NationalLibraryOfScotland/medical-history-of-british-india huggingface dataset:
86
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA [Vol. XX, Part II,
TABLE II
Sheep: group 1: disorders of early life. Age at death
Age
(months)
0—
3 to 6
1
3
4
2
65
3
3
18
5
4
14
2
5
72*
6
9
2
29
4
8
64
4
9
10
10
10
8
11
10
1
12
22
14
23
2
15
48
12
Total
325
47
372
Further analysis of the 0 to 3 months group
(In a few cases age not available)
days
0 to 14
15 to 30
months
1 to 3
3
18
20
27
10
4
4
7
4
3
. .
. .
. .
2
3
4
17
2
10
29
21
14
5
3
2
8
2
. .
4
1
5
16
3
3
9
7
7
11
8
26
139
78
322
–––
105
NOTE :—In Table II numbers at the heads of columns correspond to the farms shown in Table I.
* Exact age of lambs under 6 months not available for farm 5 (Hissar
Items included up to 6 months only
were as follows :
1. Enteritis, white scours, navel-ill
2. Debility, dysentry, chill, pl.
pneumonia, gang. pneumonia
3. Anaemia, gastro-enteritis, dia-
rrhoea, pneaumonia, weak at
birth
4. Weak at birth, stomach trouble,
diarrhoea
5. Born weak, debility and anae-
mia, emaciation, gastritis,
tympany, enteritis and gas-
tro-enteritis, septicaemia (1
case), jaundice, peritonitis,
lung
6. Indigestion, collic pneumonia
7. Weak at birth, lack of milk,
diarrhoeatympany, peritonitis,
pneumonia
8. Weakat birth, tympany, etc.
9. Died at birth, want of milk,
debility and diarrhoea
10. Weak at birth, debility, pneu-
monia andpleurisy, peritonitis
11. Born weak, exhaustion, debi-
lity, diarrhoea, pneumonia,
tympany
12. Lack of milk, tympany
14. Weak at birth, tympany, diarr-
hoea, white scours, gastro-
enteritis, bronchitis, pneu-
monia
15. Lack of milk, infantile compla-
ints, impaction, tympany,
diarrhoea, scouring, dysentry
gastro-enteriticolic,
bron-
chitis, lung
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
87
TABLE II—contd.
Sheep : group 2 : parasitic disorders. Age at death
Age
Year
3—
6—
1—
1—
2—
Months
0—
1
. .
82
(34.5)
. .
5
(2.1)
fluke
2
4
. .
2
3
15
2
. .
4
9
21
10
12
6
5
. .
27
9
14
6
. .
. .
14
7
10
(7.8)
19
(14.8)
11
(8.6)
41
(32.0)
10
(7.8)
8
32
(19.3)
32
(19.3)
57
(34.3)
26
(15.7)
8
(4.8)
9
. .
3
6
11
1
10
6
(3.0)
8
(4.1)
16
(8.1)
12
(6.1)
19
(9.6)
11
8
(4.1)
8
(4.1)
10
(5.2)
27
(13.9)
12
(6.2)
12
8
5
13
20
1
13
7
6
9
7
1
14
19
(14.3)
13
(9.8)
4
(3.0)
35
(26.3)
14
(10.5)
15
43
(29.1)
43
(29.1)
23
(15.5)
11
(7.4)
5
(3.4)
Total
142 (8.9)
158 (9.9)
287 (18.0)
213 (13.4)
102 (6.4)
1. Worms, fluke, anaemia,
enteritis (six months
and over)
2. Debility (six months and
over), parasitic pneu-
monia
3. Anaemia (six months and
over), diarrhoea (six
months and over)
4. Worms, diarrhoea (six
months and over),
oedema, debility (all
ages)
5. Haemonchus,gastro-
enteritis and enteritis
(six months and over
gastritis debility and
emaciation (six months
and over)
6. Parasitic, indigestion
and
debility
(six
months and over)
7. Worms, debility (all
ages)
8. Strongyles,fluke,
coccidiosis, debility
and
anaemia
(all
ages)
C 2
88
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA [Vol. XX, Part II,
TABLE II—contd.
Sheep : group 2: parasitic disorders. Age at death
Age
Tear Months
3
4
5
Lamb
Adult
1
13
(5.5)
fluke
. .
