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PART II.—PROVINCIAL REPORT.
III.—CATTLE DISEASE—INVESTIGATION AND PREVENTION.
Duties of Vete-
rinary Assistants
524. Feeling that a commencement should be made in the most important
duties connected with cattle-disease and cattle breeding, and also feeling that the
time of Provincial Veterinary Officers of the Civil Veterinary Department, with
the exception of the one in Central Provinces, is so fully occupied in attend-
ing to matters connected with horse breeding, or in the education of students
at the several Veterinary Colleges and Schools, that it is not possible to devote
their attention to the extent desired, in collecting and furnishing information
regarding cattle breeding, cattle diseases, and cattle survey, generally, it was pro-
posed to the Government of India that this duty should be entrusted to the
Assistant to the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department, and that he
should commence work in the Punjab; the reason for the selection of the
Punjab being that the Subordinate Veterinary Staff is larger than in any other
Province.
The proposals were that during the time the Assistant to the Inspector-
General, Civil Veterinary Department is carrying out the abovementioned
scheme, his duties would be as follows:—
(a) To supervise and direct, so long as he is touring in the district,
the work done by the Veterinary Assistants employed in that
district.
(b) Continue his tour steadily through each district of the Punjab,
and render all possible assistance to the Local Government
through the District officials, with regard to cattle breeding and
disease.
(c) So long as the Assistant to the Inspector-General, Civil Veteri-
nary Department, is in the district, all Veterinary Assistants to
be placed directly under his supervision, subject to their general
control by the Deputy Commissioner.
(d) The Assistant to the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Depart-
ment, be empowered to correspond directly with the Veterinary
Assistants regarding disease, and to indicate to them, from time
to time, in what direction they should work and show them how
to collect information.
(e) All outbreaks of disease amongst animals, to be reported, as early
as possible, to the Assistant to the Inspector-General, Civil
Veterinary Department, whether assistance is required or not, so
that, if necessary, he may visit the locality, diagnose the disease,
and instruct the Veterinary Assistants to collect such material as
may be necessary for examination by the Imperial Bacteriologist.
(f) When the scheme is in working order, the Assistant to the Inspec-
tor-General, Civil Veterinary Department, will report to the
Deputy Commissioners concerned, on the work done by Veterinary
Assistants in each district, forwarding a copy for the information
of the Inspector-General, Civil Veterinary Department.
Cattle-breed-
ing.
525. Before any opinion, as to the measures which it is desirable to take in
the matter of cattle-breeding, can be arrived at, it is necessary that approximately
accurate knowledge on the following points should be forthcoming:—
(a) Regarding the suitability of the various parts of the district for
cattle-breeding, rearing, &c.: whether the production of cattle
is in excess of requirements.
(b) Whether the people care to breed cattle or not; whether they
find it cheaper, on account of the cost of keeping their animals,