GOVERNMENT OF ASSAM.
The Governor and the Minister of Education.
Resolution on the Veterinary Report for the year 1926-27.
Extract from the Proceedings of the Government of Assam in the Education
Department No. 3139E., dated the 3rd September 1927.
READ—
The Report of the Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, Assam, for the year 1926-27.
RESOLUTION.
THE heavy mortality among domestic animals of all kinds, due to a very marked
increase in contagious diseases noticed in the year 1925-26, continued throughout the
year under report with but little abatement, the total mortality being 52,956 against
56,627 in the previous year. The special causes of the origin and the continuance of
these outbreaks of contagious diseases have not yet been ascertained with any degree
of certainty beyond the fact that contagious diseases like rinderpest have a tendency
to break out in epidemic forms at intervals of three to four years.
2. The mortality among bovines was specially due to rinderpest, which wa3
responsible for 32,104 deaths against 30,349 in the previous year. Foot-and-mouth
disease, hæmorrhagic septicæmia, black quarter, anthrax and other contagious
diseases were responsible for about 16,000 deaths among bovines. The use of pre-
ventive inoculation on an extended scale was continued throughout the year and its
great value as a preventive of contagious diseases among domestic animals of all
kinds was again clearly demonstrated. Inoculations were undertaken in 565 outbreaks
in which six equines and 14,772 bovines died before inoculation. The number of
animals inoculated was 213 equines and 42,200 bovines, and of these only 752 bovines
died after inoculation. In the preceding year inoculations were undertaken in 540
outbreaks and the numbers of equines and bovines inoculated were 295 and 43,471
respectively, of which 757 bovines died after inoculation. In that year 13,366 bovines
and 5 equines died before inoculation.
3. The staff consisted of three Veterinary Inspectors and 54 Veterinary Assistants
in addition to three new Veterinary Assistants who joined during the year. The number
of Veterinary Assistants in the previous year was 51. Though the staff has been slightly
increased it is still insufficient to cope with such intense and continuous outbreaks as
have occurred during the last two years. In order to make the service more attrac-
tive, the scheme for improving the pay and prospects of the Inspectors and Veterinary
Assistants that was under consideration in the previous year, was given effect to
during the year under review. The Government have also been able to increase the
number of the stipendiaries at the Bengal Veterinary College. It may aslo be
mentioned in this connection that a fourth Veterinary Inspector has been appointed
since the close of the year and a redistribution of the circles has thus been possible.
This will make them less unwieldy and will, it is hoped, enable the Inspectors to
exercise greater control over their subordinates.
4. The total expenditure of the Department during the year under review was
Rs. 1,78,041 against Rs. 1,82,155 in the preceding year, excluding certain charges
under " Breeding Operation " for which the figures are not yet available. The
figure for the year 1925-26 under that item was Rs. 1,371 only.