4
(1.7)
47
(19.7)
fluke
87
(36.6)
fluke
238
2
13
10
6
35
3
9
2
1
29
4
11
2
1
72
5
1
1
1
53
6
2
. .
1
7
7
10
(7.8)
1
(7.8)
17
(13.3)
128
8
3
(1.8)
5
(3.0)
1
(0.6)
2
(1.2)
166
9
1
34
9
65
10
3
(1.5)
5
(2.5)
2
(1.0)
7
(3.6)
119
(60.4)
197
11
5
(2.6)
10
(5.2)
2
(1.0)
49
(25.3)
63
(32.5)
194
12
11
26
84
13
1
1
2
8
42
14
22
(16.5)
12
(9.0)
14
(10.5)
133
15
2
(1.4)
2
(1.4)
3
(2.0)
16
(10.8)
148
Total
96 (6.0)
94 (5.9)
64 (4.0)
114 (7.2)
321 (20.2)
1591
9. Worms, fluke, dysentery
debility and diarrhoea
(six months and over)
10. Worms,
gastro-enteri-
tis, gastro ent-pneu-
monia
(all
ages),
debility
(six months
and over)
11. Worms, fluke, diarrhoea
(six months and over),
gastro-enteritis,
de-
bility (six months and
over)
12. Worms, parasitic-diarr-
hoea, diarrhoea, de-
bility (all ages)
13. Worms, verminous
pneumonia, gastro-en-
teritis
14. Parasitic, gastro-en-
teirtis and diarrhoea
(six months and over)
debility (all ages)
15. Parasitic, fluke, hair
ball and tape worms,
debility (all ages), gas-
troenteritis and dy-
sentry (six months
and over)
NOTE.—Series excludes six years and over
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
89
TABLE II—contd.
Sheep : group 3 : lung affections. Age at death
Age
Year
1—
2—
3—
4—
5—
6—
7—
8—
Adult
Lamb
Lamb
Month
0—
3—
6—
1
85
35
. .
2
3
1
3
1
130
2
. .
3
. .
2
5
10
6
5
31
3
2
1
. .
3
1
. .
7
5
20
7
13
3
2
. .
2
2
2
51
7
3
13
2
2
1
1
22
9
2
1
. .
. .
2
1
6
10
3
1
4
. .
1
. .
. .
. .
1
10
11
. .
1
. .
1
2
. .
1
5
12
. .
4
2
4
13
1
3
14
. .
1
. .
3
. .
1
1
6
15
1
3
. .
1
. .
1
1
1
8
Total
36 (22.9)
32 (20.9)
21 (13.7)
16 (10.6)
20 (13.1)
10 (6.5)
11 (7.2)
2 (1.3)
3 (2.0)
3 (2.0)
153
Group 3 series excludes cases under six months
except Banihal, and includes six years and
over)
1. Penumonia (all ages), septicaemia and pyae-
mia
2. Pleuro-pneumonia and gangrenous pneu-
monia
3. Pneumonia
5. Pneumonia, septicaemia and toxaemia
7. Pneumonia, 'haemorrhagic septicaemia'
9. Pneumonia
10. Pneumonia and pleurisy
11. Pneumonia
12. Pneumonia
13. Pneumonia
14. Pneumonia
15. Bronchitis, lungs
90
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA
[Vol. XX, Part II,
TABLE II—contd.
Sheep : group 4 : old age, i.e., six years and over at death
Age
Years
6
7
8
9
10
Old
1
. .
34
34
2
1
1
2
4
1
1
5
6
5
2
13
7
31
31
8
9
13
37
3
62
9
8
2
10
10
8
2
3
2
15
11
7
1
8
12
13
13
14
14
4
2
1
1
22
15
6
7
8
2
1
10
34
Total
60 (24.5)
35 (14.3)
52 (21.2)
8 (3.3)
2 (0.8)
88 (35.9)
245
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
91
TABLE II—concld.
Sheep : group 5 : Age incidence of death from various causes
Age
Year
1—
2—
3—
4—
5—
6—
7—
8—
9—
10—
Adult
Lamb
Total
Month
0—
3—
6 —
Pox 6 (mainly)
31 (14.8)
13 (6.2)
7 (3.3)
12 (5.7)
70 (33.3)
29 (13.8)
10 (4.8)
14 (6.7)
2 ( 1.0)
7 (3.3)
2 ( 1.0)
1 (0.5)
1 (0.5)
11 ( 5.2)
210
Rains
1
2
1
32
9
2
2
. .
