital.—During the year, 192 equines , 1,109 bovines
and 177 others were treated as in and out-patients against 766 equines, 2,184 bovines,
428 other animals treated in the previous year. The decrease in the total number
of cases as compared with the previous year is partly due to the hospital being closed
from time to time, as the Assistant was occupied in inoculating work in moffussil.
A sum of Rs. 304-1-0 was deposited into the treasury as dispensary receipts
against Rs. 300-14-0 deposited last year.
31. Shillong Veterinary Hospital.—Eleven hundred and two animals, viz., 164
equines, 613 bovines and 325 others were treated as in and out-patients during the
year against a total of Rs. 1,024 animals in the previous year. No case was treated
under the Cruelty to Animals Act during the year.
A sum of Rs. 401-4-0 was deposited in the treasury as hospital fees against
Rs. 516-4-0 for the previous year. The decrease is due to the change in the classifi-
cation of owners in the revised rules of the Department. The hospital has been
making satisfactory progress.
32. During the year, new dispensaries were opened at Patharkandi (Karimganj),
Badlipar (Golaghat), and Behali (Darrang), the second Assistants at Karimganj and
Golaghat and senior Assistant at Tezpur being posted to these places.
PART III.—BREEDING OPERATIONS.
33. Table VIII shows the number of stud bulls in the province. One bull
maintained by the Government died during the year, so at the end of the year there
were 3 bulls remaining. Of the Local Board bulls, one casualty occurred and two were
added to the stock, making a total of 8 Local Board bulls at the end of the year.
34. Table IX shows the result of the working of the Provincial Cattle Farm at
Shillong. The number of cattle at the beginning of the year was 85 ; 21 calves were
born in the Farm ; 1 bull and 2 bullocks were purchased, 7 animals were sold off and
8 died ; the total number of cattle at the end of the year was 94.
During the winter, the animals were fed mainly on hay and silage and they kept
in good condition.
FAIRS AND SHOWS.
35. Table XIV shows the number of cattle fairs and shows held in the province.
The figures for the Goalpara district include the outturns of the weekly and periodical
cattle markets of the district. There has been an increase of more than 3,000 in the
total number of stock present over the figures of the previous year.
36. In the Agricultural Show at Shillong , the cattle exhibit had to be abandoned
owing to the outbreak of rinderpest in the town and its vicinity.