9
Bull-rearing
and breeding
Farms and De¬
pôts.
64. Table IX gives the main results of the working of the Provincial
Cattle Farms. Details are given regarding the same five farms as were working
last year, viz., Pusa and Siripur (Hathwa Raj) in Bengal, the Northcote
Gowshalla at Chharodi in Bombay and the Telankheri and Powarkhera cattle¬
breeding farms in the Central Provinces.
65. Bengal.—There are at Pusa 119 head, including 35 young male stock at
present too young for selection. The breeding herd consists of 1 bull and 41
cows. At Siripur there are 161 head, 48 of which are young male stock too
young for selection. The breeding herd consists of 4 bulls and 61 cows. These
farms were inspected during the year.
66. Central Provinces.—At Telankheri there are 149 head of stock with 51
young male stock, of which 5 are now ready to be sent out to the districts for
breeding purposes. The breeding herd here consists of 2 bulls and 55 cows.
At Powarkhera, also in the Central Provinces, there are 74 head, 27 being young
male stock as yet too young for selection. The breeding herd consists of 10
bulls and 20 cows.
67. The Deputy Commissioner of Mandla has expressed a desire to start
a Cattle Farm under the Court of Wards at Kinri to improve the cattle of the
local Ramgarh breed.
68. Bombay.—The Northcote Cattle Farm at Chharodi consists of 255
head including 25 young male stock. The breeding herd comprises 3 bulls and
110 cows.
69. Punjab.—The scheme for the Sargodha Farm is still pending and has
not progressed very far, as the question of acquiring the grazing on the Dhrema
and Risala rukhs is still under consideration.
Sheep¬
breeding.
70. Such attention as has been possible is being given to the problem of
improving the breed of sheep. With the object of improving the quality of the
wool, 7 merino rams were obtained from Australia. Two were sent to the
Kurrum Valley and 5 to the Hazara district. They were kept during the cold
weather at Thal and Haripur and have since then been entrusted to the care of
the owners of large flocks who will be responsible for their maintenance. They
are now in the hills near Parachinar and Khagan. The number is small and
it is hoped that more will be obtained shortly.
71. In the United Provinces, enquiries are being made as to the possibility
of improving the sheep breeding industry.
72. The Madras Superintendent remarks that it is gratifying to note that
some endeavour has been made to exhibit a better class of wool-bearing sheep
and if some further attention be paid to the colour of the fleece it would
command a better market. There is a very useful field to be opened up here
as wool always commands a fair price and there is always a market.
(2) EQUINES (UNDER LOCAL BODIES).
Horse, pony
and donkey
stallions.
73. Table X gives the number of horse, pony and donkey stallions under
local bodies in non-selected districts. There were 59 horses, 112 ponies and 65
donkeys present at the end of the year and of these, 40 horses, 11 ponies and 7
donkeys were in the United Provinces; 5 horses, 60 ponies and 48 donkeys in
the Punjab ; 8 horses, 10 ponies and 10 donkeys in the North-West Frontier
Province; 6 horses and 12 ponies in Bombay; 14 ponies in Madras; 4 ponies
in Burma; and 1 pony in Bengal. The increase and decrease in the numbers
of the various stallions is shown as increase 16 horses, 16 ponies and no donkeys ;
decrease 11 horses, 15 ponies and 13 donkeys.
74. The question of the supply of donkey stallions which are urgently
needed has received attention, and an officer of this Department has been
deputed to Cyprus and the Continent to purchase the number required.
75. Table XI gives the services and produce of each class of horse, pony
and donkey stallion employed. From this it will be seen that 55.23 horse
stallions were actually employed at stud and covered 2,773 mares, an average
of 50. Ponies at stud numbered 107.23 and covered 4,185 mares, an average
of 38. Donkeys, 65 at stud, covered 3,282 mares, an average of 50.5. Many
of these donkeys are very old and will be replaced.