. .
1
4
. .
2
2
57
Obscure disease
3
5 (3.1)
6 (3.8)
2 (1.3)
49 (30.6)
41 (25.6)
25 (15.6)
26 (16.3)
5 (3.1)
1 (0.6)
160
Unknown
45 (25.7)
29 (16.6)
30 (18.6)
15 (8.6)
19 (10.9)
12 (6.9)
5 (2.8)
6 (3.4)
10 (5 .7)
4 (2.3)
175
Tympany
6
4
4
4
8
7
8
1
3
2
1
44
Rinderpest 2
(mainly)
5
11
8
10
5
2
41
Wild animals
14
9
6
6
3
5
3
1
47
' Encephalo-
myelitis ' 5
(mainly)
4
16
1
1
3
4
28
NOTE.—Figures within brackets are the percentages of the totals of that column.
NOTE.—Apart from all above were,
12 cases of navel-ill and liver abscess.
18 cases of pasteurellosis.
10 cases of 'chill'.
15 cases of poisoning.
Other cases were unimportant, e.g. dystokia, tetanus, anthrax.
92
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA [Vol. XX, Part II,
TABLE III
Sheep : seasonal incidence of deaths
Months
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Group 1
Disorders of early
life
33 (7.4)
24 (5.4)
25 (5.6)
34 ( 7.7)
49 (11.1)
13 (2.9)
16 (3.6)
41 (9.3)
42 (9.5)
33 ( 7.4)
49 (11.1)
84 (19.0)
443
Group 2
Parasitic
221 (15.1)
122 (8.3)
171 (11.7)
180 (12.3)
108 (7.4)
53 (3.6)
47 (3.2)
57 (3. 9)
82 (5.6)
136 (9.3)
143 (9.3)
145
(9.9)
1465
Group 3
Pneumonia
17 (11.l)
8 (5.2)
8 (5.2)
26 (17.0)
20 (13.0)
9 ( 5.9)
3 (2.0)
3 (2.0)
9 ( 5.9)
23 (15.0)
20 (13.1)
7 (4.6)
153*
Group 4
Old age
36 (14.7)
27 (11.0)
15 (6.1)
26 (10.6)
14 (5.7)
30 (12.2)
11 (4.5)
12 (4.9)
20 (8.2)
20 (8.2)
14 (5.7)
20 (8.2)
245
Group 5 Miscellaneous
Pox
20(9.5)
6 (2.9)
. .
24 (11.4)
12 (5.7)
34 (16.2)
16 (7.6)
28 (13.3)
31 (14.8)
14 (6.7)
4 ( 1.9)
21(10.0)
210
Rains
15
2
36
4
57
Obscure disease
. .
1 (0.6)
. .
21 (13.1)
33 (20.6)
86 (53.8)
11 (6.9)
5 (3.1)
. .
3( 1.9)
. .
. .
160
* Excludes Banihal.
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
93
TABLE III—contd.
Sheep : seasonal incidence of deaths—contd.
Months
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Unknown
15 (8.6)
24 (13.7)
21 (12.0)
19 (10.9)
7 (4.0)
13 (7.4)
5 (2.9)
7 (4.0)
22 (12.6)
17 (9.7)
11 (6.3)
14 (8.0)
175
Tympany
3
. .
8
8
4
6
3
2
3
3
3
1
44
Rinderpest
4
2
3
32
41
Wild animals
2
5
8
2
4
2
6
9
3
3
1
45
Encephalomyelitis
4
9
11
3
28
D
94
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA
[Vol. XX, Part II,
TABLE IV
Goats: age incidence of total deaths
Farms
Age
Year
1—
2—
3—
4—
5—
6—
7—
8—
9—
Kids
Adults
Months
0—
3—
6—
1
Banihal
2
N.W.F.P.
