16
Showing an increase of 2,792 pony mares and 159 donkey mares when com-
pared with last year.
75. I fear that this high percentage cannot be maintained for long, without
injury to our donkey stallions; for this reason, I shall deem it necessary to
recommend the Government of India to sanction an increase in the number of
donkeys from 350 to 400.
Demand
for
donkey stallions.
76. The Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, North-Western
Provinces and Oudh, reports the demand for donkey stallions to be steady,
several new stands and two new districts having been opened up. The Super-
intendent, Civil Veterinary Department, South Punjab, states:—
"The demand for donkey stallions is still on the increase and is much greater than the supply; many
donkeys having covered between 90 to 100 and few actually over 100 mares; this, as pointed out last year, is
not desirable."
77. There being so many old donkeys on the Registers, tends to cripple
our operations still more; every endeavour is being made to get rid of many of
the older donkeys, and during the year under review, 38 have either died or
been sold; still, with this large number struck off, there yet remains 69 on the
register of 16 years of age and upwards.
78. In 1894, the Government of India sanctioned an increase of 20
donkeys raising the strength from 330 to 350, but the demand is so great that I
shall feel compelled to recommend a further increase.
Class of donkey
stallions.
79. During the year under review, 5 Cyprians and 14 Italian donkey
stallions have been imported, 16 Persians and 2 Arabs were bought in Bombay,
12 country-breds were purchased in India.
80. The Government of India in their Resolution, being a review of the
work done by this Department during the year 1894-95, draw attention to the
fact that the supply of mules is still inadequate, particularly of those required
for Ordnance purposes, for which high prices are paid but which cannot be ob-
tained in sufficient numbers; they also make certain suggestions by which it is
hoped that the supply will be increased; enquiries as to how this can best be
effected have already been made through the Superintendents, Civil Veterinary
Department, and the various Local Governments.
81. It now remains for me to consider whether we are obtaining the sires
likely to produce Ordnance mules. The country-bred donkeys purchased are
of a good sturdy stamp, but as the improvement in the breeds of donkeys in
this country is still in its infancy, they are lacking in size—a sine quâ non if
we wish to produce Ordnance mules. The donkeys of this class purchased are
eminently suited to obtain baggage mules, and as such are a great addition to
our supply of Jacks, which is so very restricted, I shall again remark on this
point when showing what has been done during the past year in the way of
donkey breeding.
82. The Persian donkey, as now imported, is a poor animal and will not
produce any better mule than the country-bred, if as good. It will be remem-
bered that last year the Persian market failed entirely; I made every endeavour
to induce different men to bring over suitable donkeys but only one responded
to my request; I promised to pay the maximum price of Rs. 350 for every
donkey of dark color that came up to the standard requirements. Twenty
Persian donkeys were brought to Bombay, of which, in order to encourage
the market, I bought 18, ten of which were about on a par with the ordinary
country-breds, and eight being certainly below; this is far from encouraging.
On talking the matter over with Mr. Omer Jamal Vuyani, who has always
afforded me every assistance in Bombay, he informed me that the shippers
found that it scarcely paid them to import donkeys receiving in Bombay Rs. 350.
I might mention that the price hitherto paid was Rs. 300, Mr. Omer Jamal
Vuyani has agreed to do his best to obtain donkeys that will be suitable, and
for all good ones I have agreed to pay Rs. 400. It is hoped that in time we
shall be able to start a trade with Persia, as it will enable us to obtain donkeys
likely to produce baggage mules at a fair price.