85
The, system of branding cannot, of course, be adopted in a newly developed
district, as the zemindars fail to grasp its meaning, attributing to it some ulterier
motive or some wish on the part of Government to seize the young stock.
This, however, rapidly vanishes.
Thus, the Deputy Commissioner of Hardoi, in asking for the services of
a stallion for his district, asked that the system of branding should not be
insisted on for 2 years. This was sanctioned for 12 months, on the under-
standing that no unbranded mares were to be allowed the services of the
Imperial stallion unless they have been inspected by a District Officer.
Sanction has also been accorded for the relaxation of the system in the
Districts of Peshawar and Kohat, in order to endeavour to develop horse breed-
ing in these districts.
A stallion having lately been sent to Ajmere, the same indulgence was
sought and granted. At this station no difficulty is experienced as the stallion
is located on the Veterinary School premises, and all mares are inspected by
Veterinary Captain Hagger, the Principal of that Institution.
To summarize, the services of 4 stallions are allowed to unbranded mares
in the Punjab, North-Western Provinces and Oudh, and Rajputana, as a ten-
tative measure for one year, in order to endeavour to develop new dis-
tricts.
During the year under review, the question of increasing the popu-
larity of the Government stallions and of endeavouring to obtain better results
than have hitherto been obtained has been carefully considered by the Bombay
Government.
292. The Commissioners of Divisions and in Sindh and other officers were
consulted, and after due consideration of their reports, the following Resolu-
sanction on the branding system was passed by the Government of Bombay :—
" The branding system.—Owing to the unpopularity of the branding system, the stallions are
at present reported to have been greatly underworked. There is a general consensus of opinion
that some relaxation of the system is necessary. It appears to His Excellency the Governor in
Council that the granting of certificates, as proposed by Revenue and Police officers as well as the
Superintendent, Civil Veterinary Department, would answer all the purposes for which branding
was introduced, provided the certificates are filled in with sufficient care and detail to admit of the
mares being indentified with certainty. The certificate system would afford a reasonable safe-
guard against owners securing the services of stallions for utterly unsuitable mares and would have
none of the unpopularity at present attaching to the brand. It, will be a convenience to many owners
who are at present unable to bring their mares to be inspected when the Superintendent visits
their villages, or who live in districts which the Superintendent is unable to visit. The Superin-
endent. Civil Veterinary Department, should, however, be empowered to reserve certain popular
horses like Tam O'Shanter to which only mares specially approved and certificated by him should
be put. This reservation would be some safeguard against sires capable of getting racing stock
being put to anything unworthy of them. The certificates should be serviceable for one year
only. They should then be recovered from the owners, and the result of the service should be
recorded on them so that they should form a register of themselves. As far as the Presidency proper
is concerned the branding system might, in the opinion of Government, be safely abolished. In
Sind, where there is less repugnance to the brand, there appears to be no immediate reason to alter
the existing system. But even in this province the certificate system might be tried with advan-
tage in one or two districts. Before, however, final orders are passed on this subject, the sanction,
of the Government of India should be obtained to the measure above suggested."
I fear that the fault does not so much lie in the unpopularity of the brand
as it does in the fact that good mares do not exist, and that the Presidency
proper is overstocked with stallions. If my surmise is correct, the result of
the relaxation will be that which was advocated by Mr. Nugent, Commissioner,
Sind Division, viz.:—
" That it sufficient first class mares are not available for the purpose, then it is better to put
the horses to second or even third class mares than to keep them idle, deteriorating for breeding
purposes and ' eating their heads off.'"
With this view of the case one is bound to concur if the necessity for
maintaining a greater number of stallions than is essential for covering good
mares can be shown ; the remedy, in my opinion, lies in reducing the number
of stallions in the Presidency and endeavouring to develop Sind, where horse
breeding is popular, employing the stallions that are not fully utilized in the
Presidency for this purpose.