August 1943
to
April 1944
5
Hissar
April 1939
to
October 1940
13
Hebbal
September 1940
to
February 1944
16
Etah
May 1939
to
August 1945
Total
6
6
1
7
7
2
17
145 (72.9)
6
11
17
5
4
6
2
2
1
199
12
5
2
4
5
28
81 (27.9)
49
52
43
20
14
15
6
6
2
1
1
290
238 (44.1)
60 (11.1)
65 (12.0)
64 (11.2)
26 (4.8)
25 (4.6)
28 (5.2)
10 (1.8)
8 (1.5)
2 (0.4)
2 (0.4)
1 (0.2)
6(1.10)
5 (1.0)
540
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
95
TABLE V
Goats : age at death—
Group 2 : disorders of very early life
Age
Year
0—
3 to 6
1—
2—
3—
4
1—
2—
3—
4—
5—
months
0—
3—
6—_
6—
5
142
5
147
5
6
2
2
1
16
16
66
23
89
12
21
9
19
9
5
5
80
35
23
9
7
10
5
89
Items included, up to 6 months only, are :
5. Born weak, gastritis, enteritis, tympany, joint-ill, pneu-
monia,
16. Weak at birth, pneumonia,' haemorrhagic septicaemia',
stomach staggers, paralysis, tympany, diarrhoea
Further analysis of 0—3 months' group
days
0 to 14
15 to 30
months
1 to 3
114
11
23
15
17
28
Group 2 : parasitic disorders
Items included are (excluding 6 yrs. & over) debility*, brain
cyst, worms*, ' bisi '*
*all ages up to 6 year
Group 3 : lung effections
16. Pneumonia and haemorrhagic septicaemia
6 months up
Group 4: old age
Would include 2 at Hissar, 6 and 8 year old dying August and November 1940.
Would include 8 at Etah : age 6 year (5), 7 year (1), 8 year (1), 9 year (1).
NOTE.—Number at heads of columns correspond to the farms shown in Table IV.
D2
96
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA [Vol. XX, Part II
TABLE VI
Goats : seasonal incidence of deaths
Month
January
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
Total
Group 1 :
disorders of
early life
22 (9.3)
24 (10.2)
35 (14.8)
27 (11.4)
19 (8.05)
7(2.9)
9(3.8)
5(2.1)
4(1.7)
20 (8.5)
35 (14.8)
29 (12.3)
236
Group 2 :
parasitic*
. .
4
. .
4
2
1
4
11
8
16
15
16
80
Group 3:pneumonia and
'haemorrhagic septicaemia'
Pneumonia
. .
. .
. .
1
3
1
3
0
9
2
3
2
24
H.S.
4
5
1
20
39
9
3
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
81
Group 4:
old age
. .
. .
. .
. .
1
1
. .
1
. .
1
5
1
10
* Mainly bisi
TABLE VII
Season of birth of lambs at Hissar (February to October)
Month
February
March
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
Total
1938
14
23
2
1
. .
23
177
16
40
296
1939
10
14
1
. .
..
59
300
17
10
411
1940
40
. .
. .
58
280
25
18
421
1941
38
. .
. .
30
346
26
13
453
1942
33
. .
. .
4
331
18
6
392
1943
32
. .
. .
23
288
26
15
384
1944
32
. .
. .
47
280
37
3
399
1945
35=274(8.9)
= 1
= 0
31=275(8.9)
192=2194(71.2)
39=204(6.6)
29=134(4.4)
326=3082
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
97
TABLE VIII
Season of birth of kids at Etah
Month
April
May
June
July
August
September
October
November
December
January
February
March
Total
Jamnapari
1931-33
. .
1
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
21
29
7
2
3
63
1933-35
5
1
. .
. .
. .
. .
. .
37
11
1
7
15
77
1935-37
3
9
13
4
1
. .
9
25
10
10
1
4
89
1937-39
7
5
5
10
1
. .
1
46
20
2
4
7
108
1939-41
6
5
1
. .
. .
. .
3
17
28
5
. .
2
67
Barbari
1931-33
1
2
5
1
1
. .
2
14
7
6
1
2
42
1933-35
5
7
. .
2
2
1
9
14
1
3
3
11
58
1935-37
4
13
7
10
1
. .
2
22
9
8
9
3
88
1937-39
2
2
7
3
6
3
2
35
12
6
6
2
86
1939-41
6
8
11
11
1
19
35
8
3
1
7
1
111
1941-43
. .
. .
2
2
2
4
103
13
3
1
1
3
139
1943-45
1
1
. .
3
8
. .
31
26
16
7
5
4
102
1945-46
3
4
. .
. .
. .
25
8
3
13
4
1
. .
61
Total
43 (3.9)
58 (5.3)
51 (4.7)
46 (4.2)
23 (2.1)
52 (4.8)
210 (20.0)
281 (26.0)
162 (15.0)
61 (5.6)
47 (4.3)
57 (5.2)
1,091
NOTE.—For brevity periods of two years are combined. Percentages in brackets.
98
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA
[Vol. XX, Part II,
TABLE IX
Mortality in young goats (Etah to 2 years ; Hissar, to six months)
Year
1931-32
1932-33
1933-34
1934-35
1935-36
1936-37
1937-38
1938-39
1939-40
1940-41
1941-42
1942-43
1943-44
3944-45
1945-46
Total
(Per cent of 482)
(Per cent of 664)
1940-42
(Per cent of 269)
Births
117
117
142
165
202
111
154
140
137
147
114
127
86
72
91
1,922
Deaths
at age (in months)
1
18
6
22
13
21
33
13
5
4
22
1
4
5
1
5
173
35.9
26.0
218
81.0
2
6
3
8
10
16
20
10
6
2
9
0
4
6
4
13
117
24.3
17.6
26
9.7
3
7
3
3
14
9
8
7
4
4
9
0
2
1
5
9
85
17.6
12.8
8
3.0
4
5
6
Etah (1945-46 report)
2
4
1
2
3
5
2
2
1
9
0
2
0
0
4
37
7.7
5.6
6
2.2
1
0
0
1
6
5
2
0
2
4
1
1
5
3
4
35
7.3
5.3
Hissar
6
2.2
0
1
2
0
2
6
5
0
0
4
1
0
6
4
4
35=482
7.3
5.3
5
1.9
12
0
0
2
4
2
41
3
2
4
4
1
8
36
3
11
121
. .
18.2
. .
. .
18
0
0
0
0
0
7
0
0
0
4
1
3
0
2
0
17
. .
2.6
. .
. .
24
0
0
0
0
1
27
0
0
0
3
0
2
9
1
1
44
. .
6.6
. .
. .
Total
34
17
38
44
60
152
42
19
17
68
5
26
68
23
51
664
. .
. .
269
. .
Pneumonia
Pneumonia
Goat-pox, bisi
Worms,
lack
of
milk
haemorrhagic
septicaemia
Bisi, tympany
Bisi and pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia, bisi,
intestinal
complaints
June,
1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
99
TABLE X
Seasonal incidence of mortality in kids
Month
November
December
January
February
Total
Births
148
78
87
103
416
Deaths
33
22
24
35
114
(27.4
per cent)
Month
March
April
May
June
Births
179
92
92
79
442
Deaths
48
35
30
14
127
(28.7
per cent)
Month
July
August
September
October
Births
83
74
92
263
512
Deaths
56
11
13
51
91
(17.7
per cent)
TABLE XI
Seasonal incidence of mortality in young goats
Quarter
January to March
April to June
July to September
October to December
Total
1928-1931
45
11
13
25
94
1931-1934
85
42
5
50
182
1934-1937
80
45
19
57
201
1939-1940
97
45
38
49
229
1940-1943
107
88
74
118
387
1943-1945
31
56
22
21
130
Total
445 (36.4)
287 (23.5)
171 (14.0)
320 (26.2)
1,223
NOTE.—To save space, figures for three consecutive years are combined.
100
MORTALITY IN SHEEP AND GOATS IN INDIA [Vol. XX, Part II,
SECTION 3
Comparison of the sample data with similar data taken from the reports
In this, information of the same kind as that provided by the farm superintendents, which is called the ' direct
sample ' has been extracted from the reports, and the two sets of data compared, the same disease groupings
being used. This comparison should help one to decide whether the information obtained direct from the farm
constitutes a fair sample of events in the herd and should give further indications of the disease condition or con-
ditions contributing most to the total mortality. In this connection it is to be noted that the sample drawn from the
reports is larger and covers a longer period than that obtained direct ; also the direct sample is apt to be more sketchy.
The result of this enquiry may be set out as follows :
Hosur
Hissar
Monghyr
Quetta
Banihal
Peshawar
Yel
Hissar
Etah
Group 1
(1)
17 (7. 6)
72 (34)
12 (14)
23 (10. 5)
7 (1.8)
68 (46)
60 (24)
14 7 (90. 2)
89 (34. 4)
(2)
74 (15. 9)
173 (51)
21 (13. 4)
67 (26)
11 (1.9)
65 (34)
27 (9.1)
321 (98. 1)
106 (28)
Group 2
(1)
197 (87. 9)
53 (25)
62 (75)
29 (13)
238 (63)
35 (23)
148 (59. )
80 (31)
(2)
366 (78. 8)
7 (2)
135 (84. 3)
0
251 (43)
13 (6. 8)
193 (65)
219 (58)
Group 3
(1)
(2)
sheep
10 (4.4)
51 (24)
8 (9.7)
7 (3. 2)
130 (34)
31 (21)
8 (3.2)
24 (5.1)
31 (9)
4 (2.5)
7 (2.7)
312 (54)
25 (13. 1)
5 (1.7)
goats
16 (9.8)
89 (34. 4)
6 (1.8)
54 (14. 2)
Group 4
(1)
34 (13.5)
..
..
(2)
69 (23. 4)
Group 5
(1)
32 (15)
160 (72)
..
13 ( 9)
(2)
124 (37)
185 (73)
88 (46. 1)
Groups
1 to 5
(1)
224
208
82
219
375
147
250
163
258
Total
cases
(2)
464
335
160
259
574
191
294
327
379
NOTE. —(1) Direct sample from farm, (2) Sampl e taken from Reports. Figures in brackets are percentages of total cases in each sample.
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
101
Comments are as follows with the sheep flocks.
Hosur. The direct sample is a fair one and shows the importance of parasitic
troubles.
Hissar. In the direct sample, gastroenteritis and pneumonia are much higher,
while the proportion of early deaths and (in group 5) 'encephalomyelitis' are lower.
Monghyr. The direct sample is a fair one ; both samples show the importance
of parasitic troubles or effects presumably thereof.
Quetta. The direct sample is a fair one ; the importance of the ' obscure disease'
(group 5) is emphasized.
Banihal. In the direct samples, parasitic diseases are higher and pneumonia
lower than in the reports sample.
Peshawar. In the direct sample, parasitic diseases are higher and sheep-pox
(group 5) lower than in the reports sample.
Yellachihalli. The comparasion emphasizes the importance of parasitic diseases.
With regard to the two goat flocks, it is seen that with Hissar the direct sample
is a very fair one and shows the extreme importance of troubles in kids. With
Etah, the reports sample emphasises the importance of parasitic disease, due to an
extensive outbreak diagnosed as bisi in 1936-37.
DISCUSSION
This paper deals with only one aspect of sheep and goat husbandry, namely
mortality, and this is not the place for any comprehensive discussion. The analysis
attempted above is only a beginning and refers only to organized farms*. Many
more data would have to be collected, with specific, objects before true pictures
could be drawn. A study of the data emphasizes how little exact information we
have as yet regarding animal disease in India, apart from some well defined condi-
tions. The need for up to date research is therefore obvious, while at the same time
a perusal of the reports brings out the enormous importance of the weather condi-
tions which the animals may have to withstand, conditions which may of course
act directly or indirectly. The climates which are most suitable for sheep-raising
are tolerably well known; they have been defined, for instance, in the form of
hythergraphs and climographs by Johnson [1924]. So a useful piece of research
would be to produce such climographs for Indian breeds of sheep and goats. Apart
*Reports regarding the following schemes were consulted
1. Madras Sheep Breeding Scheme. Annual progress reports from 1939 to 1946.
2. Kashmir Sheep Breeding Scheme. Annual progress reports from 1940 to 1946.
3. North West Frontier Province. Karakul Pelt Production Scheme. Reports for 1942 to 1946.
4. Baluchistan. Bibrik sheep improvement. Reports for 1941 to 1946.
5. Bombay. Sheep Breeding Scheme. Annual progress reports from 1937-1946.
6. Punjab. Sheep Breeding Scheme at Hissar. Annual progress reports from 1937-1946.
7. Bihar. Sheep Breeding Scheme at Monghyr. Annual progress reports from 1942-1946.
8. Punjab. Indigenous goat Breeding Scheme at Hissar. Annual progress reports from 1939-1946.
9. United Provinces Goat Breeding Farm, Etah. Annual progress reports from 1931 to 1946.
10. Mysore. Yellachihalli Sheep Farm. Annual progress reports from 1940 and 1945. E
June, 1950]
F.
C.
MINETT
103
5. At several of the sheep farms helminthic disease is an outstanding source
of mortality, while the effect of environment, nutritional and climatic, in this
connection is emphasized. The death rate from helminthic disease, both in sheep
and goats, seems to be at its worst from six months to two years and especially at
6 to 12 months. In goats the majority of deaths occurred before the age of six
months.
6. As to seasonal effect, the numbers of cases and the conditions on the farms
are sometimes so different that no general statements can be made. Deaths in
lambs and kids up to six months of age are usually more frequent in the colder
weather, after making due allowance for the season of birth. Similarly, deaths
in older sheep from helminthic disease and pneumonia are highest between October
and March. Other examples of seasonal incidence are ; in lambs at Hissar a condi-
tion styled encephalo-myrelitis in May to July, in kids at Etah a condition
attributed to Pasteurella in April to August, sheep-pox April to September, an
obscure disease of sheep at Quetta April to July.
7. Other information noted in passing is, (a) that with kids male births are
proportionately greater than female, (b) of nearly 2,000 goats kidding at Etah
and Hissar 55 per cent give twins.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
My thanks are due to the various Directors of Veterinary Services and Farm
Managers who have sent information for purpose of this enquiry. I am also obliged to
Mr. H. K. Lai of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research for many of the farm
reports and to Mr. A. E. Slater (Etah) for loan of reports not otherwise available.
The statistical work has been done by Mr. M. Jamil, D.V.M.
REFERENCE
Johnson, E. L. (1924). J. agric. Res., 29, 491
PROTEINS FOR EGG PRODUCTION
BY D. PARTHASARATHY and S. G. IYER, Poultry Research Section, Indian Veterinary
Research Institute, Izatnagar, Uttar Pradesh
(Received for publication on 31 January 1950)
I N the feeding of poultry it is a well known fact that cereals alone cannot sustain
good egg production for their proteins are deficient both in quantity and quality.
Besides they are deficient in some minerals necessary for egg production, e.g.
calcium.
In commercial farms where fowls are kept as a source of income, the
deficiencies of minerals and proteins have therefore to be made good. Limestone
or oystershell is usually given as a calcium supplement. But the finding of protein
supplements is a difficult problem as they are the most expensive, and important
too.
The bulk of the experimental evidence indicates that proteins of animal origin
are superior to those of vegetable origin both for egg production and growth.
However, in recent years animal proteins have become very expensive and scarce.
An experiment has been carried out to compare the values of groundnut cake meal
and rape cake as protein supplements for egg production. Hill [1944] has reported
that rape seed meal at a level of 10 per cent in the mash was satisfactory for pullets.
In some parts of this country rape cake is fed as a protein supplement in the
ration of cattle but as far as is known there are no reports of its use in poultry rations,
In previous experiments at this Institute, Maedonald and Bose [1943] found that
meat offal was a good protein supplement and approached milk which of course is
an ideal protein supplement. Therefore the results are compared with meat offal.
In other countries fish meal is used as a source of protein supplement in poultry
feeding and in this experiment it has also been tried.
EXPERIMENT
Materials. The cereals and the vegetable protein supplements were obtained
from the local market. The meat offal was supplied by a contractor from local
slaughter houses. The fish meal was obtained from a firm in Delhi, Chemical
examination of the fish meal revealed that it was not good in quality as the protein
content was low, 40 per cent. However, it was decided to carry out the experiment
as it would give at least some idea about its utility.
Stock. Into each of five laying pens were placed about 50 Rhode Island Red
pullets of about the same age and strain, and which had just started laying. The
birds were fed the experimental rations for a period of 16 weeks.
The data
recorded in the paper have, however, been taken for the last 12 weeks leaving the
first 4 weeks as a preliminary period.
Housing. Each of the pens consisted of a run measuring 120 ft. by 90 ft. In
the centre of the run was situated the house, made of one inch angle iron bar and
wire mesh. Half-span roof chuppers with wind screen on one side of the house
F
105